Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
7th out of 354 books
—
606 voters
The World of Downton Abbey
A lavish look at the real world--both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama--of the spellbinding Emmy Award-winning Masterpiece TV series Downton Abbey
April 1912. The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear that it seems as if the way it represents will last for another thous
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
December 6th 2011
by St. Martin's Press
(first published 2011)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
Normally I don't read TV companions like this, but I had to make an exception for Downton Abbey, and I'm glad I did. This show is like crack for anybody who enjoys period dramas and is also an excellent beginning series for those who aren't so into this kind of stuff (I swear that my husband is anticipating the second series more than me). The book has a beautiful layout and contains enough researched information from the time period (the series starts in 1912... two years in George V's reign) t...more
This attractive book practically jumped off the library shelf into my arms. I could not resist the temptation to peruse these pages after savoring each episode of the companion Masterpiece presentation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a lovely book, with fine, detailed photography. It was a pleasure poring over the pictures and reviewing the stories of each character, each episode and each place. The clarity of the photos seemed to again bring alive all those people and the residen...more
Season two of Downton Abbey has concluded and we are left in limbo until it returns next Fall in the UK and January 2013 in the US.
*deep sigh*
For those like myself who, have watched and re-watched every blessed minute, yet, just can’t get enough of the award winning ITV/PBS television mini-series Downton Abbey and are in total Downton withdrawal, may I suggests this stunning full-color coffee table-sized book about the series, THE WORLD OF DOWNTON ABBEY?
The publisher touts it as a “lavish look...more
*deep sigh*
For those like myself who, have watched and re-watched every blessed minute, yet, just can’t get enough of the award winning ITV/PBS television mini-series Downton Abbey and are in total Downton withdrawal, may I suggests this stunning full-color coffee table-sized book about the series, THE WORLD OF DOWNTON ABBEY?
The publisher touts it as a “lavish look...more
Yes, I love the TV series, but that's not the reason I gave this book five stars. Not only does it give background on the major characters but it delves into history and customs as well. The author, niece of the series creator, gives us the opportunity to peek into the lives of not just the characters we have come to love but also real-life people who lived in the English country homes, both the servants and the homeowners. The photographs beginning chapter one are a good reminder of who does wh...more
Nov 10, 2011
Claire
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Downton Abbey
Pretty is not a word I'd usually describe a book with, but this is a pretty, pretty book, with gorgeous pictures.
It puts the tv series in historical context, explaning how the aristocrats lived, how life in service was, and the social and political background.
As I tend to be kind of obsessive when I really like a show, I knew some of this stuff already, but it was an interesting read nonetheless, with insights as to how Julian Fellowes came up with some of the ideas for the plot.
I found particul...more
It puts the tv series in historical context, explaning how the aristocrats lived, how life in service was, and the social and political background.
As I tend to be kind of obsessive when I really like a show, I knew some of this stuff already, but it was an interesting read nonetheless, with insights as to how Julian Fellowes came up with some of the ideas for the plot.
I found particul...more
This book was issued after the second season. It provides vast amounts of historical background information on the nineteen ten’s period in Great Britain, especially as far as political and social changes are concerned, and WW2, as they impacted the aristocracy and their servants. Many of the actors give the reader their impressions of what it was like to contribute to the success of this period drama series. We are given virtual reality witness to how it would have been like to be Mary, Matthew...more
Jan 18, 2013
Lisa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Downton Abbey fans that want to know the history of the time period.
Shelves:
nonfiction
In the popular series Downton Abbey, Lord Grantham remarked,"My dear fellow. We all have chapters we would rather keep unpublished."
I am glad this companion book to the series was published so I could better understand the culture and history of England.
This book contains beautiful pictures from the series and the actual time period, as well as, chapters on:
Family Life
Society
Change
Life in Service
Style
House and Estate
Romance
War
Behind the Scenes
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys...more
It's no secret that I am a diehard Downton Abbey fan. So it was with great delight that I received this volume for Christmas this year!
