LADY ALMINA AND THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle

Still going through withdrawal from the engrossing “Downton Abbey” series? Missing the estate and its people? Reenter this world by exploring Highclere Castle and Lady Almina, the real-life inspiration for the series. The book begins with the marriage of the moneyed, albeit untitled, Lady Almina, daughter of industrialist Alfred de Rothschild, to Lord Carnavon, whose fortune is being diminished by his financially consuming lifestyle. Wanda McCaddon invites listeners into the Countess of Carnarvon’s breezy book, which blends a wealth of archival letters, diaries, and photographs. McCaddon sweeps through the transitions between the downstairs servants and the socially elite, details of furniture and costumes, as well as the changes that come with WWI. S.W. 2013 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]