Longbourn

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

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Description

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice below stairs - the story of romance, intrigue, and drama among the servants of the Bennet household. A Richard & Judy Book Club pick. THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK 'Utterly engrossing' Guardian It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah's hands are chapped and raw. Domestic life below stairs, ruled with a tender heart and an iron will by Mrs Hill the housekeeper, is about to be disturbed by the arrival of a new footman, bearing secrets and the scent of the sea. What readers are saying- 'A novel to be savoured' 'Highly recommended' 'Very enjoyable exploration of the background to Pride and Prejudice'

Reviews

A reimagining of Pride and Prejudice from the point of view of the servants . . . A joy * Guardian *
A genuinely fresh perspective on the tale of the Bennet household . . . Baker confronts the darker elements of eighteenth century life . . . The result is engrossing - and a lot of fun * Sunday Times *
A really special book, and not only because its author writes like an angel * Daily Mail *
Delightfully audacious . . . a work that's both original and charming, even gripping * New York Times Book Review *
Intoxicating . . . A joy in its own right, a novel that contrives both to provoke the intellect and, ultimately, to stop the heart * Guardian *
To twist something so familiar into something quite fresh is impressive . . . Baker takes ownership of this world without mimicking Austen's style, asserting instead her own distinctive voice . . . An engrossing tale we neither know nor expect * Sunday Telegraph *
An Austen lover has the satisfaction of matching the novel chapter for chapter * Observer *
Just enough Darcy to delight, as well as being a fascinating insight into the harsh working conditions of life in a grand house two hundred years ago * Good Housekeeping *
Jo Baker takes the reader on a journey back to a version of Regency England that is as much about poverty and war as social comedy and romance * Metro *
This clever glimpse of Austen's universe clouded by washday steam is so compelling it leaves you wanting to read the next chapter in the lives below stairs * Daily Express *

Author Bio

Jo Baker was educated at Oxford and The Queen's University, Belfast. She lives in Lancaster with her husband, the playwright Daragh Carville, and their two children. Longbourn is due to be made into a film produced by Focus Features.