Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by Lady Fiona Carnavon, 2011

I picked up Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by the Countess of Carnarvon because of my obsession with the PBS series "Downton Abbey."

The book is written by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, who is the current Countess of Carnarvon.  In other words, she lives in the breathtaking Highclere Castle that serves as the backdrop for "Downton Abbey." 

My cynical self believes that there is a ghost writer while my bookworm self feels that the book reads more like an infomercial than a compelling biography.

I enjoy biographies since they transport you into another life, but this biography presents a contrived, one-dimensional view to sell an image and to continue to build off of the success of "Downton Abbey".

Lady Almina - The Early Chapters Years
Almina was the illegimate daughter of wealthy banker Alfred de Rothschild and a separated French woman, Maria, also known as Mina.  "Almina" was a combination of her parents' name - something quite clever.

(I'm surprised narcissistic celebrities today with a penchant for odd names have not combined their own names to create one for their offspring.)

Reflecting English demeanor and attitudes, affairs were generally tolerated as long as there was discretion.  I'm sure that the large sums of money and connections that de Rothschild possessed also eased the tolerance.

Society was aware of Almina's heritage and de Rothschild made it known that he planned to financially support his daughter.  Because of this, Almina was deemed a suitable match for the 4th Earl of Carnarvon, who was the owner of Highclere and in large amounts of debt.

It was the perfect marriage of old nobility and financial debt with no nobility and a ton of money.

Highclere Castle
Already a gorgeous estate, Highclere Castle was able to maintain its standard, modernize and become even grander with the de Rothschild money infusion.

Earl and Countess Carnavon were not just masters to their servants, but also of the woodsmith, farmers, groomsmen, etc. who worked on the surrounding castle grounds.

It was a village where the inhabitants relied on the Earl for their livelihood.  Since people not only worked for the Earl, but also lived on his land, their entire lives were in the hands of one man.  

The End
Despite my "Downton Abbey" obsession, once the infomercial feeling crept in, I was not able to shake it or muster up the American can-do spirit to complete the biography.

Perhaps my cynical self gave up too soon, but overall, I did not find this book to be a satisfying read.