{"product_id":"below-stairs-book-margaret-powell-9781250005441","title":"Below Stairs","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in \u003ci\u003eDownton Abbey\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eUpstairs, Downstairs\u003c\/i\u003e, Margaret Powell's classic memoir of her time in service, \u003ci\u003eBelow Stairs, \u003c\/i\u003e is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePowell first arrived at the servants' entrance of one of those great houses in the 1920s. As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5:30am and went on until after dark. It was a far cry from her childhood on the beaches of Hove, where money and food were scarce, but warmth and laughter never were. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eYet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids' curlers, to raucous tea-dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlormaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress's nephew, Margaret's tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMargaret Powell's true story of a life spent in service is a fascinating downstairs portrait of the glittering, long-gone worlds behind the closed doors of Downton Abbey and 165 Eaton Place.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49540012474641,"sku":"GOR004277553","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49769100607761,"sku":"CIN1250005442G","price":3.88,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ WELL_READ \/ SBYB","offer_id":50377239101713,"sku":"CIN1250005442A","price":3.78,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51215160803601,"sku":"GOR008629880","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52105861955857,"sku":"CIN1250005442VG","price":5.28,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53226093248785,"sku":"GOR005973962","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1250005442.jpg?v=1750953101","url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/products\/below-stairs-book-margaret-powell-9781250005441","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}