Snobs

By: Julian Fellowes

Narrated by: Richard Morant

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Edith Lavery, the pretty daughter of an accountant, meets gossip-column favorite Charles Broughton (Earl of Broughton and heir to the Marquess of Uckfield) at Ascot. When he proposes and she accepts, does she really love him, or is she merely dazzled by his title and money?

In a tale that mixes contemporary Jane Austen with the brilliant social commentary of Gosford Park, Julian Fellowes chronicles Edith's rise and fall with twists and turns aplenty. Through the eyes of his narrator, a journeyman actor who manages to negotiate the choppy waters of snobbery and excess as he moves between the upper and middle classes, in Snobs Fellowes gives us a delicious comedy of manners to rival Oscar Wilde at his wittiest.

Includes a bonus interview with Julian Fellowes, the Academy Award-winning author of Gosford Park.

©2004 Julian Fellowes (P)2005 BBC Audiobooks Ltd.

Critic reviews

"Mr. Fellowes knows his turf well." (Dominick Dunne)
"Provocative, titillating, and seductive." (The Spectator)
"Sparklingly rompish....As long as this world does still exist, Fellowes is a delectable guide to its absurdities." (Sunday Times [London])

A Fine Story

I enjoyed this story. Nothing earth shattering or world changing. Just a good story to pass the time while I walk my dog or go to the gym.

Fun, Witty, Arch.

Julian Fellowes’ eye for detail is exquisite. It is particularly delightful to see his insights and observations in a modern environment

Just Ok

Would have liked more twists and turns. Fairly predictable. It was something pleasant to listen to while driving, but not intriguing.

Loved the book, listened to it several times

Would you consider the audio edition of Snobs to be better than the print version?

Definitely, yes

What did you like best about this story?

it sound so real, so old and yet so what people would like it to be

Which character – as performed by Richard Morant – was your favorite?

Lady Uckfield, is a great caracter

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

laugh and laugh some more

Any additional comments?

i recommend both versions, abrided and unabrided

Novel of Manners for the 21st century

A novel about the manners about the "haute bourgeois" and the british aristocracy, Fellowes is following the footsteps of Austen, Trollope, and other 19th century novelists, and doing it very very well. The book is humorous but not hysterically funny, but is also, in my experience, true. The behaviors, concerns, desires of the characters repeat themselves in the US as well. I have a few minor literary quibbles, but repeat, minor. Its also exceedingly well read, with much subtlety.

Ahh the English

If you could sum up Snobs in three words, what would they be?

Amusing, Brilliant and insightful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Snobs?

The enagement party.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Richard Morant?

no, his voice put me to sleep.

If you could rename Snobs, what would you call it?

I believe its a perfect title

Any additional comments?

A quick summer read.

More enjoyable than the story

I thoroughly enjoyed snobs, but less as a novel and more as a voyer into a world that is quite foreign to me as a middle class American. I'm a great Anglophile and lived and worked in London teaching American study abroad students. I'm fascinated by all things British and this was true of this novel as well. The story itself was very pedestrian, a little lacking even for my personal taste in novels. And yet I enjoyed this immensely. (Talk about snobbish!)

Julian Fellow's Delivers Again

Julian's witty and relatable pursuit of bringing us within the walls of the aristocracy is not only engaging it has this sort of tooth to it keeping you engaged throughout the entire story line. Instead of keeping you entertained with overly soppy and scandalous love tangling he keeps a solid story line throughout the entire book that feels solid and satisfying. If one were to use food as a euphemism it's rather like sitting down to be served a full course meal by a skilled chef where the wait is sure to be long, but you walk away feeling make satisfied; versus doing a quick jaunt through a drive through where service is quick but you are left longing for more.

Very entertaining

Loved it. I just wished Julian Fellowes would write more novels. They transport me to a place I thoroughly enjoy.

Perfect Contemporary English Fiction

This was a great listen! It's a story of contemporary London, and has the "haves" mixing with the "have-nots" -- a wonderfully written (and read) glimpse into the politics of relationships and families in English society.