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])

knowing and sympathy

Noticing the author is the Julian Fellowes who created Downton Abbey, I could not resist picking up this book. This story tells us about how British aristocrats live, behave, and think. It is good to know about the society. Also, as a married woman, I had some sympathy for Edith, the main character. "Thank you, darling." does not always sound lovely. I thought this author is very good at illustrating women's feeling.

Excellent!

Brought back lovely memories from when I lived on Curzon Street in Mayfair 50+ years ago and even though I am American, I was included to some extent in a very lovely, very refined English social circle.

Relaxing

I enjoyed the humour and the way the story flowed. Was easy to get onto the story.

Good but not great ---

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I did actually recommend it

Would you recommend Snobs to your friends? Why or why not?

No. It isn't a terribly bad read, but I have to say it was a bit boring.

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

Richard has a nice voice and I enjoyed listening to the book read by him. However, I don't think he necessarily added anything extraordinary to the story other than the "British" touch with his excellent voice.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

This isn't a book I would want to read/listen to again.

A magnificent novel which I will spend time with again!

I loved this book! Julian Fellow’s brings all his skill at story telling to this enthralling novel. I am a “snob” about anything British. There is a perspective about life, which their long history gives them, that I find irresistible.

I was immersed in the lives of the characters from the start, the narrator’s commentary was rich and filled with insight about the motives and forces which moved each of the characters through the storyline. A magnificent novel which I will spend time with again!

JUST LOVE IT

Love everything about this book, particularly the way the characters come alive and I feel that I know them intimately. No villains or heroes, just people and their foibles. Great narrator, fun story, a pleasure to listen.

Thought it would be a fluff novel, but so much more

I downloaded Snobs for my Labor Day vacation to NYC expecting a fun frivolous fluff novel. Oh how delightful to learn it was more once I started listening. The story is fun and frivolous, true, but the writing quite good and the character development more complex than expected. Love the narrator's performance also. I'm very excited to listen to more by Fellowes

A Great

A fascinating tour through the inner workings of the English upper-upper class, replete with old aristocrats and social climbers, the rich and the riche, sprawling country homes and expensive London flats. Told quietly by a keen observer, with a wide array of well-written characters, Snobs is a National Geographic special on the strange customs and rituals of the landed-gentry and their hangers-on. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Loved it!!

Julian Fellowes, what is not to love? Wonderful narration in the best English snobbish form. But of all, I loved the ending and the prologue.

Just Plain Smart and Fun

Easy to enjoy. Moves right along. The author of Downtown Abbey does a send-up of TV shows about modern British Aristocracy.