Habits of the House
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $14.99
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Katherine Kellgren
-
By:
-
Fay Weldon
About this listen
From the award-winning novelist and writer of Upstairs Downstairs, the launch of a brilliant new trilogy about what life was really like for masters and servants before the world of Downton Abbey
As the Season of 1899 comes to an end, the world is poised on the brink of profound, irrevocable change. The Earl of Dilberne is facing serious financial concerns. The ripple effects spread to everyone in the household: Lord Robert, who has gambled unwisely on the stock market and seeks a place in the Cabinet; his unmarried children, Arthur, who keeps a courtesan, and Rosina, who keeps a parrot in her bedroom; Lord Robert's wife Isobel, who orders the affairs of the household in Belgrave Square; and Grace, the lady's maid who orders the life of her mistress.
Lord Robert can see no financial relief to an already mortgaged estate, and, though the Season is over, his thoughts turn to securing a suitable wife (and dowry) for his son. The arrival on the London scene of Minnie, a beautiful Chicago heiress with a reputation to mend, seems the answer to all their prayers.
As the writer of the pilot episode of the original Upstairs, Downstairs—Fay Weldon brings a deserved reputation for magnificent storytelling. With wit and sympathy—and no small measure of mischief—Habits of the House plots the interplay of restraint and desire, manners and morals, reason and instinct.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The American Heiress
- A Novel
- By: Daisy Goodwin
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.
-
-
I loved this book!
- By Maria on 06-27-11
By: Daisy Goodwin
-
Below Stairs
- The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir That Inspired 'Upstairs, Downstairs' and 'Downton Abbey'
- By: Margaret Powell
- Narrated by: Mary Wells
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, Margaret Powell’s classic memoir of her time in service, Below Stairs, is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high. Powell first arrived at the servants' entrance of one of those great houses in the 1920s. As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and bootlaces to be ironed.
-
-
Less than I was expecting...
- By Margaret on 05-15-13
By: Margaret Powell
-
American Duchess
- A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt
- By: Karen Harper
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her “Wedding of the Century” to the duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find meaning behind “the glitter and the gold”.
-
-
Surprisingly interesting life
- By labradoodler on 07-24-19
By: Karen Harper
-
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
- A Royal Spyness Novella
- By: Rhys Bowen
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man - until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
-
-
Fun, light prequel
- By CMMV on 01-01-15
By: Rhys Bowen
-
The Social Graces
- By: Renée Rosen
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
1876. In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, women are valued by their pedigree, dowry, and, most importantly, connections. They have few rights and even less independence - what they do have is society. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor - the Mrs. Astor.
-
-
Disappointing Effort
- By HistoryNerd on 05-11-21
By: Renée Rosen
-
Upstairs & Downstairs
- My Life In Service as a Lady's Maid
- By: Hilda Newman, Tim Tate
- Narrated by: Helen Lloyd
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gowns; of tiaras and a coronation. As personal maid to Lady Coventry, Hilda Newman had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britain's most noble families. In her fascinating memoir of life upstairs and down, Hilda takes us back to this period between the wars; a gilded era which would soon be dramatically changed by the Second World War.
-
-
Wonderful listen!!
- By J.T. on 09-25-19
By: Hilda Newman, and others
-
The American Heiress
- A Novel
- By: Daisy Goodwin
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.
-
-
I loved this book!
- By Maria on 06-27-11
By: Daisy Goodwin
-
Below Stairs
- The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir That Inspired 'Upstairs, Downstairs' and 'Downton Abbey'
- By: Margaret Powell
- Narrated by: Mary Wells
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, Margaret Powell’s classic memoir of her time in service, Below Stairs, is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high. Powell first arrived at the servants' entrance of one of those great houses in the 1920s. As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and bootlaces to be ironed.
-
-
Less than I was expecting...
- By Margaret on 05-15-13
By: Margaret Powell
-
American Duchess
- A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt
- By: Karen Harper
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her “Wedding of the Century” to the duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find meaning behind “the glitter and the gold”.
