"Vanity Fair offers an acidly satirical romp across all levels of English society during the Napoleonic wars. William Thackeray focuses on how the war affects people other than soldiers, the typical heroes. All of his characters are deeply flawed, from social climber Becky Sharp and sweet Amelia Sedley to caddish George Osborne and loyal William Dobbin. Becky, liar and hypocrite, takes center stage as one of literature's great female protagonists....

The Perfect Summer chronicles a glorious English summer a century ago, when the world was on the cusp of irrevocable change. Through the tight lens of four months, Juliet Nicolson's rich storytelling gifts rivet us with the sights, colors, and feelings of a bygone era. That summer of 1911, a new king was crowned and the aristocracy was at play, bounding from one house party to the next. But perfection was not for all. Cracks in the social fabric were...

Lady Carnarvon's love of history is richly rewarded at Highclere Castle with its mine of family records going back some 300 years. She has delved into the archives to create a book that invites you inside the Castle, past and present. Throughout the centuries, Highclere has welcomed Royalty, Statesmen, Egyptologists and pioneers of technology along with men and women from the worlds of music, art and letters. The etiquette of the invitation, the balance...

Rowena and Victoria Buxton and Prudence Tate were raised together as sisters, though Pru is the daughter of the Buxton's governess. As a result, she never really belonged in either world -- downstairs with the household staff, or upstairs with the Buxton daughters. After Pru's desperate marriage and move to London, Rowena and Victoria fear they have lost their beloved friend forever. Guilt-ridden and remorseful, Rowena seeks comfort from a daring...

Aristocratic and free-spirited sisters Rowena and Victoria, as well as their maid and dear friend Prudence, navigate the uncertain social and political climate of WWI-era England. Their lives are the talk of society-- but the daring missions they undertake will teach them the true meaning of love and sacrifice.