The World of Downton Abbey Hardcover – December 6, 2011

Fans of the period drama Downton Abbey will love this beautiful book from its darling pastel blue cover to the wonderful, color photographs peppered throughout its pages (there was also a bonus bookmark in the book which was the PBS ad for Season Two). The book begins with a foreword by Julian Fellowes, describing his own fascination with English country homes, and how Downton Abbey came about (purely by chance, it seems).This being a book about the production, the chapters are organized under several themes:Family Life - begins with an "upstairs-downstairs" portrait gallery, followed by insights into the family life of the Granthams as portrayed in the show with excerpts of interviews with the actors (who tell us about how filming is done, their routine, etc.); readers also learn how the various servants at Downton Abbey operate within the larger machinery of the household and it certainly makes for interesting reading about a life that seems so far removed from today's (for example, one learns that kitchen maid Daisy's character is an amalgamation of several different roles, i.e. a scullery maid, a vegetable maid, and a stillroom maid). I greatly enjoyed reading about the duties performed by various members of staff and the real-life anecdotes by those who had actually been in service such as the reminiscence of Gordon Grimmet who had been in service to the Astors. There are even practical household tips from the servants!Society - back in the Edwardian Era (the period in which Downton Abbey is set) and earlier, one truly had to be born into society to be accepted into the fold.There are delightful titbits of information about how Consuelo Vanderbilt learned about society etiquette; a feature on the real-life Cora, Lady Curzon; and even the ceremony of coming out into society, all of which enhance the main text which delves into the lives of the Granthams in society.Change - describes the coming of the First World War, and how this affects the various residents at Downton Abbey, both the Granthams and their servants.Life in Service - the servants generally display a great deal of pride in their work, evident especially in Carson and Mrs. Hughes (the butler and the housekeeper, respectively).Style - beautiful , beautiful, costumes! with lots of gorgeous color photos.House and Estate - how filming is done at Highclere Castles, the building that is featured as Downton Abbey, etc.Romance - goes into details regarding the romance between Lady Mary and the heir to Downton, Matthew Crawley; the valet Bates and the head housemaid Anna Smith; and others.War - how the First World War forms the backdrop to the story of the family and the servantsBehind the Scenes - filming etc.Towards the end, there is a cast list, and suggestions for further reading.I'd highly recommend this book to all fans of Downton Abbey!

I purchased this for a birthday gift for my partner, she and I are both huge fans of the show. We were slightly apprehensive about this being more of a 'production' companion; that is, showing more of the filming and set design. Instead we were pleasantly surprised to find this a delightful companion to the world of Downton Abbey from the era. Included are many, many gorgeous photos of the abbey and the actors in various scenes.The information included discusses a little about the actual production, but more as the production relates to the actual era and how the filmmakers and designers stayed true to historical aspects. For example, included is an example of what a person of that era would use to wash their hair, or why a particular costume is the way it is. There are fun little factoids, such as pointing out that an American heiress in England would likely travel to Paris once a year and spend up to $20,000 (and that is in 1910s currency) on clothing and jewelry to wear for the upcoming year.The reader also finds out that much of the set, props, and costumes are either authentic pieces from the period, or made with pieces from the period. Many of the costumes have accessories or pieces from the 1920s. Amazing! But even those items that had to be made are made with painstaking detail to historical accuracy.And the historical accuracy of the series is what makes this companion book such a welcome addition for any fan. This book will not tell you of the plot, or spoil any surprises from the show. It does discuss the characters as if they were real people living in the era (i.e. Cora would have done this...). But for those interested in the period from the late 1800s through the 1920s of England's high society, this is a wonderful book. And it really is a welcome gift for fans.*** Of note: the first copy we received had some light damage to a few of the pages (creasing, some folding, and a few tears), amazon shipped a replacement immediately and we are happy now.