-
-
Surprisingly interesting life
- By labradoodler on 07-24-19
By: Karen Harper
-
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
- A Royal Spyness Novella
- By: Rhys Bowen
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man - until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.
-
-
Fun, light prequel
- By CMMV on 01-01-15
By: Rhys Bowen
-
The Social Graces
- By: Renée Rosen
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
1876. In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, women are valued by their pedigree, dowry, and, most importantly, connections. They have few rights and even less independence - what they do have is society. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor - the Mrs. Astor.
-
-
Disappointing Effort
- By HistoryNerd on 05-11-21
By: Renée Rosen
-
Upstairs & Downstairs
- My Life In Service as a Lady's Maid
- By: Hilda Newman, Tim Tate
- Narrated by: Helen Lloyd
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gowns; of tiaras and a coronation. As personal maid to Lady Coventry, Hilda Newman had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britain's most noble families. In her fascinating memoir of life upstairs and down, Hilda takes us back to this period between the wars; a gilded era which would soon be dramatically changed by the Second World War.
-
-
Wonderful listen!!
- By J.T. on 09-25-19
By: Hilda Newman, and others
-
Northanger Abbey
- By: Jane Austen
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Catherine Morland, a country clergyman's daughter, is invited to spend a season in Bath with the fashionable high society, little does she imagine the delights and perils that await her. Captivated and disconcerted by what she finds, and introduced to the joys of "Gothic novels" by her new friend, Isabella, Catherine longs for mystery and romance. When she is invited to stay with the beguiling Henry Tilney and his family at Northanger Abbey, she expects mystery and intrigue at every turn.
-
-
Awesome
- By Johnny on 08-01-09
By: Jane Austen
-
Because of Miss Bridgerton
- A Bridgerton Prequel
- By: Julia Quinn
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everyone expects Billie Bridgerton to marry one of the Rokesby brothers. The two families have been neighbors for centuries, and as a child the tomboyish Billie ran wild with Edward and Andrew. Either one would make a perfect husband...someday.
-
-
My first Julia Quinn Novel -- I loved it!
- By Renee C. on 04-06-16
By: Julia Quinn
-
Miss Eliza's English Kitchen
- A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship
- By: Annabel Abbs
- Narrated by: Ell Potter, Bianca Amato
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England, 1835. London is awash with thrilling new ingredients, from rare spices to exotic fruits. But no one knows how to use them. When Eliza Acton is told by her publisher to write a cookery book instead of the poetry she loves, she refuses - until her bankrupt father is forced to flee the country. As a woman, Eliza has few options. Although she’s never set foot in a kitchen, she begins collecting recipes and teaching herself to cook. Much to her surprise, she discovers a talent - and a passion - for the culinary arts.
-
-
A gem!
- By Sara Shirley on 01-04-22
By: Annabel Abbs
-
Snobs
- By: Julian Fellowes
- Narrated by: Richard Morant
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Edith Lavery, the pretty daughter of an accountant, meets gossip-column favorite Charles Broughton (Earl of Broughton and heir to the Marquess of Uckfield) at Ascot. When he proposes and she accepts, does she really love him, or is she merely dazzled by his title and money?
-
-
A Fantastic Beach Read!
- By Lori on 04-08-05
By: Julian Fellowes
-
Bloody Jack
- By: L. A. Meyer
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of 18th-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas. There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret.
-
-
Sometimes it clicks
- By Terry on 12-09-09
By: L. A. Meyer
-
The Nurse’s Secret
- By: Amanda Skenandore
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the slums of 1880s New York, Una Kelly has grown up to be a rough-and-tumble grifter, able to filch a pocketbook in five seconds flat. But when another con-woman pins her for a murder she didn't commit, Una is forced to flee. Running from the police, Una lies her way into an unlikely refuge: the nursing school at Bellevue Hospital.
