Author(s): ALISON MALONEY

History

Bright Young Things is a thoroughly entertaining non-fiction account of 'the real Downton Abbey', which brings to life the historical backdrop of the series in an informative, fun and engaging book. As one viewer told The New York Times: 'I'm just enjoying the show so much, I thought I needed to get a book about it. And I was watching [the historical scenes] and thinking, I don't know enough about this. So maybe I can learn something in the process.' So step into a time of hot jazz and even hotter all-night dance halls, as Alison Maloney shares the gossip about life in the Roaring Twenties. Read all about it: high society's scandalous exploits, fresh new fashions, the Charleston dance craze, costume parties, talking movies and, of course, the feisty flapper. With chapters such as Makin' Whoopee, Cocktail Hour and Upstairs, Downstairs, Bright Young Things takes a sweeping look at the changing society of the Jazz Age, as life below stairs vanished forever, loose morals ran riot, and new inventions made it seem anything was possible. Peppered with first-person accounts that convey the spirit of the era in the words of those who lived it, Bright Young Things is a scintillating celebration of a truly iconic decade.