Download or read book Past Imperfect written by Julian Fellowes and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the creator of the Emmy Award-winning Downton Abbey... "Damian Baxter was a friend of mine at Cambridge. We met around the time when I was doing the Season at the end of the Sixties. I introduced him to some of the girls. They took him up, and we ran about together in London for a while...." Nearly forty years later, the narrator hates Damian Baxter and would gladly forget their disastrous last encounter. But if it is pleasant to hear from an old friend, it is more interesting to hear from an old enemy, and so he accepts an invitation from the rich and dying Damian, who begs him to track down the past girlfriend whose anonymous letter claimed he had fathered a child during that ruinous debutante season. The search takes the narrator back to the extraordinary world of swinging London, where aristocratic parents schemed to find suitable matches for their daughters while someone was putting hash in the brownies at a ball at Madame Tussaud's. It was a time when everything seemed to be changing—and it was, but not always quite as expected. Past Imperfect is Julian Fellowes at his best--a novel of secrets, status, and a world in upheaval.

Download or read book Society Rules written by Julian Fellowes and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2016-07-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The English, of all classes as it happens, are addicted to exclusivity. Leave three Englishmen in a room and they will invent a rule that prevents a fourth joining them." In Snobs, Charles, heir to the Marquess of Uckfield, is one of the most eligible young aristocrats in England—at least according to the gossip columns. And when he proposes to Edith Lavery, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter of a moderately successful accountant and social-climbing mother, she accepts. But is she really in love with Charles? Or with his title, position, and all its accompanying advantages? In Past Imperfect, our narrator is summoned to the deathbed of the extravagantly wealthy Damian Baxter—a friend-turned-enemy from their raucus Cambridge days—who begs his old acquaintance for help tracking down the author of an anonymous letter claiming Baxter as the father of her child. The search takes the narrator back to the extraordinary world of swinging London, where aristocratic parents schemed to find suitable matches for their daughters while someone snuck hash into the brownies at a ball at Madame Tussaud's. It was a time when everything seemed to be changing—and not always quite as expected. These two irresistible novels immerse us in a contemporary England governed by secrets, status and upheaval.

Download or read book Snobs and Past Imperfect written by Julian Fellowes and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two SUNDAY TIMES bestsellers in one from the creator of DOWNTON ABBEY. SNOBS Edith Lavery, the attractive only child of a middle-class accountant, leaves behind her dull job when she manages to bag one of the most eligible bachelors in town. But is life amongst the aristocracy really all that it seems...' PAST IMPERFECT Damian Baxter is very, very rich. But he has one concern: who should inherit his fortune. A letter from an ex-girlfriend suggests Damian may have fathered a child, but the letter is anonymous. Finding the truth will not be easy - and the only man who can help is Damian's sworn enemy...

Download or read book Snobs written by Julian Fellowes and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2006-01-24 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Julian Fellowes, creator of the Emmy-Award winning TV series Downton Abbey, established himself as an irresistible storyteller and a deliciously witty chronicler of modern manners in his first novel, Snobs, a wickedly astute portrait of the intersecting worlds of aristocrats and actors. "The English, of all classes as it happens, are addicted to exclusivity. Leave three Englishmen in a room and they will invent a rule that prevents a fourth joining them." The best comedies of manners are often deceptively simple, seamlessly blending social critique with character and story. In his superbly observed first novel, Julian Fellowes, winner of an Academy Award for his original screenplay of Gosford Park, brings us an insider's look at a contemporary England that is still not as classless as is popularly supposed. Edith Lavery, an English blonde with large eyes and nice manners, is the daughter of a moderately successful accountant and his social-climbing wife. While visiting his parents' stately home as a paying guest, Edith meets Charles, Earl of Broughton, and heir to the Marquess of Uckfield, who runs the family estates in East Sussex and Norfolk. To the gossip columns he is one of the most eligible young aristocrats around. When he proposes. Edith accepts. But is she really in love with Charles? Or with his title, his position, and all that goes with it? One inescapable part of life at Broughton Hall is Charles's mother, the shrewd Lady Uckfield, known to her friends as "Googie" and described by the narrator---an actor who moves comfortably among the upper classes while chronicling their foibles---"as the most socially expert individual I have ever known at all well. She combined a watchmaker's eye for detail with a madam's knowledge of the world." Lady Uckfield is convinced that Edith is more interested in becoming a countess than in being a good wife to her son. And when a television company, complete with a gorgeous leading man, descends on Broughton Hall to film a period drama, "Googie's" worst fears seem fully justified.