-
-
Predictable
- By Lorraine E. Collins on 07-05-22
-
Heathcliff Lennox - France 1918
- By: Karen Baugh Menuhin
- Narrated by: Sam Dewhurst -Phillips
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Spring, 1918. The Great War is at a crucial stage, the Germans are making one last push into France, and the Allies are struggling to hold them back. Battle lines are shifting, and men, and their machines, are being sent up and down the front to shore up defenses. Major Heathcliff Lennox, and his batman Greggs, are told to report to their new HQ. They set off on a sunlit day to fly the distance, but the enemy is never far away, and disaster strikes. They're sent crashing to the ground behind enemy lines, where life, death, and love await.
-
-
Another great Heathcliff Lennox
- By Katydid65 on 06-04-21
-
A Feather on the Water
- A Novel
- By: Lindsay Jayne Ashford
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Just weeks after World War II ends, three women from different corners of the world arrive in Germany to run a Displaced Persons camp. They long to help rebuild shattered lives—including their own… For Martha, going to Germany provides an opportunity to escape Brooklyn and a violent marriage. Arriving from England is orphaned Kitty. She hopes working at the camp will bring her closer to her parents, last seen before the war began. For Delphine, Paris has been a city of ghosts after her husband and son died in Dachau.
-
-
#1 in 2022 for me!!!!!
- By Patrizia Clerico on 10-19-22
-
The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition
- By: Margaret Atwood, Valerie Martin - essay
- Narrated by: Claire Danes, full cast, Margaret Atwood, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a violent coup in the United States overthrows the Constitution and ushers in a new government regime, the Republic of Gilead imposes subservient roles on all women. Offred, now a Handmaid tasked with the singular role of procreation in the childless household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife, can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost everything, even her own name.
-
-
Wait! It Mightn't Be What You Think--
- By Gillian on 04-05-17
By: Margaret Atwood, and others
-
American Assassin
- By: Vince Flynn
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before he was considered a CIA superagent, before he was thought of as a terrorist's worst nightmare, and before he was both loathed and admired by the politicians on Capitol Hill, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college athlete without a care in the world...and then tragedy struck.
-
-
Flynn never disappoints
- By lesley on 10-12-10
By: Vince Flynn
-
Red Sparrow
- A Novel
- By: Jason Matthews
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drafted against her will to become a "Sparrow" - a trained seductress in the service, Russian intelligence officer Dominika Egorova is assigned to operate against Nathaniel Nash, a first-tour CIA officer who handles the CIA's most sensitive penetration of Russian intelligence. The two young intelligence officers, trained in their respective spy schools, collide in a charged atmosphere of tradecraft, deception, and inevitably, a forbidden spiral of carnal attraction that threatens their careers and the security of America's valuable mole in Moscow.
-
-
Sexy Saucy Spies
- By Mel on 06-13-13
By: Jason Matthews
-
Truly Madly Guilty
- By: Liane Moriarty
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other. Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate.
-
-
seriously, stop analyzing and enjoy the ride
- By patty mastracco on 08-01-16
By: Liane Moriarty
Critic reviews
“With a tony accent and wry humor, Katherine Kellgren narrates this story of an upper-class family on the verge of losing the life its members have always known…Written by the author of ‘Upstairs Downstairs,' Habits of the House will delight fans of ‘Downton Abbey' and those who enjoy dry wit coupled with excellent narration.” —AudioFile Magazine
“Narrator Katherine Kellgren creates an amazing variety of voices for the numerous characters both British and American…Kellgren captures the subtle humor and the satire in author Fay Weldon's writing.” —Sound Commentary
“Narrator Kellgren creates distinct voices for all involved: servants, aristocracy and wealthy, title-seeing Americans.” —The Plain Dealer
Related to this topic
-
Cashelmara
- By: Susan Howatch
- Narrated by: Gary Furlong, Carly Robins
- Length: 27 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Edward de Salis travels to America after the death of his first wife, he is astonished to find himself falling in love with Marguerite, a young woman many years his junior. Full of hope for the future, he returns to his Irish estate, Cashelmara, but in 19th-century Ireland - a country racked by poverty and famine - his family eventually becomes trapped in a sinister spiral of violence that Edward could never have foreseen.
