From the Gilded Age until 1914, more than 100 American heiresses invaded Britannia and swapped dollars for titles--just like Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, the first of the Downton Abbey characters Julian Fellowes was inspired to create after reading To Marry An English Lord. Filled with vivid personalities, gossipy anecdotes, grand houses, and a wealth of period details--plus photographs, illustrations, quotes, and the finer points of Victorian and Edwardian etiquette--To Marry An English Lord is social history at its liveliest and most accessible.
To Marry an English Lord
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This delightful account of how American heiresses in the post-Civil War era packed up their trunks and went husband-hunting in England demonstrates that our national infatuation with British aristocracy is nothing new. The young women had good looks and big bucks; the often debt-ridden Brits had titles, castles and a society that was "more stimulating and more permissive, more leisurely and more sophisticated than Old New York." MacColl and Wallace (editor of and contributor to, respectively, The Preppy Handbook ) chronicle the lives of the rich and famous on both sides of the ocean, dishing up spicy gossip, pithy social commentary (by 1910, "Society in America became more sure of itself. Social climbers no longer needed titles for legitimacy") and obscure historical tidbits (because they were almost never allowed to sit in Queen Victoria's presence, her ladies-in-waiting "habitually bought shoes a size too big since their feet swelled so badly"). The book also includes witty profiles of leading American ladies and their British lords, piquant period photographs and handy tips on proper etiquette, such as "Any man who reverses changes the direction in which he's spinning his partner during a waltz is a cad." BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Large fortunes were made in post-Civil War America. Young heiresses, cold-shouldered by an entrenched aristocracy that scorned new money, looked across the sea to find husbands among titled young Englishmen who were long on status but very short of cash. Nancy Astor and Jennie Churchill are the most famous of more than 100 of these trans-Atlantic brides. This light-hearted bit of social history is lavishly illustrated and bedecked with sidebars and boxes of charts, lively quotes, and other supplementary material. A full register of these enterprising young ladies and a "Walking Tour" are included. Not only fun, but a definitive round-up of the players. Recommended.
- Nancy C. Cridland, Indiana Univ. Libs., Bloomington
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Nancy C. Cridland, Indiana Univ. Libs., Bloomington
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
104 of 104 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"To Marry An English Lord" may sound like a how-to guide, but it is really one of the most fascinating history books on the English Peerage ever written. This book specifically follows the migration of rich American girls to England and, subsequently, to marrying a member of the English peerage. It also reveals life in both England and America at the dawn of the 20th century. This book contains the most fascinating and seldom-explored facts from the period, and really takes an in-depth look at the everyday lives of the privileged during the Gilded Age. If for nothing else, buy this book for the pictures! With cartoons, photographs, maps and paintings, you get a visual guide to the period. This book is so well organized that practically every page gives you detailed information on a specific subject, and a picture to illustrate it. Most pages also have small factoids that are some of the best parts of the book. Certainly the best part of the book is how it follows a few American heiresses throughout the book, which really makes you care about the 'characters' and gives you the full story: from start to finish. If you love Victorian/Edwardian history, or the English Peerage, you will absolutely love this book. I refer to it almost once a week and enjoy re-reading it whenever I have some spare time!
153 of 156 people found the following review helpful
By Ashley S.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I already own the 1989 out-of-print version of 'To Marry an English Lord' in my collection and its one of my absolute favorites! So when I saw that it was going to be republished I thought that there was going to be new infomation or pictures (and possibly a color section), but I was mistaken, the only thing new is the lovely cover of Consuelo Vanderbilt-Balsan. On the flip side, I am happy to have it nonetheless, and thanks to the great success of Downton Abbey and Julian Fellowes, this jem may have never been back on the selves.
The book is full of pictures and information of everything you need to know about the many American heiresses who went across the waters (some by force)to marry a money-poor, land-rich English peer during the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. There is also plenty of background info and images of the American, Victorian, and Edwardian high societies, as well as enlightening and fun facts. In the back there is even a directory of every American heiress (that is atleast known) to have married into the English aristocracy.
The book is full of pictures and information of everything you need to know about the many American heiresses who went across the waters (some by force)to marry a money-poor, land-rich English peer during the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. There is also plenty of background info and images of the American, Victorian, and Edwardian high societies, as well as enlightening and fun facts. In the back there is even a directory of every American heiress (that is atleast known) to have married into the English aristocracy.
