In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, an influx of wealth infused much of the West. In America, we refer to it as the Gilded Age. In Britain, new money found its way into the life of genteel country nobility, who built and renovated homes and estates in the rural countryside. The Power and the Glory: Life in the English Country House Before the Great War is Adiran Tinniswood’s account of life in the English “country house” during the peak of the British Empire’s influence and control.
The period of time that Tinniswood focuses on ranges roughly from 1860 to 1920, showcasing the changing norms of high society due in large part to the influx of wealth that worked its way out of the noble class and into unexpected sources (such as burlesque entertainers, guano dealers, and foreign resources). Change happened fast for the era, whether it be modern technology such as indoor plumbing and electricity, or social norms such as divorce and remarriage outside of the blessing of the Church of England. The Power and the Glory showcases how much British life changed and how those in the 1% of the era adapted.
Tinniswood’s book reads as part gossip column for the era and part history of English affluence and exuberance during the British Empire’s peak. The Power and the Glory was an entertaining and informative read, well worth your time if you’re a fan of Downton Abbey or similar shows.
MY RATING: 4.5
