Aristocrats: Power, grace and decadence

By Lawrence James

The British aristocracy has long considered itself qualified to rule others, make laws and guide the nation. Aristocrats traces the history of this supremacy.

Aristocrats is a story that spans a thousand years of wars, intrigue, chicanery and extremes of both selflessness and greed. Author Lawrence James shows how the aristocracy’s infatuation with classical art has forged our heritage, how its love of sport has shaped our pastimes and values and how its scandals have entertained the public.

Impeccably researched, balanced, and brilliantly told, Aristocrats is an enthralling story of survival, a stunning history of wealth, power, and influence. Readers with an interest in British social history and/or politics are bound to enjoy it.