Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle

By: The Countess of Carnarvon

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Biography and Memoir, 2013

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for Julian Fellowes's Emmy Award-winning PBS series, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants: Lady Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon.

Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war. Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart Lady Cora Crawley, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home. Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman.

This rich tale contrasts the splendor of Edwardian life in a great house against the backdrop of the First World War and offers an inspiring and revealing picture of the woman at the center of the history of Highclere Castle.

©2011 Countess of Carnarvon (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Gives the juicy back story behind last year's Emmy-winning Masterpiece Theater drama." ( The New York Times)

"If you can’t wait for the new season of Downton Abbey... this one's for you.... a revealing portrait of the changing times." ( New York Post)

"The present Lady Carnarvon, who tapped the family archives for her comprehensive research, dramatically captures the estate during the pre-war and war years, and paints a compelling... portrait of Lady Almina." ( Newark Star-Ledger)

"Wanda McCaddon invites listeners into the Countess of Carnarvon’s breezy book, which blends a wealth of archival letters, diaries, and photographs. McCaddon sweeps through the transitions between the downstairs servants and the socially elite, details of furniture and costumes, as well as the changes that come with WWI." ( AudioFile)

Very interesting!

Loved it from start to finish! A great historically accurate background for the house that inspired Downton Abbey.

Companion to Downton Abbey, informative on lives of very wealthy English at turn of century, plus information on World War I

Recommend to anyone who appreciates history, follows Downton Abbey, or is interested in the discovery of King Tut's tomb. Lady Almira might not be in many history books, but a great many people owe their lives to her....and her father's money! Wonderful narration.

not what I expected

What did you like best about Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey? What did you like least?

I enjoyed hearing about Lady Almina, but I expeted it to be more in story form

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The life that the Lady and her husband led, was indeed, very interesting.

What does Wanda McCaddon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I rather enjoyed the English accent, it really brought the book to life.

Loved the story and long for a sequel!

Where does Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

This story was very much near the top of the audiobooks I've listened to.

What other book might you compare Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey to and why?

I have enjoyed many of the English novelists. I can't really compare this one to others, but felt transported to the castle and its' people; almost as if I could imagine living in that era.

Have you listened to any of Wanda McCaddon???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes. I felt sad that there was an ending to the story. Please continue with the family's lives. As least to the point where you won't be sued!

High expectations

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yes, make it more of a series of short stories like the Downton Abby series.

Would you be willing to try another book from The Countess of Carnarvon? Why or why not?

Probably if she wrote like Julian Fellowes. I hoped the feeling in the book would be like the one that I get from watching Downton Abby.

Have you listened to any of Wanda McCaddon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey inspire you to do anything?

No. I'm visiting Britain for the first time, so my upcoming trip inspired me to read this book. Plus, I'm a HUGE Downton Abby fan, like many other people.

Any additional comments?

I'm being a little hard on the author. I'm more of a mystery lover. So, my rating is based on a lack of intrigue in a book like this. It felt a little stuffy. I did enjoy the war history lessons though.

Historical

Good account of Lady Almina and the 5th Earl. Not much about the staff. A lot of Information about the war. Not so much a "story" as as an historical account of the time period. Wonderful narration.
I always appreciate knowing this is not going to read like a novel but more of an account of the time.

Fascinating

As a fan of the "Downton Abbey" series, I picked this selection on a complete, total lark. I expected it to be lightweight, fun, and not much more than a marketing exploitation based on the new fame of the series. Instead I found a completely interesting story of lives, society and a time, enveloped and transformed not only by the tragedy of WWI, but also by the discovery of King Tut's tomb. Not only well done and interesting, but the narrator, Wanda McCaddon. is fabulous and completely appropriate to the story. Really enjoyed this.

A very interesting read.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend it to my friends. It gives you a real feeling on how people lived and what they went through before and during WWI. Most people aren't as rich as this family but she talks about the common people and the servants that worked at the castle. I really enjoyed this book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lady Almina was my favorite character. She had everything, beauty, wealth, love and yet she opened a hospital in her home for the wounded soldiers and sailors of the war. she didn't open the hospital but worked in the hospital. Amazing woman.

A Family HIstory, Not a Scandal Sheet

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would reccomend this book to anyone who wanted to know the true history of Highclere Castle, although I wish that the family history had been followed through to the present day.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey?

I discovery of King Tuts Tomb was probably the most memorable moments.

Have you listened to any of Wanda McCaddon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've not listened to any other McCaddon's performances, but I felt this was a very good one.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A self determined woman makes a difference in her world.

Any additional comments?

If one is looking for a tintalating tale of family intrigues and scandals (like the TV Downton Abbey) this book is bound to dissapoint. At best the only resemblance between the Carnarvons and the fictional Downton Abbey family is that Lord Carnarvon married into money and the house played a part in rehabilitating soldiers during "The Great War"--but the resemblance ends there. Any provokative tales about life "below stairs" are effectively side stepped, probably owing to the fact that the ancestors are still employed at Highclere and people don't want their family scandals brought into public view. What this book is, is basically a time capsule of a period of time when the great families of England still held almost of fuedal rule over the common people, and people lived lives of opulence even against a changing world.

The rest of the story.

I loved it. History revisited from a unique perspective. Narration was superb. New appreciation for a lifestyle I will never know.