Download or read book Bike Snob written by BikeSnobNYC and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2011-04-29 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Equal parts critical manifesto and tender mini-memoir about a boy and his bikes” from Eben Weiss, blogger and author of The Enlightened Cyclist (GQ). Cycling is exploding in a good way. Urbanites everywhere, from ironic hipsters to earth-conscious commuters, are taking to the bike like aquatic mammals to water. BikeSnobNYC—cycling’s most prolific, well-known, hilarious, and anonymous blogger—brings a fresh and humorous perspective to the most important vehicle to hit personal transportation since the horse. Bike Snob treats readers to a laugh-out-loud rant and rave about the world of bikes and their riders and offers a unique look at the ins and outs of cycling, from its history and hallmarks to its wide range of bizarre practitioners. Throughout, the author lampoons the missteps, pretensions, and absurdities of bike culture while maintaining a contagious enthusiasm for cycling itself. Bike Snob is an essential volume for anyone who knows, is, or wants to become a cyclist. “This is a social manual that should be bundled with every bike shipped in America.” —Christian Lander, author of Stuff White People Like “I like to think I know a thing or two (or three) about being ruthless and relentless—either trying to win the Tour or fighting cancer. The Snob knows it too. Keeping us dorks in line is tough work. I take pleasure in getting picked on by the Snob, slightly more pleasure in reading his writing, but take the most pleasure punishing his ass (my payback) on the bike either in Central Park or on 9W/River Road. Long live the Snob.” —Lance Armstrong

Download or read book Julian Fellowes s Belgravia written by Julian Fellowes and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2016-07-05 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times bestselling novel about scandalous secrets and star-crossed lovers. Watch the new original series Belgravia only on EPIX. On the evening of 15 June 1815, the great and the good of British society have gathered in Brussels at what is to become one of the most tragic parties in history - the Duchess of Richmond's ball. For this is the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, and many of the handsome young men attending the ball will find themselves, the very next day, on the battlefield. For Sophia Trenchard, the young and beautiful daughter of Wellington's chief supplier, this night will change everything. But it is only twenty-five years later, when the upwardly mobile Trenchards move into the fashionable new area of Belgravia, that the true repercussions of that moment will be felt. For in this new world, where the aristocracy rub shoulders with the emerging nouveau riche, there are those who would prefer the secrets of the past to remain buried . . . *EPIX is only available in the United States of America

Download or read book The New Book of Snobs written by D.J. Taylor and published by Constable. This book was released on 2016-10-20 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Hugely enjoyable' AN Wilson, Sunday Times 'Thoughtful, entertaining and enjoyable' Michael Gove, Book of the Week, The Times Inspired by William Makepeace Thackeray, the first great analyst of snobbery, and his trail-blazing The Book of Snobs (1848), D. J. Taylor brings us a field guide to the modern snob. Short of calling someone a racist or a paedophile, one of the worst charges you can lay at anybody's door in the early twenty-first century is to suggest that they happen to be a snob. But what constitutes snobbishness? Who are the snobs and where are they to be found? Are you a snob? Am I? What are the distinguishing marks? Snobbery is, in fact, one of the keys to contemporary British life, as vital to the backstreet family on benefits as the proprietor of the grandest stately home, and an essential element of their view of who of they are and what the world might be thought to owe them. The New Book of Snobs will take a marked interest in language, the vocabulary of snobbery - as exemplified in the 'U' and 'Non U' controversy of the 1950s - being a particular field in which the phenomenon consistently makes its presence felt, and alternate social analysis with sketches of groups and individuals on the Thackerayan principle. Prepare to meet the Political Snob, the City Snob, the Technology Snob, the Property Snob, the Rural Snob, the Literary Snob, the Working-class Snob, the Sporting Snob, the Popular Cultural Snob and the Food Snob.

Download or read book The London Scene written by Virginia Woolf and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2006-07-03 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of essays inspired by the celebrated writer's favorite walks is available in its entirety for the first time in North America. 96 p p.

Download or read book How to Be a Vodka Snob written by BrittanyJacques and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2021-05-25 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you know your Moscow Mule from your White Russian? Your Stoli from your Belvedere? Micron filtering from charcoal filtering? No matter how you take your vodka, it is time to embrace your inner vodka snob. How to Be a Vodka Snob is the perfect read for drinking novices as well as connoisseurs, beginning with vodka's humble history as a medicinal liquor and accompanying it on its rise to stardom with high-end vodka appreciators and mixologists. Pairing fascinating stories, tidbits, and recipes with a step-by-step guide to becoming a vodka snob, Brittany Jacques offers a beginner's guide to proper glassware, equipment needed for the home bar, and the all-important vodka lingo. Ever wanted to order a filthy martini, stirred, extra wet? How to Be a Vodka Snob is the perfect book for you. How to be a Vodka Snob features more than 50 recipes with everything from James Bond's favorite Martini to Dwight's Beets Over Rocks from The Office, as well as accompanying nibbles and side dishes. With Brittany Jacques as your guide, your journey to becoming a vodka snob starts here.

