A book review: Life Below Stairs
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victorian221bA quick review for one more book about domestic service, Life Below Stairs: True Lives Of Edwardian Servants by Alison Maloney.
While The Victorian House by Judith Flanders and How to Be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman offer a more in-depth look at realities of Victorian and Edwardian domestic life, this little book has its perks. I especially liked that it contains a clear hierarchy of servants, complete with a chart. Reading the first two books, it was difficult for me to figure out who reported to whom, aside the general understanding that the butler and the housekeeper were the heads of domestic staff.
Then there are genuine recipes of dishes, beauty and even cleaning products. It might be useful for writing a domestic scene or at least for imagining how things worked. The way dinners were held, course by course, and the according etiquette can also be gleaned from this book.
While The Victorian House by Judith Flanders and How to Be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman offer a more in-depth look at realities of Victorian and Edwardian domestic life, this little book has its perks. I especially liked that it contains a clear hierarchy of servants, complete with a chart. Reading the first two books, it was difficult for me to figure out who reported to whom, aside the general understanding that the butler and the housekeeper were the heads of domestic staff.
Then there are genuine recipes of dishes, beauty and even cleaning products. It might be useful for writing a domestic scene or at least for imagining how things worked. The way dinners were held, course by course, and the according etiquette can also be gleaned from this book.
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