I enjoyed reading about the changes of English country houses houses and dynamics and how they were used before WW1. More photographs would have helped with the descriptions and split it up as it felt like a lot of information to take in.

The Power and the Glory by Adrian Tinniswood offers a fascinating glimpse into English country homes and the lives of the wealthy within. Before the Great War, old money and nouveau riche meant country homes and high society. At first country homes were primarily owned by the British but 1900 brought changes such as for sale advertisements pointedly appealing to Americans. Jewish bankers and Indian rinces were also permitted into this exclusive realm. But that didn't mean foreigners were accepted as readily as their money.

Not only are specific homes described but also land laws, gardens, moats, ghosts, burglary, the invention of lawn mowers, the importance of keeping up appearances and leading by example (including Christian worship and philanthropy), and the benefits of being a servant in a country home.

Though classified as Art & Photography, there were no photographs in my digital copy. I have had the pleasure of visiting many such homes on my travels so could easily envision them when reading but still enjoy ogling photographs of atmospheric homes and gardens. The book is wonderfully written and clearly thoroughly researched and will appeal to those like myself besotted with this era. Country homes appeal to my passion for history and curiosity with snippets of unattainable mystery and intrigue. Great fun!

My sincere thank you to Basic Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this captivating book.

The Power and Glory is described as being a book about life in the English country house prior to WWI. The old money families and the new upstarts coexisting together in what has traditionally been the domain of Britain's landed gentry/aristocracy. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Unfortunately the interest lasts for only so long, before the book just seems like one extremely long gossip column. I got tired one third of the way through. I guess I finally have to accept this particular author just isn't my cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for access to this arc, which I voluntarily read (or tried to). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a North American who’s fairly obsessed with history, European history has held my attention in an incomparable way. The “English Country House” wasn’t something I grew up learning about, but has become a topic of much interest to me. Therefore, I was thankful to receive a copy of The Power and the Glory: Life in the English Country House Before the Great War and was very impressed by Mr Tinniswood’s writing talent and ability to make nonfiction read more like fiction, and engaging fiction at that.

I enjoyed my reading of this and learned a lot - it was my second time reading the author’s work and I will definitely be reading more.

Recommended to readers of English history, royal history, and/or classics from the time.



Thank you to Basic Books and NetGalley for the DRC

*A big thank-you to Adrian Tinniswood, Basic Books, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
English country house has had many faces over the centuries and has become the embodiment of what is called Englishness. Such houses fascinate and draw thousands of visitors yearly. Mr Tinniswood, focusing on the late 19th century till the outbreak of WW1, aimes at bringing closer history behind hundreds of houses, describing building process, reconstruction, calamities, royals visits, and owners who, at that time, were not only aristocrats or landed gentry, but also those successful at making fortunes or advantageous marriages and therefore being able to acquire a country seat.
The non-fiction reads well, and is a fascinating chronicle of times and people, especially recommended to fiction lovers who have novels like Brideshead Revisited on their shelves. One downside is that there are no pictures included, at least in the arc I received, and at times reading and googling was a nuisance.