Audiobook8 hours
Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor
Written by Rosina Harrison
Narrated by Wanda McCaddon
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this audiobook
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.For thirty-five years, from the parties thrown for royalty and trips across the
globe, to the air raids during World War II, Rose was by Lady Astor's side and
behind the scenes, keeping everything running smoothly. In charge of
everything from the clothes and furs to the baggage to the priceless
diamond "sparklers," Rose was closer to Lady Astor than anyone else. In
her decades of service she received one 5-pound raise, but she traveled the
world in style and retired with a lifetime's worth of stories. Like
Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, Rose is not only a captivating insight into the
great wealth 'upstairs' and the endless work 'downstairs'; it is
also the story of an unlikely decades-long friendship that grew between
Her Ladyship and her spirited Yorkshire maid.
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.For thirty-five years, from the parties thrown for royalty and trips across the
globe, to the air raids during World War II, Rose was by Lady Astor's side and
behind the scenes, keeping everything running smoothly. In charge of
everything from the clothes and furs to the baggage to the priceless
diamond "sparklers," Rose was closer to Lady Astor than anyone else. In
her decades of service she received one 5-pound raise, but she traveled the
world in style and retired with a lifetime's worth of stories. Like
Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, Rose is not only a captivating insight into the
great wealth 'upstairs' and the endless work 'downstairs'; it is
also the story of an unlikely decades-long friendship that grew between
Her Ladyship and her spirited Yorkshire maid.
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Reviews for Rose
Rating: 4.115384615384615 out of 5 stars
4/5
26 ratings12 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Life of a ladies maid. Lots of name dropping and tales of fabulous surroundings. Skipped through the last half, but don't think I missed much.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wonderful to have the perspective of a person in service throughout so many historic moments.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5For a behind the scenes, Upstairs/Downstairs, view of life in one of the great houses of England, get this book. Rosina Harrison, the personal maid to Nancy Astor, tells her life story in the most winsome, funny and moving way. The foibles and faults of Nancy Astor and the various members of the Astor family are interesting to read. It is a glimpse into a world gone away that will never be seen again. I truly enjoyed this book!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved this book. I clipped right along, got into every realm of the lives of the Astor family and my only disappointment was no mention of their days in Newport RI.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A fascinating account of life as a lady's maid in the early twentieth century.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A very interesting account of life in service. And, having heard of "lady Astor" continuously from a great aunt while I was growing up, it was interesting to read an account of life.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fascinating glimpse of a world gone by, of the very rich, and their many extremes of behavior. Loved reading about Rose and her early life, her family and the support she received from her mother who helped her become a ladies maid. The hierarchy of the servant class placed a ladies maid nearer to the top, but it was still hard work. Lady Astor, who was the first woman elected to parliament was by all accounts very difficult, a difficulty that Rose had to learn to negotiate in order to perform her duties and still retain something of her own characters. This she does to marvelous effect. I think I would have liked to have met this plucky woman. Fans of Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs will enjoy this account.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Being a fan of Downton Abbey, I really enjoyed this memoir. Wanda McCaddon did a terrific job reading.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lovely little book by Rose Harrison, who was Lady Nancy Astor's personal maid for over 30 years. Rose's tone is a bit stiff, nearly Victorian, but certainly authentic. Her love of her employer shows in every word. A vivid and engaging portrait of a life in service which took a young Yorkshire girl all over the world and back again. Covers the war in chilling detail, fearlessly examines famous personalities and has enough jewelry mentioned to make even me happy.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rosina (Rose) Harrison was born in 1899, in a time and class where she was expected to go into service. She determined early on to be a ladies' maid in order to travel, eventually working for Nancy, Lady Astor, for over 30 years.This is my second memoir of life in service, and it made an interesting contrast to [Below Stairs], which I read about a month ago. LTer mbellerose recommended this one, and it was also suggested as "Further Reading" in [The World of Downton Abbey]. Rose, unlike Margaret Powell, calls herself a "career woman," and unlike many of her time, decides that she wants her profession over marriage. Though Lady Astor is headstrong and difficult, Rose is a match for her and loves her, too. Rose takes great pride in her work, and seems happy and content; she doesn't overlook disparity, but doesn't seem to think that she's owed anything either. Her anecdotes are often eye-opening or funny. I learned a lot and enjoyed myself along the way.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent!!! If you love HBO max The Gilded Age. You will definitely love this audio book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Well written memoir about a life below stairs. Rose has spirit and determination, and she needs it in order to attend Lady Astor, one of Britain’s high-energy political dynamos. A rich, intimate picture of life leading up to World War II.