This relatively thick book is chocked full of facts concerning not only the making of the popular British television show, but also the historical context. Good news for American viewers, like myself: This book concerns only Seasons 1 and 2. (In other worlds, it's gloriously spoiler free!) It is full of pictures of the production as well as historical elements....more
This relatively thick book is chocked full of facts concerning not only the making of the popular British television show, but also the historical context. Good news for American viewers, like myself: This book concerns only Seasons 1 and 2. (In other worlds, it's gloriously spoiler free!) It is full of pictures of the production as well as historical elements....more
A really beautiful book that supplements the historical background of its TV show. The book illuminates the historical backdrop of the Downton Abbey's time period, explaining the basic hierarchy and running of a house like Downton house to national and describing the politics, fashions, history, and societal behaviors and traditions that influenced and characterized the era. This volume gave me a better understanding of the show's era and I'm sure when I re-watch the last 2 seasons I will catch...more
This is the self-described companion piece to the television show. It has many photographs, and they are beautifully presented in both their composition and graphics. It seems that every third photo has Michelle Dockery/Lady Mary while some of the other actors/characters are photographed either rarely or not at all. But this is a coffee table book, not a compendium. The pleasant narrative describes the world created in the TV show, not the real world, although the two do often intersect. It echo...more
There is something about Sunday nights that makes me long for a proper period drama. If, like me, you were enthralled by the epic drama 'Downton Abbey, and are still suffering withdrawal symptoms, then I think I have found something that might help you.
The talented Julian Fellows has written a beautiful book to accompany the series that he so cleverly created in the style of 'Gosford Park', the movie that won him his Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay back in 2002. This is not a book ab...more
The talented Julian Fellows has written a beautiful book to accompany the series that he so cleverly created in the style of 'Gosford Park', the movie that won him his Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay back in 2002. This is not a book ab...more
In December, when all the great gift books are released, I usually purchase myself a book that will be a delight for years to come. This year I struck gold with The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellows. With the broadcast of season two beginning on January 8th on PBS I eagerly devoured the book which is filled with information on both the production and the history of the time depicted. With chapters devoted to subjects like “Life in Service” and “House and Estate” readers gain insight into...more
Oct 01, 2011
Indiaskye
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of tv series "Downton Abbey" or people interested in the time period (early 20th Century)
Shelves:
books-read-in-2011,
non-fiction
The World of Downton Abbey" is a stunningly beautiful companion book to this wonderful television show --- you can see that it was put together with a lot of thought and attention to detail! It is a hardcover book printed on glossy paper, and on its 303 pages it offers a wealth of pictures and information.
The book begins with a foreword by series creator Julian Fellowes and is split into 9 different sections after that:
Family Life
Society
Change
Life in Service
Style
House & Estate
Romance...more
The book begins with a foreword by series creator Julian Fellowes and is split into 9 different sections after that:
Family Life
Society
Change
Life in Service
Style
House & Estate
Romance...more
3.5 stars for the first Downton Abbey book.
Like its sequel The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era, this book is a must for every Downton fan. It includes beautiful photos, a lot of information, and many interesting details about the television series.
However, I did prefer the second book to this one because it concentrated more on the actual characters and gave much more information about them. This book mainly deals with the history and the old English traditions, not with the characters....more
Like its sequel The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era, this book is a must for every Downton fan. It includes beautiful photos, a lot of information, and many interesting details about the television series.
However, I did prefer the second book to this one because it concentrated more on the actual characters and gave much more information about them. This book mainly deals with the history and the old English traditions, not with the characters....more
Like thousands of others, I fell in love with the series, Downton Abbey. I'm glued to my seat with each season in anticipation to find out what will happen to these beloved characters. I love the upstairs characters as well as the downstairs characters. For those reasons and many others, I absolutely love The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes.
