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Up And Down Stairs: The History Of The Country House Servant (2009)

by Jeremy Musson(Favorite Author)

3.6 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0719597307 (ISBN13: 9780719597305)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

John Murray

review 1: I am giving this book only three stars based mostly on the fact that, though it was well written and the author is clearly knowledgeable about the subject matter, the first 75% was incredibly dry. It seemed that all I read were endless lists of servants titles and instructions for good servants to follow. While that was interesting, there was so very many lists that I had trouble retaining what I read. I did, however, love reading the first hand accounts of servants, past and present. I think I should have gone with my instinct and read books written by the house servants themselves since I clearly liked the more personal bits. If you want more detail into the life of a servant, and are not concerned with the sheer number of servants in over a dozen country houses, I ... morewouldn't bother with this book.
review 2: I have spent rather a lot of hours over the years going around country house which are now in the hands of bodies such as the National Trust. I was often as fascinated (if not more so) by the glimpses of what life may have been like for the servants, as I was by that of the family. This book is a must for anyone who has enjoyed such tours and wondered about how those households really operated.Jeremy Musson takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of the English country house, and the English country house servant from around 1300 to the present day. His research has obviously been detailed and exacting, and with many journal and letter extracts, as well as reference to household accounts the voices of people who would otherwise remain unknown to us are heard. Many amusing anecdotes and apocryphal tales, help to acquaint the reader with a world that is gone forever, and yet we think we know lot about and which seems vaguely familiar, so rich are many of the traditions. less

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