• Home
  • Audio/Podcasts
  • Austensites
  • AV/E-Texts
  • History
  • Links
  • Novels
  • Original Sources/19th C. Texts
  • Social Customs During the Regency
  • Teacher/Student
  • Writer/Literature Resources

Jane Austen's World

This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic.

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Downton Abbey Season 2: Country houses in medical service
World War 1 is featured in Downton Abbey, by Tony Grant »

The World of Downton Abbey: A Book Review

January 18, 2012 by Vic

People simply can’t get enough of Downton Abbey, as my site meter tells me. Everything we bloggers write about the costumes, actors, and historical details is lapped up by eager readers and on nights when the series is aired, my visitor count goes through the roof.

People just can’t get enough of the Crawley family and the servants who cater to them. Not everyone goes online for information.  For those who prefer to receive their information in print, The World of Downton Abbey might be the perfect companion piece to their Downton Abbey viewing experience. The text is by Jessica Fellowes, niece of writer Julian Fellowes, who writes the  foreword. The book is lavishly filled with photographs and illustration, and covers such topics as Family Life, Society, Change, Life in Service, Style, House to Estate, Romance, War, and Behind the Scenes. If you are intrigued but aren’t sure about purchasing this book, you can find a sneak peek at Amazon.com.

Sybil, Mary and Edith. Credit: Courtesy of © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2012 for MASTERPIECE

You’ll find wonderful details in The World of Downton Abbey that you can’t get any where else. Take this picture of the Crawley sisters, for instance, which was used to promote season one. It turns out that the dress for Mary was a costume designed to fit the actress, that Edith’s was a retread from the Merchant Ivory production of A Room With a View, and that Sybil wore an original Edwardian dress.

The World of Downton Abbey is lavishly illustrated

I purchased the book for my Kindle touch, and at $14.99 I found it quite reasonably priced. But here was the problem: my Kindle offers only black and white text and the photos look grainy. Only Kindle Fire offers a full spectrum of colors. And so I have to read the book on my PC or laptop, which is no big deal, for the images are glorious on my 20″ monitor and, unlike many people of my acquaintance, I don’t mind reading from a screen.

Click here to purchase The World of Downton Abbey.

Read my Downton Abbey articles here.

Read my Downton Abbey Series 2 articles at this link.

Share with others:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Book review, Jane Austen's World, Popular culture | Tagged Downton Abbey, Edith Crawley, Jessica Fellowes, Julian Fellowes, Mary Crawley, Sybil Crawley, The World of Downton Abbey | 16 Comments

16 Responses

  1. on January 18, 2012 at 10:28 Patty

    Vic,

    My favorite character is missing from the cover – Carson. Jim Carter is a terrific actor.


    • on January 18, 2012 at 11:29 Vic

      You’re absolutely correct! And that is the promo picture they are using for Season 2.


  2. on January 18, 2012 at 18:04 dentelline

    Hi Vic,
    Je suis jalouse de ne pas pouvoir regarder Downton Abbey!
    Rien que de voir tes photos et lire tes articles, je me languis la série TV.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Have a good evening!


  3. on January 18, 2012 at 21:43 Melanie

    This book looks fascinating. Is it available in print as well?


    • on January 19, 2012 at 09:51 Vic

      Yes it is.


  4. on January 18, 2012 at 23:18 Karen Field

    I just ordered this last night. I can’t wait for it to come.


    • on January 20, 2012 at 21:56 Vic

      Let me know what you think of it, Karen!


  5. on January 19, 2012 at 12:17 Maria Horvath

    Congratulations! Your beautiful blog has been chosen for a Versatile Blogger Award. Please check it out at this link:

    http://ghpoetryplace.blogspot.com/

    All the best,

    Maria Horvath, of the blog A Poem A Day from the George Hail Library.


    • on January 20, 2012 at 21:55 Vic

      Thank you, Maria. I am so honored!


  6. on January 19, 2012 at 20:08 Beth

    My copy arrived from Amazon a couple of days ago and it is gorgeous and well worth the money. There is a lot of info about the show and behind-the-scenes info and details of life during the time period as well. And the photos and illustrations are all in full color. Incidentally, Mr. Carson IS on the cover as is the full cast; the cover wraps around the spine of the book and continues onto the back so everyone is pictured.


    • on January 20, 2012 at 21:55 Vic

      Beth, I noticed Mr. Carson’s image in another photo. Since I own the Kindle version, it was hard for me to see the cover in all its full glory.


  7. on January 20, 2012 at 15:30 Linda Merrill

    Hi Vic – I had no idea I could get Kindle on my Mac desktop – 20″!! I use it on my iPhone, where there are no pics. So thank you for enlightening me. I’ve downloaded this book and am excited to dig in!!


    • on January 20, 2012 at 21:54 Vic

      So glad I could help you in this, Linda. Let me know what you think of the book, which is so informative.


  8. on January 20, 2012 at 23:57 Evangeline Holland

    Having been provided with the UK edition for review last year, I’m almost tempted to splurge on the US edition to own both versions!


  9. on January 24, 2012 at 17:00 The Lit Bitch

    Love Downton Abbey!!

