Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle

By: The Countess of Carnarvon

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

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)

Interesting and surprisingly moving biography

This isn't heavy duty historical narrative by any means, but I was pleasantly surprised by the detail and depth of the writing in this biography of Lady Almina. The story, especially the years covering the Great War, consistently engaged my interest. I like historical biography and learned things in this account that were new and valuable in understanding British social change in the twentieth century, as well as the almost inconceivable degree of suffering for those caught up in armed conflict. The Countess of Carnarvon has an obvious personal interest in the subject matter and has done admirable work with her well documented source material. And as always, Wanda McCaddon (aka Nadia May) provides impeccable narration. She is, in my opinion, simply the best narrator in the English speaking world. This woman could read the phone book and I would rush to sign up for a chance to listen.

It was ok

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It was just ok. I learned a few facts that I had not known before.

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

No...rather dry

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

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

No

an educational companion to Downton Abbey

it's an educational companion in Downton Abbey. about one of the mistrises who ran it during world war 1. will give you an insight to the time period.

The best book I ever read

The real Stuart aka the Butler is the the inspiration for my favorite downton abbey Butler mr Carson and the history of the family best recommended read for any Downton Abbey fan

history of the castle

all the people mentioned were hard to keep track of and a little boring. Mostly just enjoyed the history

So Good, Listening to it AGAIN!

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

Very high....love the history, and after seeing Downton Abbey on PBS, goodness, it really brings the book to life! By the way, I have watched Downton Abbey, both seasons, twice on Amazon Prime...in HD.

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

I haven't listened to it the second time, so that is up to the reader...can't answer that one.

Any additional comments?

Get it, if you are a fan of the PBS show, listen to this...it is pure fun!

Fascinating Listen!

I am not a Downton Abbey fan. Yet. I don't have a TV. Netflix has just sent the first DVD! My people are English going way back, and I enjoyed all the Upstairs, Downstairs PBS shows plus Victorian literature. This book is like a puzzle piece offering new insights to a lifetime of study and experience. So in this book we get a description of how a great house was run, how the British people coped with WWI, and then the opening of the tomb in Egypt! The effort, energy and organization is phenomenal! American lowlife media would suggest that rich people are all rotten and undeserving. Not by a long shot! Having served in the military myself, as an officer, I noticed that Lady Almina opened her home to OFFICERS, i.e., the really nice men, her kind of people. Probably those pretty rooms would have been wasted on hayseeds. As for the Egyptian story, I attended the Tut exhibition in San Francisco and read the names of the men who opened the tomb. This story tells so much of their long pursuit of the subject, effort to bring in real experts, though they had studied much, themselves.

I would have enjoyed hearing more about the laundry, the clothes, keeping track of everything. Also more about Lady Almina's clothes, who designed them, who sewed them, England's early fashion industry. The book really disappoints some of us in that area.

Loved the details

It was a wonderful companion to the series. I am so thankful that real accounts of what life was like exists.

Lady Almina:Her Life and Legacy

Would you listen to Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey again? Why?

No. Once gives the overview and feel for the periods in history spanned. Also expands on the backdrop on which Downton Abbey occurs. The memorable fun facts can be processed with just one listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lady Almina of course. She is the point of the audio book and her heritage and journey are quite enlightening.

Which character – as performed by Wanda McCaddon – was your favorite?

Don't really have one. The performance in the audio book was subtle but effective.

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

Don't have an answer. This question is a bit gimmicky.

History

Loved the book, particularly following History and the Downton Series. Characters were very alive. Great narrator.