-
-
Wonderful Story
- By Ann Marie Taylor on 07-04-20
By: Susan Howatch
-
High Rising
- A Virago Modern Classic
- By: Angela Thirkell, Alexander McCall Smith - introduction
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Successful lady novelist Laura Morland and her boisterous young son, Tony, set off to spend Christmas at her country home in the sleepy surrounds of High Rising. But Laura's wealthy friend and neighbor, George Knox, has taken on a scheming secretary whose designs on marriage to her employer threaten the delicate social fabric of the village.
-
-
Beginning of a journey
- By Jerri C on 11-04-16
By: Angela Thirkell, and others
-
The Secret Countess
- By: Eva Ibbotson
- Narrated by: Sian Thomas
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anna, a young countess, has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart, her now-penniless family is forced to flee to England. Armed with an out-of-date book on housekeeping, Anna determines to become a housemaid and she finds work at the Earl of Westerholme's crumbling but magnificent mansion.
-
-
Heavily edited
- By Melissa Keating on 06-21-16
By: Eva Ibbotson
-
The Pursuit of Love
- Radlett and Montdore Trilogy Series, Book 1
- By: Nancy Mitford
- Narrated by: Bessie Carter
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mitford's most enduringly popular novel, The Pursuit of Love, is a classic comedy about growing up and falling in love among the privileged and eccentric. Mitford modeled her characters on her own famously unconventional family. We are introduced to the Radletts through the eyes of their cousin, Fanny, who stays with them at Alconleigh, their Gloucestershire estate. Uncle Matthew is the blustering patriarch; Aunt Sadie is the vague but doting mother; and the seven Radlett children, despite the delights of their unusual childhood, are recklessly eager to grow up.
-
-
Unlistenable
- By Michael on 10-17-21
By: Nancy Mitford
-
Cousin Bette
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Johanna Ward
- Length: 16 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Bette referred to in this magnificent novel's title is Lisbeth Fischer, an excruciatingly cunning poor relation who both depends upon and nurses a terrible grudge against the family of her beautiful cousin, Adeline. That family is slowly being ruined by the uncontrollable sexual appetites of Adeline's husband, Baron Hulot - appetites that will, in time, give Cousin Bette opportunity to exact her vengeance.
-
-
Narrator!
- By Murasaki on 12-03-06
By: Honoré de Balzac
-
Servants' Hall
- A Real Life Upstairs, Downstairs Romance
- By: Margaret Powell
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Margaret Powell's Below Stairs became a sensation among listeners reveling in the luxury and subtle class warfare of Masterpiece Theatre's hit television series Downton Abbey. Now in the sequel Servants' Hall, Powell tells the true story of Rose, the under-parlourmaid to the Wardham Family at Redlands, who took a shocking step: She eloped with the family's only son, Mr. Gerald.
-
-
Memoir of a Bygone Era
- By Michelle N. Lynch on 04-08-15
By: Margaret Powell
-
Cashelmara
- By: Susan Howatch
- Narrated by: Gary Furlong, Carly Robins
- Length: 27 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Edward de Salis travels to America after the death of his first wife, he is astonished to find himself falling in love with Marguerite, a young woman many years his junior. Full of hope for the future, he returns to his Irish estate, Cashelmara, but in 19th-century Ireland - a country racked by poverty and famine - his family eventually becomes trapped in a sinister spiral of violence that Edward could never have foreseen.