This book is a behind the scenes look at the mesmerizing world that I can't get enough. The World of Downton Abbey is broken up into several chapt...more
This book is a behind the scenes look at the mesmerizing world that I can't get enough. The World of Downton Abbey is broken up into several chapt...more
"While the greater part of the suffragette movement was campaigning through speeches, debates and other peaceable methods, a small group was spectacularly violent. Suffragette Lillian Lenton, who burned buildings as part of her protests, explained: 'Well, the object was to create an absolutely impossible state of affairs in the country, to prove that it was impossible to govern without the consent of the governed.' Politicians were personally attacked, windows were shattered and there were blood...more
Love the PBS series Downton Abbey? Season 3 has just ended and I'm entering late playing catch up with Season 1 and 2 on DVDs, trying to piece the relationships together. The World of Downton Abby by Jessica Fellowes has helped tremendously - I have such a great interest in English Country Homes anyway and this book is a treasure giving insight into the characters, the setting and time period, and the real Highclere Castle. Did you know the great house sits within a 1,000 acre estate in Berkshir...more
Not oversized enough to be a coffee table book, "The World of Downton Abby" is nice little tie-in that manages to squeeze in some nice flippable photos and works best when it's read rather than perused. That is not to say that it needs to be through read: probably best a chapter at a time while nibbling the crusts off of some cucumber sandwiches.
There are a handful of thematic chapters which probe the many rituals and routines of Edwardian manor house living and which comment on things such as...more
There are a handful of thematic chapters which probe the many rituals and routines of Edwardian manor house living and which comment on things such as...more
Being a really big fan of the show, I knew I had to read this book. It did not disappoint. High quality binding and paper, which absolutely gorgeous full-page still shots from the sets and historical documents and photos.
The chapters are organized by different themes, so you don't have to read chronologically, I tended to skip around and read the parts I was most interested in first, than the others in succession.
The only problem I had in this book, is that the page would end mid-sentence and t...more
The chapters are organized by different themes, so you don't have to read chronologically, I tended to skip around and read the parts I was most interested in first, than the others in succession.
The only problem I had in this book, is that the page would end mid-sentence and t...more
This is a companion book for the show written by the niece of the creator Julian Fellows (who provides the foreword). Each chapter discusses different aspects of the time and how the characters of Downton Abbey might have been affected by them. Pictures and quotations from the actors are interspersed within every chapter, along with quotations and information about people who lived through the time. The final chapter goes behind the scenes to discuss how the show is made.
Readers should note tha...more
Readers should note tha...more
Die britische Serie “Downton Abbey” löst weltweit Begeisterung auch. Auch ich konnte mich dem Charme der Upstairs/Downstairs-Geschichten nicht entziehen und bin hoffnungslos süchtig. Klar, dass ich auch das Begleitbuch haben musste. Das Buch erläutert die Hintergründe der Serie, das Leben in einem großen Herrenhaus im zweiten Jahrzehnt des letzten Jahrhunderts am Beispiel der fiktiven Familie Crawley des Earl of Grantham und ihrer Dienerschaft. Wir erfahren zum Beispiel, wie der typische Arbeits...more
If you like the show and/or the history behind it, definitely give this book a shot. There are lots of pictures and the graphics are beautiful (especially the ones mixing photography with watercolor). I did notice one weird graphic mistake that made the text unreadable, but maybe that was just my copy.
The book is split into sections (Family Life, Change, Life in Service, Style, the House & Estate, Romance, War, and Behind the Scenes). There's a main text and then lots of little side texts t...more
The book is split into sections (Family Life, Change, Life in Service, Style, the House & Estate, Romance, War, and Behind the Scenes). There's a main text and then lots of little side texts t...more
It goes without saying that The World of Downton Abbey is for fans of the ITV and PBS hit period-drama, Downton Abbey, now two series in and counting. The behind-the-drama companion gave historical background to the comings and goings of the characters, both upstairs and downstairs. I like to think that I have a working comprehension of this period in British history (mostly due to my infatuation with Titanic years ago), but one can always gain more knowledge.
Everything from family life to life...more
Everything from family life to life...more
Fans of the show will love this glossy, in-depth look into the world of Downton Abbey. There are various sections including romance, the house, society, etc. As someone that drools over British history, I found this book exceeded my expectations. Not only did I get more insight into the specific characters on the show, I also learned about different people that actually lived during that time - who inspired the creation of Cora, quotes from butlers and valets who served the aristocracy during th...more
This book is a book for Downton Abbey lovers or anyone who is an early 20th century history buff. (It does contain spoilers though!)
