About the book
The Perfect Summer chronicles a glorious English summer a century ago, when the world was on the cusp of irrevocable change. Through the tight lens of four months, Juliet Nicolson’s rich storytelling gifts rivet us with the sights, colors, and feelings of a bygone era. That summer of 1911 a new king was crowned and the aristocracy was at play, bounding from one house party to the next. But perfection was not for all. Cracks in the social fabric were showing. The country was brought to a standstill by industrial strikes. Temperatures rose steadily to more than 100 degrees; by August deaths from heatstroke were too many for newspapers to report. Drawing on material from intimate and rarely seen sources and narrated through the eyes of a series of exceptional individuals–among them a debutante, a choirboy, a politician, a trade unionist, a butler, and the queen–The Perfect Summer is a vividly rendered glimpse of the twilight of the Edwardian era.
Reviewed by Botley Book Circle:
We felt that there was more focus on the ‘aristocracy’ than the ‘man on the street’ and we would like to have had the other perspective. Some of the group are now interested in learning more about this period of history through other books.
Star rating: ***
Hampshire Libraries 
Review by Alverstoke Reading Group:
Superb researching but most felt a regurgitation of too many facts and didn’t fully enjoy it.
Star rating: ***
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