Review (PDF) Downton Abbey: A Celebration - The Official Companion To All Six Seasons
"Downton Abbey set a new standard, and it's probable that in 20 or 50 years critics will look back and say that this was period drama at its very best, often imitated but never bettered." ―The Daily MailSince the moment we first entered Downton Abbey in 1912, we have been swept away by Julian Fellowes’s evocative world of romance, intrigue, drama and tradition. Now, in 1925, as Downton Abbey prepares to close its doors for the final time, Jessica Fellowes leads us through the house and estate, reliving the iconic moments of the wonderfully aristocratic Crawley family and their servants as they navigate the emerging modern age.Travelling from Great Hall to servants’ hall, bedroom to boot room, we glimpse as we go Matthew and Isobel Crawley arriving for the first time, the death of Kemal Pamuk, Cora’s tragic miscarriage, Edith’s affair with Michael Gregson, Mary’s new haircut, Thomas and O’Brien’s scheming, Anna and Bates’s troubles with the law, and Carson’s marriage to Mrs Hughes.Alongside are in-depth interviews with the cast, who have worked on the show for six years and know it so well, as well as a complete episode guide for the first five seasons and a teaser for the sixth. Packed full of stunning location shots and stills from all six seasons of the show including exclusive behind-the-scenes photography, this celebratory book is the ultimate gift for Downton Abbey fans the world over.
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (November 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250091551
ISBN-13: 978-1250091550
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 1.1 x 11.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (322 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #15,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #73 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television #215 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts
** Quick Note to Start: this book contains content from all six seasons of the show -- be advised that details of character and plot from the final season (not yet aired in the US at the time of this review) are discussed at various points in the book. So I'd recommend reading this only after you've seen season six (unless you don't mind having it spoiled; everyone has their own sensitivity to this sort of thing). **"Downton Abbey - A Celebration" is going to be a must-own for fans of the series. The book celebrates the show through exploration of story, character, and setting. The book essentially jumps from location to location, with relevant character profiles sparsed throughout. For example, the pages about The Kitchen are accompanied by the profiles of Daisy and Mrs. Patmore; while after the pages on the Dower House you would of course find the profile of Violet. I really like how the content was assembled - it's an unconventional layout but one that is very intuitive.I should also mention that in addition to the great writing by Jessica Fellowes, the book includes hundreds of pictures. In fact, you can consider this book a visual companion to the series.At the very end of the book is an episode guide that briefly recaps every episode of the show. This is a welcome addition for someone looking to get a quick reminder of past events or wanting to identify a particular episode. Again, this includes all six seasons, so be careful reading until you've completed the series.One thing to note: If you are more interested in a making-of book that goes behind the scenes of the TV production process, your best bet is this one: Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey
.…be forewarned that the cover note "Includes Season 6 Spoilers" is accurate. From small details in the text and some of the, as always, beautiful photography to a near complete (except for the series finale, which hasn't been shown in the UK yet) season by season and episode by episode summary of the series- little details are sprinkled throughout. You don't get much, it won't spoil things for most fans or other readers. The book is bigger than the others in the series but not excessively so.I found the text very interesting, sometimes giving little details most people wouldn't know such as behind the scenes notes and film locations (including the Buckingham Palace interiors from season 4), well worth reading. The cast/character profile bits were good too.Good book, good series, both worth owning!
I now own all of the Downton Abbey companion books, and sadly, this culminating text is the weakest of the bunch. I figured it would be difficult to top last year's yummy book, but this pales considerably when stacked against the others. It isn't repetitive, but it lacks spark--possibly because it gives a broad overview of Downton Abbey, as opposed to the intimate looks we've gotten in the past. There are plenty of beautiful photos of the cast and crew, the sets, and the exteriors, but I wanted more of the tiny details that make up Downton. But the book is beautifully made--and larger than the others--and is a fine bookend to the series of companion books and the series itself.
Another beautiful Downton Abbey book. I have 4 others by Julian Fellowes/Jessica Fellowes and many of the pictures in this latest book are from the older books. May be a waste of money, but when it comes to anything Downton, you can never have too many authentically written by the Fellowes team.
This is a wonderful collection of photos and some interesting stuff about the production of the 6 series.But Ms Felowes made serious errors in writing (incomplete and run on sentences) as well as glaring errors in her commentary on the plots of stories.Someone should have been asked to edit this book for grammar as well as facts before it was published.5 stars for a very comprehensive and rich collection of Downtown Abbey material! The often flawed writing style and glaring factual errors get a 0.
I've only had the book a few hours but that was long enough to know what a treasure it is. Buy it whether or not you have the three that preceded it. The book is a masterpiece of beautiful photos and excellent well written narrative. Hats off to everyone that put this wonderful book together.In addition the modest price that charges is unbelievable. You'll more than likely pay the cover price if you purchase it at your local bookstore.
This book is beautiful and that’s not even good enough of a word.I picked up a copy of this book for my Mom as a Christmas gift, as she’s a fan of Downton Abbey and I’ve watched all the episodes with her.The pictures of each character are beautiful, as are the stories about them in the book as well.This book is solid and it’s heavy, seriously heavy.I liked it so much that I’ve already ordered a second copy as a gift for a friend of mine, I may even get myself a copy after Christmas as well.If you’re a huge fan like I am, you should consider picking up a copy of it, you won’t be sorry.
Tea at Downton - Afternoon Tea Recipes From The Unofficial Guide to Downton Abbey (Downton Abbey Tea Books) Downton Abbey: A Celebration - The Official Companion to All Six Seasons Downton Abbey Script Book Season 2 Downton Abbey Script Book Season 3 The Wit and Wisdom of Downton Abbey A Year in the Life of Downton Abbey: Seasonal Celebrations, Traditions, and Recipes The World of Downton Abbey The Abbey Psalter: The Book of Psalms Used by the Trappist Monks of Genesse Abbey George Eliot Six Pack - Middlemarch, Daniel Deronda, Silas Marner, The Lifted Veil, The Mill on the Floss and Adam Bede (Illustrated with links to free ... all six books) (Six Pack Classics Book 8) A Love for All Seasons (The Seasons Series Book 5) Scandalous Seasons: The First Three Scandalous Seasons Novels Scandalous Seasons: The Last Three Scandalous Seasons Novels Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver: The Official Pokemon Johto Guide & Johto Pokedex: Official Strategy Guide (Prima Official Game Guides: Pokémon) The Return of The King Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings) The Two Towers Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings) Companion Planting: Companion Gardening - A Practical Guide For Beginners To Learn Everything About Companion Planting (Organic Gardening, Container Gardening, Vegetable Gardening) Brew Like a Monk: Trappist, Abbey, and Strong Belgian Ales and How to Brew Them Relaxing Over Afternoon Tea (Abbey Cooks Entertain Book 3) Lady Almina y la verdadera Downtown Abbey (Spanish Edition) Northanger Abbey (Penguin Classics)
