It is no secret that I am a fan of the Masterpiece Classic series Downton Abbey (despite any annoyance with a certain conclusion of a certain third season). Neil gave me this book for my birthday. He said it was a book he knew I’d like, but that I’d probably never buy for myself. He was right on both accounts.

The book is written about the house in which Downton Abbey is actually filmed. The grand estate is named Highclere Castle in real life and it is inhabited by the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon to this day (no Crawleys to be found). The book was written by the present-day Countess Fiona about one of her predecessors, the indefatigable Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon. The work is primarily a history filtered through the point of view of Almina’s life and lifestyle. This means there is a lot of talk of her husband, her children, her children’s children, her children’s spouses, her father, her mother, her husband’s siblings, the staff of Highclere, and then, of course, dignitaries, notable people, and politicians.