51 of 51 people found the following review helpful
By R. Tiedemann
Format:Paperback
Those few of us who have wondered why in the world a comfortable, cosseted American girl would want to marry an Englishman and live in a cold climate in an even colder stone castle will find answers here, even if the answers aren't satisfactory to the modern ear.
Think of it: wealthy American society girls, products of generations of men and women who gave lives and fortunes to escape a Royalist society, thought it a worthy investment of their lives, loves and wealth to buy an English title in the form of a husband. It's understandable that men who have no money and are saddled with huge estates and titles with no way to support themselves "in the manner to which they have become accustomed" would search out these women. It's another matter to understand the women, especially if they were bright and energetic (like the fabled Jenny Jerome).
Of course the first women to get involved in this weird method of social climbing didn't realize what was involved. (Though why American society decided that an English title was important in the United States, especially if it could be bought with money, still escapes me.) The problems included loveless husbands who paid little attention to their wives and carried on affairs; cold and drafty castles into which Papa sank tons of money to no avail as far as comfort was concerned; families who refused to accept them in spite (or because) of the fact that they provided the money to keep the lifestyle intact; servants who often were sulky and rebellious ("but we've ALWAYS done it that way"); children they handed over to nannies. The first brides must have kept the hardships and loneliness from the succeeding generation, for the rage for English titles prevailed from the mid-19th century almost through the mid-20th century.
... Read more ›38 of 40 people found the following review helpful
By mcaliman
Format:Paperback
If you have an interest in the stories of American heiresses who married into the British aristocracy during the late 1800s and early 1900s, this is the book for you. I've had the original edition of this book for several years. The authors give the backstory of the new American plutocracy after the Civil War, and analyzes the different waves of heiresses from the Self-Made Girls to those with Pushy Mamas and Sporting Fathers; from bagging the aristocratic target to the often disappointing life after wedlock. The book is full of photos, cartoons and summaries, and written with tongue firmly planted in cheek -- it's not just a series of biographical sketches.
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By site bilder
Format:Paperback
'To Marry an English Lord' is a well-researched and accessible book about the phenomenon of American heiresses marrying into the British aristocracy. Crammed full of facts, lists, photos, and informative text, this is the first book people should read if they are interested in this milieu. The text is easy to read and nuggets of history are presented with enthusiasm and humour. Despite the light tone, the authors never talk down to their readers and present their information without exaggeration or sensationalism. The book was carefully researched and the included bibliography is an excellent resource for further study. I am pleased that this well-deserving book has been brought back into print and encourage anyone who enjoys the history of this time and place to purchase it immediately!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book, But Not for Kindle
I know this is probably said in every review for "To Marry an English Lord", but I read this solely because I'm a huge fan of "Downton Abbey". Read more
Published 4 hours ago by khaleesi22
1.0 out of 5 stars
Terrible Writing
This book was soo bad. Look at one of the pages before you buy it. It has so many sidebars with anecdotes and photos on EVERY page that it makes one dizzy trying to read it. Read more
Published 6 days ago by M. Swanson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wildly Entertaining!
Oh those Victorians and Edwardians! Work politics are nothing compared to their social machinations!!! Read more
Published 7 days ago by REB
4.0 out of 5 stars
Who knew?
Wow,the goings on of the "upper crust",and what they considered acceptable. A good read ,can get a bit tiresome ,but will give you a view into the lives and snobbery of the... Read more
Published 11 days ago by linda Braswell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
As a lover of everything British, I truly enjoyed this book. Wonderful to read, interesting pictures. Really was like stepping back into a bygone era
Published 13 days ago by Lara Moeller
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting
I never knew about so many American women marrying for English titles in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Read more
Published 21 days ago by Penelope Morningstar
4.0 out of 5 stars
Downton Abbey lovers will like this book.
Scholarly and sometimes a little hard to follow (all those lords and American heiresses start to run together after a while), but a lot of fun and enlightening. Read more
Published 22 days ago by Beth Fleishman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully Researched
Essential reading for anyone interested in the Gilded Age. The authors offer readers fascinating insights into trans-Atlantic marriages between poor English peers and rich... Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. Herlihy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Neat Book
This was recommended via podcast The History Chicks and I was happy to find it in digital download as hard copies of this book tend to run very expensive. Read more
Published 1 month ago by fiforpres
4.0 out of 5 stars
Turn of the Century
This is in many ways lists of rich women marrying into the titled house of Britain. It sounds dreary but in fact I found it so interesting. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tricia Kay
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