    I’ve been seeing a lot of articles about book recommendations for DA fans. Normally I try not to shamelessly plug my own blog on my comments but I think you will enjoy this….I am trying to compile a reading list of Downton Abbey inspired books or books simply set in the Edwardian Era.

    I had a surprisingly difficult time finding any books lists with fiction books (most were just non-fiction books). So I am putting together a little scavenger hunt for books that are DA inspired or set in the Edwardian Era on my blog. I am calling on all my literary friends, bloggers, and authors to help out. If you find a book (any genre) feel free to link up on my blog! Here are the details of ‘Project Downton’ as I like to call it:

    http://www.thelitbitch.com/?page_id=1477


  10. on March 6, 2012 at 01:43 Angie

    Got the book last week – absolutely phenomenal companion to the series. So much information – historical, contextual, behind the scenes – it’s great! Makes the me love the series even more :)



Comments are closed.

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 6,694 other followers

  • Follow Jane Austen's World on WordPress.com
  • Blog Stats

    • 14,696,273 hits
  • Editing Constancy: A Jane Austen Story

    Book cover of Editing Constancy

    Click on this link to read an excerpt of Gerard Charles Wilson’s most recent book. You can download the Kindle version of the book from Amazon.com

  • The Obituary of Charlotte Collins by Andrew Capes

    Click on image to read the story.

  • Comments

    “My idea of good company…is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

     

    Gentle readers: Please feel free to post your comments and continue the conversation!

    Regretfully, due to SPAMMERS, we will no longer accept comments on posts that were published over 30 days ago. In some instances, links will be removed from comments as well.

  • Administrators and Contributors

    Vic Sanborn, founder of this blog, is supported by a team of talented and knowledgeable writers about Jane Austen and the Regency era. They are:

    • Tony Grant,
    • Brenda Cox, and
    • Rachel Dodge.

    Click on their names to enter their own blogs.

    In addition, we thank the many experts and authors who frequently contribute their posts and opinions, and who continue to do so freely or at our request.

  • The Anne of Green Gables Devotional by Rachel Dodge, one of this blog’s writers!

    Find a book  description and order information on Rachel Dodge’s website. Click on this link.

    Find a review of the book by Brenda Cox, another JAW author, on her website. Click on this link.

  • Podcast Reviews: First Impressions-Why All the Austen Haters Are Wrong

    Image of Victorian woman listening to a podcast with earphonesIn this podcast series First Impressions (59 episodes so far), hosts Kristin and Maggie hilariously discuss the brilliance of Jane Austen and how her novels give us unparalleled insight into our own lives and characters. There’s no shame in loving (and obsessively re-reading) Austen’s novels, which are just as fresh and relevant as they were 200 years ago. Kristin and Maggie are here to give a big [lady] finger to any haters who say otherwise!

    Click here to enter the site.

  • Pin It!

    Follow Me on Pinterest
  • Top Posts

    • Social Customs During the Regency
      Social Customs During the Regency
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
      Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
      Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • Awkward! The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion
      Awkward! The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion
    • Ladies Underdrawers in Regency Times: Regency Underwear
      Ladies Underdrawers in Regency Times: Regency Underwear
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
      Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • The heaving Regency bosom, or was it? Some facts laid bare.
      The heaving Regency bosom, or was it? Some facts laid bare.
    • You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
      You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
    • Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
      Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
    • Regency Fashion: Keeping Hems Clean
      Regency Fashion: Keeping Hems Clean
  • Recent Posts

    • New Beginnings at Chawton Cottage
    • A Day in Catherine Morland’s Bath
    • The Contents of a Lady’s Reticule: Part 2
    • The Contents of a Lady’s Reticule: Part 1
    • Merry Christmas to All: A Jane Austen Christmas
  • Bookmark

    Add to DeliciousAdd to DiggAdd to FaceBookAdd to Google BookmarkAdd to MySpaceAdd to NewsvineAdd to RedditAdd to StumbleUponAdd to TechnoratiAdd to Twitter
  • Links to Jane Austen Blogs

    Click here to enter the page. Topics include Regency fashion, historic foods, Jane Austen societies, British sites, related topics. Click on image.

  • Find Jane Austen on Google

  • This blog has no commercial purpose

    Any ads you see are placed here by Wordpress. I make no profit off my blog. I do receive books and DVDs for review.
  • Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. I have adored Jane Austen almost all of my life. I am a proud lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I do not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, I do accept and keep books, DVDs and CDs to review.

    If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email me. (Yes, I am fallible. I'll own up to my mistakes and will make the corrections with a polite smile on my face.) Write me at

    gmailbw

    Thank you for visiting my blog. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

  • Copyright Statement

    © Vic Sanborn and Jane Austen's World, 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vic Sanborn and Jane Austen's World with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
  • Top Posts & Pages

    • Social Customs During the Regency
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • Awkward! The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion
    • Ladies Underdrawers in Regency Times: Regency Underwear
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • The heaving Regency bosom, or was it? Some facts laid bare.
    • You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
    • Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
    • Regency Fashion: Keeping Hems Clean
  • Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


Cancel
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: