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The Shooting Party

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( 1,557 ratings, 224 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Shooting Party by Isabel Colegate offers a vivid portrait of an aristocratic weekend shooting party on an English country estate just before World War I. The story explores themes of class tensions, societal changes, and the impending end of an era, reflected through the lives and interactions of the gathered guests. With subtle undercurrents of drama and foreboding, it captures a world on the brink of profound transformation.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're captivated by stories set in the pre-World War I era with rich, atmospheric portrayals of British aristocracy. It offers a thought-provoking exploration of class dynamics and the societal changes on the horizon, all set against the backdrop of a country estate's traditional shooting party.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

It is 1913 - just prior to England's entry into World War I - and Edwardian England is about to vanish into history. A group of men and women gather at Sir Randolph Nettleby's estate for a shooting party. Opulent, adulterous, moving through the rituals of eating and slaughter, they are obtuse and decorative finale of an era.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Shooting Party is a masterpiece of historical fiction and the inspiration behind Downton Abbey.

It is 1913—a breath away from the Great War—and Edwardian England is about to vanish into history. An assorted group of men and women gather at Sir Randolph Nettleby's estate for a shooting party. Opulent, adulterous, moving assuredly through the rituals of eating and slaughter, they represent an era's dazzlingly obtuse and brilliantly decorative finale.

A quiet, elegant meditation on class frustration and the transience of human concern, The Shooting Party is also the inspiration behind one of the great landmarks of popular culture—Downton Abbey.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Isabel Colegate's The Shooting Party is praised for its intricate weaving of romance, social commentary, and country life into a rich narrative, capturing the transition of an era. It has been acclaimed as a masterful metaphor for a vanishing way of life, described as both a modern classic and a minor masterpiece by critics.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141188676

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 January 2007

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Julian Fellowes

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 172g

Pages: 224

About the Author

Isabel Colegate is the acclaimed author of many bestselling books including The Shooting Party, The Orlando Trilogy, The Summer of the Royal Visit and Winter Journey.

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