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Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle By the Countess of Carnarvon
2013-2014 Utah Museum of Fine Arts Book Club Selection
ABOUT THE BOOK Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war. --From product description.
BOOK DISCUSSION GUIDE Use the information and discussion guide on the following pages to facilitate your book club’s conversation of this book. Then call 801.581.3580 to make a group reservation.
1. Now that you’ve read the story behind “Downton Abbey,” do you think truth is as interesting as fiction? How does the book compare to the TV series? 2. Why do you think many Americans are fascinated by royal weddings, royal births, and British high society? 3. In Victorian times, codes for public conduct were strict, but society seemed to be adept at getting around them. Discuss this in terms of the question of Almina’s paternity and arrangements for the marriage. Also discuss how each party was “in possession of something the other needed.” 4. The author writes that “everyone at Highclere whether they worked above or below stairs, on the farm or in the kitchen, had a role to fulfill and Almina was no different.” Talk about Lady Almina’s role as part of Highclere’s well-oiled machine. 5. In Almina’s time, strict etiquette governed how one mourned the loss of a family member. How much is etiquette a part of our lives today? Do you bemoan or celebrate the change of manners and ‘correct’ behavior? 6. In the collection of photos within the book, there is a picture of Lady Almina on the front cover of Country Life magazine; there is another taken by a reporter as she mourned beside her husband’s grave. Almina lived her life, like many British members of high society, in full public view. How did she and her family cope with this? 7. What are some examples of how Lady Almina used her personal fortune and status to benefit those beyond her immediate family? Who did she help? How does she compare to other wealthy individuals in her day and today? 8. Would you like to invite Almina to dinner? What would you ask her about? Do you think you’d like her? 9. Upon discovering the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamen, archeologist Howard Carter exclaimed that he saw “wonderful things.” What was Lord Carnarvon’s role in this discovery? How did it change both their lives? 10. World War I brought great changes to society, politics, economics, class structures, and gender roles. Discuss these changes and how they affect us today. 11. This book about the fifth Lady Carnarvon was written by the eighth Lady Carnarvon. How have the roles and expectations of the Countess of Carnarvon changed from then to now? What evidence from the book supports your opinion? 12. What is the legacy of the fifth Lord and Lady Carnarvon?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Fiona Carnarvon studied English and German at the University of St. Andrews before becoming an accountant. She met her husband Geordie in 1996. When his father died in 2001, they took over tenureship of Highclere Castle, Berkshire, becoming the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.
ADDITIONAL READING AND VIEWING Fellowes, Jessica. The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era. St. Martin’s Press. November 13, 2012. Fellowes, Julian. Masterpiece: Downton Abbey Complete Seasons 1, 2, and 3 DVD Set (original U.K. edition), Public Broadcasting System, 2012. Release date: January 29, 2013. MacColl, Gail and Carol Ms. D. Wallace. To Marry an English Lord. Workman Publishing Company. March 15, 2012. Powel, Margaret. Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir that Inspired Upstairs, Downstairs, and Downton Abbey. St. Martin’s Griffin. December 24, 2012. Secrets of Highclere Castle, DVD. PBS. March 12, 2013.
RELATED WEBSITES Highclere Castle. http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/ “Life of Lord Carnarvon.” Tour Egypt. http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/ Williams, A.R. “King Tut Revealed.” National Geographic Magazine, 2005. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2005/06/king-tut/williams-text/6 “World War I.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I
AVAILABILITY 11 copies available through the Salt Lake County Library system (one audio copy) 5 copies available through the Salt Lake City Library system (one audio copy) 9 copies available through the SLCPL Book Club Kits program 2 copies available through Murray City Library Available through area bookstores. Frost’s Books and the Kings English offer discounts on UMFA Book Club books. New and used hard bound and paperback copies available through va various online book companies. Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble Nook versions are available.