'Fellowes doesn't try to hide his love of the funny, sealed, above-stairs world of dukes, duchesses, marquesses, nursery maids, herbaceous borders and breakfast kedgeree, all of which makes Snobs such a a good, fresh read' Mary Wakefield, Daily Telegraph Edith Lavery is a woman on the make. The attractive only child of a middle-class accountant, she leaves behind her dull job in a Chelsea estate agents and manages to bag one of the most eligible bachelors of the day - Charles Broughton, heir to the Marquess of Uckfield. But is life amongst the upper echelons of 'good' society all that it seems? Edith soon discovers there's much more to the aristocracy than dancing in Anabel's, shooting small birds and understanding which fork to use at dinner. And then there is Charles's mother, the indomitable Lady Uckfield, or 'Googie' to her friends, who is none too pleased with her son's choice of breeding partner. With twists and turns aplenty, this is a comical tale worthy of a contemporary Jane Austen.
Author Biography
Julian Fellowes, actor, writer, director, producer, was educated at Ampleforth, Magdalene College, Cambridge and Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He trained in repertory theatre at Northampton and Harrogate. He is probably best known for his portrayal of the incorrigible Lord Kilwillie in the BBC's "Monarch of the Glen". As a writer for TV, he is responsible for the scripts of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (winner of an International EMMY, 1995) and "The Prince and the Pauper" (nominated for a BAFTA, 1997) which he also produced. His first screenplay for the cinema was "Gosford Park", directed by Robert Altman, which won a plethora of prizes, not least the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. He worked on the recent version of "Vanity Fair", starring Reese Witherspoon. He wrote the book for the musical of "Mary Poppins" for Cameron Mackintosh and Disney, currently at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. His debut as a Director, "Separate Lives," starring Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson and Rupert Everett, which he adapted from a Nigel Balchin novel, is due for release this year. He is currently working on , "H. R. Pufnstuf", for Sony Columbia and will later this year present the BBC series, "Most Mysterious Murders". As well as his novel "Snobs" (a UK and US bestseller ), he has a children's story coming in 2006. Julian is married to Emma, nee Kitchener, and they have one son, Peregrine.
