V I D E O • A G E MA R C H/ AP R I L 2 0 1 2 12 This review is unusual in the sense that it’s about a review found in the February 5, 2012 New York Times Book Review titled “Remains of the Days: Three Books Explore the Reality Behind the World of ‘Downtown Abbey.’” It is, in fact, a review of a review. What generated VideoAge’s interest is the large number of books the Times reviewed about Downton Abbey, the British costume drama airing on public TV network PBS in the U.S. — and how the newspaper related to them. All three books highlighted in the pages of the Times review —The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes (St. Martin’s Press, 303 pages, $29.99); Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by the Countess of Carnarvon (Broadway. Paper, 310 pages, $15.99); and Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir That Inspired “Upstairs, Downstairs” and “Downton Abbey” by Margaret Powell (St. Martin’s Press, 212 pages, $22.99) — were published in the U.S. While the first two books were published in 2011, Powell’s book is a re-release, first published in England in 1968. It served as an inspiration for the earlier classic TV series Upstairs, Downstairs, as well as Downton Abbey itself. In the words of the Times reviewer, author Judith Newman, the publishing industry “is mining the popularity of ‘Downton Abbey’ with the release and re-release of two books [the Countess of Carnarvon’s and Powell’s] that inspired the show, and the inevitable companion volume to the TV series [Fellowes’].” Newman informs readers that the author of Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey is former fashion designer Fiona Aitken, who is now the eighth Countess of Carnarvon and the current resident of Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey is filmed. (The 1,000-acre Highclere estate is actually located in Hampshire, England, not in Yorkshire where Downton is set). While discussing the Countess’ book, Newman takes the time to introduce another similar book published last year titled, Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon by William P. Cross, which the Times does not review. She also provides background about Powell, whose memoir Below Stairs describes her years as a servant. In contrast, Newman devotes just a few words to Jessica Fellowes’ book — which is listed on the first page of the review as a title that will be discussed — and tells readers nothing about the author; even neglecting to mention that Jessica Fellowes is the niece of Downton Abbey’s creator, Julian Fellowes. Neither does she mention that Julian Fellowes wrote the book’s forward. In fact, except to say that the book exists, she ignores Fellowes’ The World of Downton Abbey throughout the remainder of her review. Readers have no idea what the book is about, although we grasp from Newman’s tone that she isn’t dazzled by it: She characterizes it simply as, “the inevitable companion volume to the TV series (inevitably titled ‘The World of Downton Abbey’).” The dominant and recurrent topic of the TV series — viewpoints from the upstairs and downstairs of the fictitious Downton Abbey — gives Newman the opportunity to Americanize the context of the series: “We [Americans] continue to labor under the delusion that we live in a class-free society.” Newman also seems to take offense to the socially inferior moniker attached to the downstairs quarters of the castle, neglecting to mention that the term was first used during Edwardian England of the early 1900s. (Some of us recall that New Yorkers living on the East Side of Manhattan considered the West Side “socially inferior,” as was publicized in the 2007 Hollywood movie The Nanny Diaries). Newman posits that there are two reasons that Americans are drawn to the British series: First, we secretly wish for the perks to which those who live “upstairs” are entitled. As Newman writes, the idea of being handed everything on a silver salver, being served breakfast in bed and even having the soles of your shoes polished, is enticing. Second, Newman argues that with the upcoming 2012 presidential election, Americans are being blamed for not bettering their economic circumstances; therefore, it’s refreshing to escape into the world of Downton Abbey, where social mobility doesn’t exist, and where “heroes are the rare overachievers who work their way up to butler from footman.” She implies that this class-focused society based on birth rather than personal success relieves some of the pressure and makes us feel less sorry for ourselves. Plus, in the meantime, we can fantasize about what it’d be like to sleep on ironed sheets and read newspapers whose pages aren’t wrinkled because they too have been ironed. She reprints passages from Lady Almina and The Real Downton Abbey and Below Stairs, cleverly challenging readers to determine which memoir was written by a member of the upper class, and which was written by a member of the lower class. “See if your keen discerning eye can spot the difference,” she quips. Naturally, it’s not a difficult task, but even after doing this, readers still have only a vague idea of Newman’s opinion regarding the quality and value of each book. It’s clear that she is not convinced that the Countess of Carnarvon’s book possesses a high degree of accuracy, which is why she introduces the book by William P. Cross, who offers a different account of specific events mentioned in the Countess’ book. However, Newman does reveal that she finds Margaret Powell’s Below Stairs to be more accurate: “I suspect the real story of the relationship of servants to their masters is more accurately told by Margaret, in her simple and quite brilliant” book. She also believes that Powell is “such a credible narrator [because] she’s never reflexively bitter or nasty” about those she served. Rather than thoroughly evaluating the books she sets out to review, Newman — and thus the readers — gets caught up in her desire for a “crisp newspaper.” That is to say, we don’t learn much about the value of the books she is supposedly reviewing. Despite all that, her writing is engaging, and will likely encourage those who haven’t seen the series to tune in — although I can’t say the same about reading the books. Originally produced by London Weekend Television, Upstairs, Downstairs was revived by the BBC in 2010. Downton Abbey is produced by Carnival Films for ITV network in the U.K., and the second season, which consists of eight episodes, has wrapped up on PBS in the U.S. In the U.K., 10.7 million viewers tuned in for the season two finale. The third season will be set in the 1920s, and will hit airwaves in September of this year, with American actress Shirley MacLaine joining the cast. SA U.K. TV Series Makes Americans Class-(Un)conscious B o o k R e v i e w
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