The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm

The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm
by Juliet Nicolson

The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm
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Book Summary Information

Author: Juliet Nicolson
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-13
ISBN: 0802143679
Number of pages: 290
Publisher: Grove Press

Book Reviews of The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm

Book Review: England Before the Apocalypse
Summary: 5 Stars

This is social history at it's best and I was sorry when this excellent book ended.In The Perfect Summer, Juliet Nicolson tells the story of life in England in the summer of 1911 though the eyes of various individuals of different classes. She truly brings this time of vast contrasts to life. This was early 20th century England partly looking back at Edwardian values and traditions and partly looking forward into the most violent century in human history.(She describes London as being an odd mixture of smells-horse manure from animal pulled vehicles and exhaust from early motor vehicles) Her cast of fascinating characters includes an on the make young politico named Winston Churchill, Lady Diana Manners an unconventional heiress,powerful Union organizer Ben Tillett and Eric Horne a butler for the mega- rich who would later write tell all books of his experiences of catering to England's elite. The summer began with mild weather and the coronation of George V and ended with incredible heat and labor unrest that threatened to topple the nation. This is an anecdote rich volume that captures the varied lives of the English in 1911 on the cusp of the slaughter of the Great War.One of my favorite stories is of a bored aristocrat who goes to the post office to buy stamps to make his day more interesting. After looking at a sheet of crisp, new stamps and not being sure of which one he wants, he decides to buy one that is in the center of the page.

Summary of The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm

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 showing. The country was brought to a standstill by industrial strikes. Temperatures rose steadily to more than 100 degrees; by August deaths from heatstroke were too many for newspapers to report. Drawing on material from intimate and rarely seen sources and narrated through the eyes of a series of exceptional individuals--among them a debutante, a choirboy, a politician, a trade unionist, a butler, and the queen--The Perfect Summer is a vividly rendered glimpse of the twilight of the Edwardian era.

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