-
-
Wonderful Story
- By Ann Marie Taylor on 07-04-20
By: Susan Howatch
-
High Rising
- A Virago Modern Classic
- By: Angela Thirkell, Alexander McCall Smith - introduction
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Successful lady novelist Laura Morland and her boisterous young son, Tony, set off to spend Christmas at her country home in the sleepy surrounds of High Rising. But Laura's wealthy friend and neighbor, George Knox, has taken on a scheming secretary whose designs on marriage to her employer threaten the delicate social fabric of the village.
-
-
Beginning of a journey
- By Jerri C on 11-04-16
By: Angela Thirkell, and others
-
The Secret Countess
- By: Eva Ibbotson
- Narrated by: Sian Thomas
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anna, a young countess, has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart, her now-penniless family is forced to flee to England. Armed with an out-of-date book on housekeeping, Anna determines to become a housemaid and she finds work at the Earl of Westerholme's crumbling but magnificent mansion.
-
-
Heavily edited
- By Melissa Keating on 06-21-16
By: Eva Ibbotson
-
The Pursuit of Love
- Radlett and Montdore Trilogy Series, Book 1
- By: Nancy Mitford
- Narrated by: Bessie Carter
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mitford's most enduringly popular novel, The Pursuit of Love, is a classic comedy about growing up and falling in love among the privileged and eccentric. Mitford modeled her characters on her own famously unconventional family. We are introduced to the Radletts through the eyes of their cousin, Fanny, who stays with them at Alconleigh, their Gloucestershire estate. Uncle Matthew is the blustering patriarch; Aunt Sadie is the vague but doting mother; and the seven Radlett children, despite the delights of their unusual childhood, are recklessly eager to grow up.
-
-
Unlistenable
- By Michael on 10-17-21
By: Nancy Mitford
-
Cousin Bette
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Johanna Ward
- Length: 16 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Bette referred to in this magnificent novel's title is Lisbeth Fischer, an excruciatingly cunning poor relation who both depends upon and nurses a terrible grudge against the family of her beautiful cousin, Adeline. That family is slowly being ruined by the uncontrollable sexual appetites of Adeline's husband, Baron Hulot - appetites that will, in time, give Cousin Bette opportunity to exact her vengeance.
-
-
Narrator!
- By Murasaki on 12-03-06
By: Honoré de Balzac
-
Servants' Hall
- A Real Life Upstairs, Downstairs Romance
- By: Margaret Powell
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Margaret Powell's Below Stairs became a sensation among listeners reveling in the luxury and subtle class warfare of Masterpiece Theatre's hit television series Downton Abbey. Now in the sequel Servants' Hall, Powell tells the true story of Rose, the under-parlourmaid to the Wardham Family at Redlands, who took a shocking step: She eloped with the family's only son, Mr. Gerald.
-
-
Memoir of a Bygone Era
- By Michelle N. Lynch on 04-08-15
By: Margaret Powell
-
Minerva
- The Six Sisters, Book 1
- By: M. C. Beaton
- Narrated by: Charlotte Anne Dore
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Minerva marks the delightful debut of The Six Sisters, a family saga in six volumes that will recount the romantic adventures of the six marriageable daughters of a country vicar, the Reverend Charles Armitage, in Regency England. The eldest, Minerva, is enchantingly beautiful - but a prude. She lives in the country looking after her siblings while her mother reclines on a chaise longue happily inventing new malaises.
-
-
Rengency tale not up to scratch.
- By Penelopatty on 09-10-13
By: M. C. Beaton
-
The Scoundrel's Daughter
- Brides of Bellaire Gardens Series, Book 1
- By: Anne Gracie
- Narrated by: Christine Rendel
- Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alice, Lady Charlton, is finally free of her dominating husband, but on the verge of her new life, she is trapped when a blackmailer threatens to publish letters that could ruin her. To protect the secrets of her past Alice must find a lord for his daughter, Lucy, to marry. Alice reluctantly agrees to find the girl a noble husband but when Lucy arrives, she's difficult and uncooperative and has no interest in her father's scheme. A lord, she says, will only look down his nose at her-and she's having none of that! Desperate, Alice enlists the aid of her handsome young nephew.