Download or read book The World of Downton Abbey written by Jessica Fellowes and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2011-12-06 with total page 497 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A lavish look at the real world—both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama—of the beloved Emmy Award–winning Masterpiece TV series. April 1912. The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear that it seems as if the way of life it represents will last for another thousand years. It won’t. Millions of American viewers were enthralled by the world of Downton Abbey, the mesmerizing TV drama of the aristocratic Crawley family—and their servants—on the verge of dramatic change. This gorgeous book—illustrated with sketches and research from the production team, as well as on-set photographs from the first two seasons—takes us even deeper into that world, with fresh insights into the story and characters as well as the social history.

Download or read book A Night to Remember written by Walter Lord and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2005-01-07 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A cloth bag containing eight copies of the title.

Download or read book Status Anxiety written by Alain De Botton and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2008-12-10 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “There's no writer alive like de Botton” (Chicago Tribune), and now this internationally heralded author turns his attention to the insatiable human quest for status—a quest that has less to do with material comfort than love. Anyone who’s ever lost sleep over an unreturned phone call or the neighbor’s Lexus had better read Alain de Botton’s irresistibly clear-headed new book, immediately. For in its pages, a master explicator of our civilization and its discontents explores the notion that our pursuit of status is actually a pursuit of love, ranging through Western history and thought from St. Augustine to Andrew Carnegie and Machiavelli to Anthony Robbins. Whether it’s assessing the class-consciousness of Christianity or the convulsions of consumer capitalism, dueling or home-furnishing, Status Anxiety is infallibly entertaining. And when it examines the virtues of informed misanthropy, art appreciation, or walking a lobster on a leash, it is not only wise but helpful.

Download or read book The Curious Adventures of the Abandoned Toys written by Julian Fellowes and published by Henry Holt and Company (BYR). This book was released on 2007-10-30 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Doc the bear arrives at the dump from his former home in a children's hospital, he's not sure what kind of life awaits him. But the friends he finds there are determined to make his new home a welcoming one. Julian Fellowes's witty text and S. D. Schindler's lovely, intricate art in The Curious Adventures of the Abandoned Toys combine to make a beautiful gift book, sure to strike a chord with any child—or adult—who has ever loved a stuffed toy.

Download or read book The Book of Snobs written by William Makepeace Thackeray and published by . This book was released on 1852 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sea Change written by Aimee Friedman and published by Scholastic Inc.. This book was released on 2009-11-01 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author Aimee Friedman is back, with her signature combination of warmth and humor. And with this book, she adds a touch of fantasy. . . Lifetime Original Movie!New York Times bestselling author Aimee Friedman is back, with her signature combination of warmth and humor. And with this book, she adds a touch of fantasy. . .Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

Download or read book Pretentiousness written by Dan Fox and published by Coffee House Press. This book was released on 2016-04-05 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pretentiousness is the engine oil of culture; the essential lubricant in the development of all arts, high, low, or middle.

Download or read book Downton Abbey Script Book Season 1 written by Julian Fellowes and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2013-02-05 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Full shooting scripts with commentary from creator Julian Fellowes highlighting key historical and dramatic details. Includes previously unseen material. The most successful British television drama of our time, the multi-award-winning Downton Abbey has become a national phenomenon in the U.S. as well. Created by Julian Fellowes—who received an Academy Award for his screenplay for the acclaimed Robert Altman motion picture, Gosford Park—Downton Abbey features stellar performances, ravishing sets and costumes, and, most importantly, absolutely riveting plots. Now the scripts for the entire first season have been collected in one volume, along with never before seen material, incisive commentary, and color photos that will completely immerse fans in the world of Downton Abbey. Praise for Downton Abbey “A deft balance of emotion, suspense and comedy.” —Daily Telegraph “The sets and costumes are ravishing, the attention to detail painstaking and the performances are brilliant. But above all, it’s a cracking story.” —The Times (London)\ “There is no mystery about the potency of this series, slathered in wit, powered by storytelling of a high order.” —The Wall Street Journal “A sumptuous, accomplished piece of television.” —The Guardian (UK)