While it presents itself as a coffee table book, don't be fooled. In addition to giving a little back story to the characters of Downton Abbey, it gives an enormous glimpse into the lives of the aristocratic, and sometimes lower classes, during World War 1.
The book contains pictures from the show, behind-the-scenes information, and various collages of newspaper cli...more
While it presents itself as a coffee table book, don't be fooled. In addition to giving a little back story to the characters of Downton Abbey, it gives an enormous glimpse into the lives of the aristocratic, and sometimes lower classes, during World War 1.
The book contains pictures from the show, behind-the-scenes information, and various collages of newspaper cli...more
Why I wanted to read it: Because I am hopelessly addicted to the series and can not get enough about this time period, location, and these fascinating people!
Source: Public Library
The pictures are beautiful and this is an absolutely gorgeous book to behold! But even more important than stunning eye candy, this book is filled with wonderful historical stories, ephemera from the time period, and suggestions for further reading and viewing. Let's take a look inside, shall we?
Family Life- the author...more
Source: Public Library
The pictures are beautiful and this is an absolutely gorgeous book to behold! But even more important than stunning eye candy, this book is filled with wonderful historical stories, ephemera from the time period, and suggestions for further reading and viewing. Let's take a look inside, shall we?
Family Life- the author...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
http://mariesbookgarden.blogspot.com/...
My husband picked this up at the library, as we are both Downton Abbey fans. Jessica Fellowes is the niece of the series' creator, Julian Fellowes.
Although this book is ripe with rich photos of the beautiful costumes and characters, what I valued most about it was reading the history behind the series. In particular, my favorite part was reading about American heiresses like Cora, or "Buccaneers," who saved many of the British aristocrats with their fortu...more
My husband picked this up at the library, as we are both Downton Abbey fans. Jessica Fellowes is the niece of the series' creator, Julian Fellowes.
Although this book is ripe with rich photos of the beautiful costumes and characters, what I valued most about it was reading the history behind the series. In particular, my favorite part was reading about American heiresses like Cora, or "Buccaneers," who saved many of the British aristocrats with their fortu...more
I really enjoyed this book.
As a fan of the show Downton Abbey I was excited to learn some new information about season 1 and gain some insight into season 2. Instead what I received was both information about series 1 and 2 and an exciting history lesson on the early 20th century.
I was really surprised at how much depth and history the novel went into regarding the life the characters would have lived. Topics included Society, War, Romance, Fashion, Life in Service etc.
It provides information...more
As a fan of the show Downton Abbey I was excited to learn some new information about season 1 and gain some insight into season 2. Instead what I received was both information about series 1 and 2 and an exciting history lesson on the early 20th century.
I was really surprised at how much depth and history the novel went into regarding the life the characters would have lived. Topics included Society, War, Romance, Fashion, Life in Service etc.
It provides information...more
While finishing up Moon Shadows, I started reading this official companion book to the wonderful ITV series, both series 1 and 2. I opted to buy the physical version to enjoy the photographs, a great decision on my part. in addition to photographs from the series, you are also provided with the history the series exists in as well as behind the scenes articles. They all serve to enhance your viewing experience.
Anyone who is a fan of this terrific series needs to read and experience this book. Th...more
Anyone who is a fan of this terrific series needs to read and experience this book. Th...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downton Abbey | 2 | 10 | Jan 25, 2013 11:45am |
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Violet, the Dowager Countess: ‘I have plenty of friends I don’t like.”
—
19 people liked it
“Matthew: Shall I remind you of some of the choicest remarks you made about me when I arrived here? Because they live in my memory as fresh as the day they were spoken.
Mary: Oh, Matthew. What am I always telling you? You must pay no attention to the things I say.
When they kiss, it is a long kiss, all the more passionate for being delayed far longer than it should have been.”
—
16 people liked it
More quotes…
Mary: Oh, Matthew. What am I always telling you? You must pay no attention to the things I say.
When they kiss, it is a long kiss, all the more passionate for being delayed far longer than it should have been.”
Mar 08, 2012 09:32am