-
-
Stopped listening @ Ch14 bc of coercive "romance"
- By potsherds on 01-20-22
By: Anne Gracie
-
Rose
- My Life in Service to Lady Astor
- By: Rosina Harrison
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1928, Rosina Harrison arrived at the illustrious household of the Astor family to take up her new position as personal maid to the infamously temperamental Lady Nancy Astor, who sat in Parliament, entertained royalty, and traveled the world. "She's not a lady as you would understand a lady" was the butler's ominous warning. But what no one expected was that the iron-willed Lady Astor was about to meet her match in the no-nonsense, whip-smart girl from the country.
-
-
AWFUL!! I was very disappointed.
- By The Louligan on 08-12-13
By: Rosina Harrison
-
Vanity Fair
- By: William Makepeace Thackeray
- Narrated by: John Castle
- Length: 31 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this classic gives a satirical picture of a worldly society. The novel revolves around the exploits of the impoverished but beautiful and devious Becky Sharp who craves wealth and a position in society. Calculating and determined to succeed, she charms, deceives and manipulates everyone she meets. A novel of early 19th-century English society, it takes its title from the place designated as the centre of human corruption in John Bunyan's 17th-century allegory.
-
-
The Best Narration, One of the Greats
- By James Abraham on 05-18-13
-
The Rise of Silas Lapham
- By: William Dean Howells
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Howells’ best-known work and a subtle classic of its time, The Rise of Silas Lapham is an elegant tale of Boston society and manners. After garnering a fortune in the paint business, Silas Lapham moves his family from their Vermont farm to the city of Boston in order to improve his social position. The consequences of this endeavor are both humorous and tragic as the greedy Silas brings his company to the brink of bankruptcy.
-
-
Important for the Era
- By Brent on 03-19-23
-
Upstairs & Downstairs
- My Life In Service as a Lady's Maid
- By: Hilda Newman, Tim Tate
- Narrated by: Helen Lloyd
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gowns; of tiaras and a coronation. As personal maid to Lady Coventry, Hilda Newman had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britain's most noble families. In her fascinating memoir of life upstairs and down, Hilda takes us back to this period between the wars; a gilded era which would soon be dramatically changed by the Second World War.
-
-
Wonderful listen!!
- By J.T. on 09-25-19
By: Hilda Newman, and others
-
My Lady Ludlow
- By: Elizabeth Gaskell
- Narrated by: Susannah York
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lady Ludlow's appalling snobbery, prejudice and bred-in-the-bone conviction as to the superiority of the English aristocracy and their feudal way of life are deliciously tested, and found wanting, in this gently radical tale of the collapse of a social system. Elizabeth Gaskell's My Lady Ludlow is a brilliant picture of the shift in power in a rural northern village, from the velvety feudal Ludlows to the glitter of the new money rattling through the system courtesy of the brazen baker from Birmingham.
-
-
A treat
- By Tad Davis on 03-04-20
-
Mr. Darcy's Daughters
- By: Elizabeth Aston
- Narrated by: Morag Sims
- Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Picking up 20 years after Pride and Prejudice left off, Mr. Darcy's Daughters begins in the year 1818. Elizabeth and Darcy have gone to Constantinople, giving us an opportunity to get to know their five daughters, who have left the sheltered surroundings of Pemberley for a few months in London.
-
-
soooo much drama!
- By Kindle Customer on 09-12-20
By: Elizabeth Aston
-
Devoted to the Duke
- The St. Clairs, Book 1
- By: Alexa Aston, Dragonblade Publishing
- Narrated by: Price Waldman
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After returning to London from his Grand Tour, serious-minded Jeremy St. Clair, the Marquess of Sather, attends a ball and meets a luminescent beauty who draws him out of his shell. They share a searing kiss - her first - and though he never planned to wed, Jeremy desires to make this young woman his. But his life takes an unexpected turn when he leaves her that night.
-
-
EXCELLANT NARRATION!!
- By Edwina "I Love books" on 11-09-19
By: Alexa Aston, and others
-
Wives and Daughters
- By: Elizabeth Gaskell
- Narrated by: Nadia May
- Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set in English society before the 1832 Reform Bill, Wives and Daughters centers on the story of youthful Molly Gibson, brought up from childhood by her father. When he remarries, a new stepsister enters Molly's quiet life, the loveable, but worldly and troubling, Cynthia. The narrative traces the development of the two girls into womanhood within the gossiping and watchful society of Hollingford.
-
-
It's not about the ending!
- By Sandra on 07-25-05
-
The Way We Live Now
- By: Anthony Trollope
- Narrated by: Timothy West
- Length: 32 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this world of bribes, vendettas, and swindling, in which heiresses are gambled and won, Trollope's characters embody all the vices: Lady Carbury is 'false from head to foot'; her son Felix has 'the instincts of a horse, not approaching the higher sympathies of a dog'; and Melmotte - the colossal figure who dominates the book - is a 'horrid, big, rich scoundrel...a bloated swindler...a vile city ruffian'. But as vile as he is, he is considered one of Trollope's greatest creations.
-
-
Finally!
- By Laurene on 06-05-10
By: Anthony Trollope
-
Nobody's Sweetheart Now
- By: Maggie Robinson
- Narrated by: Gemma Dawson
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England, 1924. Lady Adelaide Compton has recently (and satisfactorily) interred her husband, Major Rupert Charles Cressleigh Compton, hero of the Somme, in the family vault in the village churchyard. Rupert died by smashing his Hispano-Suiza on a Cotswold country road while carrying a French mademoiselle in the passenger seat. With the house now Addie's, needed improvements in hand, and a weekend house party underway, how inconvenient of Rupert to turn up - not in the flesh, but as a spirit! Rupert has to perform a few good deeds before becoming welcomed to heaven.
-
-
Fresh New Voice For Me..Very Good
- By John on 08-06-20
By: Maggie Robinson
What listeners say about Habits of the House
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- CINDY ANDERSON
- 04-08-13
A Downtonlike story read by my favorite narrator?
Is there anything you would change about this book?
I found it a light, fun tale. Just what I needed!
Would you be willing to try another book from Fay Weldon? Why or why not?
I plan to check in to her other offers.
What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?
I was saddened to read a poor review by someone else which prompted me to write one myself! I LOVE Katherine Kellgren and since falling in love with her Bloody Jack characters have searched her out and will continue listening and enjoying her narration! Keep up your excellent work Katherine, I enjoy you SOOOOO!
Do you think Habits of the House needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
Sure.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John
- 08-19-13
Pretty Thin Soup
If you're not tired of Downton Abbey and need to catch up on the 1899 Belgravian gossip this may be the book for you. It involves a clutch of matrons and maids nattering about clothes and what to serve thePrince of Wales when (and if) he comes to dinner. All told in the worn style of supercilious irony (e.g. Women "produce" children in this novel, they just can't "have" them) that should have gone out with Wodehouse
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- M. J. Christensen
- 03-26-15
If You Like Downton Abbey
This novel by prolific British novelist, Fay Weldon, is enjoyable and a fun listen. Each chapter is headed by the time and date - maybe some listeners might not like that, but I found it helped me keep track of the plot. This is like Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs as we are introduced to characters from both the upper and lower strata of English society during the Edwardian years. I liked it enough to continue on with the trilogy.
It took awhile for me to get acclimated to Katherine Kellgren's voice, but then I enjoyed her reading.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 02-21-15
Read for narrator, Kellgren wonderful, story eh
I actually found this audiobook while browsing recordings by one of my favorite narrators, Katherine Kellgren. This book happened to showcase her talents for many character voices - she can do so many carried British dialects, American dialects, both females and males, and sound great. This book had them - the traditional aristocracy, their servants of various backgrounds, the American heiress and her somewhat uncouth mother... All beautifully and seamlessly brought to life.
The story was very Downton Abbey, and no surprise. Though, the family portrayed here has starker issues if you ask me, with such bad financial management and the men's extracurricular activities. The composition was interesting - following the different parties throughout their days as the events transpired. Funny how so many people who live in the same house could regard and deal with the same problems so differently. A not inaccurate portrayal of the lifestyle of the time, I'm sure. And I actually learned a bit I hadn't known about the royal family and 1899 world affairs; woot for the part of historical fiction, heh.
Overall a good read for fans of the upstairs-downstairs style or anything generally on late Victorian society. The only part I didn't care for was the scene with Flora - just went too far in descriptions (not thoroughly and explicitly graphic, but at least highly suggestive and around the edges of an activity I found appalling); not to my tastes, and I'm sure not at all proper by Isobel's standards either.
And the sudden jump startled me at the end of the book- I wish Weldon hadn't just skipped a week of events, rather gave the results as a society news story, but all of the loose ends were tied. Will consider reading the sequels, but am not feeling compelled to do so immediately - the style just wasn't urgently gripping in that way, but it kinda grows on you, so I'll let it sit for a while before revisiting the Dilborns.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Deborah
- 03-11-13
Excellent start, poor finish
What did you like best about Habits of the House? What did you like least?
Good dialogue, good attention to detail of the period. The characters were well described. I liked the twists and turns. My biggest complaint is the abrupt finish. It seems as if the author had reached her word count, and just wanted to be done. So a "Deus Maccia" (sp?) device is used and in two paragraphs everything is settled, done, fini. Infuriatingly, simplistic conclusion.
Would you be willing to try another book from Fay Weldon? Why or why not?
I have read others, was much more impressed.
What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?
Great range of voices and accents.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J. Olsen
- 06-29-13
Good story made GREAT by an excellent narrator
Would you listen to Habits of the House again? Why?
Not a lot of plot, but tons of fascinating character, each performed to perfection by Katherine Kellgren. I chose this book because I'm missing "Downton Abbey" and because I will listen to anything read by this narrator. She does not simply read the words, she breathes life into each character. It is another faultless performance!
What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Katherine Kellgren creates such compelling and fully realized characters! It's difficult to believe that one person is playing all of these wonderful character.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stacy
- 11-14-16
Narrator diminishes and entertaining book
The story it's self is entertaining enough. It ends rather awkwardly and the description of the book doesn't exactly line up with the actual story but that's OK because the story itself is just as good as what the expectation had been. It's the narrator who makes this a difficult listen. Several people heard me listening to this book and each one commented on how bad the voice was. The accent was over exaggerated and at times some of the voices sounded screechy. If you can stand the different accents, you would enjoy this book well enough. But that's a big if.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Maureen Devine
- 01-26-13
Hilarious!
If you could sum up Habits of the House in three words, what would they be?
hilarious rendering of life below and above stairs in a Victorian society household.
What other book might you compare Habits of the House to and why?
Same time, different social strata in many books by Anne Perry.
What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?
Her voices were priceless.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
This book made me laugh out loud.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andre L. Gray
- 03-08-13
Not a good reader
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Yes. The reader. She reads as if there are no commas or periods. Her British accent sounds false and contrived. She really is ruining a good story by her style of reading. And she should slow down her pace.
What other book might you compare Habits of the House to and why?
The Age of Innocent. It has the same feel but the English Aristocrats are looking for money to bail out their debts and to maintain their way of life.
How could the performance have been better?
If the reader could slow her pace and read with a better British accent.
Could you see Habits of the House being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
It would be perfect for Master Piece Theater!
Any additional comments?
Overall, the story is very good.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Allison Kappadahl
- 02-23-13
Not quite Downton
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
If you like Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs this book is a good one
What did you like best about this story?
its a little funny
What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?
I love her voice.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
not quite
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful