Margaret Powell – författare

Arriving at the great houses of 1920s London, fifteen-year-old Margaret’s life in service was about to begin…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 even 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.Yet 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-parlourmaid, 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.Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants, Below Stairs is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman, who, though her position was lowly, never stopped aiming high.'Enormous gusto, salty humour, wisdom' Evening Standard'Shrewd, unabashed, wickedly funny, a unique front-line report of her life's experiences' Jack De Manio, BBC

In the 1970s and 80s Japan experienced some deep-rooted social changes which affected attitudes to health care services among both professionals and consumers alike. Health Care in Japan provides an introduction to and overview of health and medical services in Japan at that time. It describes the historical development of modern medical care; the social, political, and cultural factors which have influenced the development of the system for the provision of health and medical services. It also discusses and analyses those aspects of the health care system which are of concern to the government and assesses how the existing system of health care will meet the needs of Japanese society in the future.

In the 1970s and 80s Japan experienced some deep-rooted social changes which affected attitudes to health care services among both professionals and consumers alike. Health Care in Japan provides an introduction to and overview of health and medical services in Japan at that time. It describes the historical development of modern medical care; the social, political, and cultural factors which have influenced the development of the system for the provision of health and medical services. It also discusses and analyses those aspects of the health care system which are of concern to the government and assesses how the existing system of health care will meet the needs of Japanese society in the future.

From the grand houses of Brighton to imposing London mansions, life as a kitchen maid could be exhausting and demoralising. It’s not just being at the beck and call of the people upstairs, when even the children of the family can treat you like dirt, but having to deal with temperamental cooks, starchy butlers and chauffeurs with a roving eye. Marriage is the only escape, but with one evening off a week Margaret has no time to lose. Between Perce the bus conductor (who brings his mother on dates) and Mr Hailsham the fishmonger (who looks – and smells – a bit like his wares), her initial prospects are hardly the stuff of dreams. But then she meets Albert; a butcher boy-turned-milkman. Could he be the perfect husband? And can she make the perfect wife when, as she soon discovers, years spent serving others don't prepare you for managing your own life? Soon Margaret begins to wonder – how can someone like her ever improve their station?Told with her trademark wit and warmth, Climbing the Stairs is a unique, sharp-eyed tale of a time when the idea of masters and servants began to lose its sway, and of a remarkable woman who grasped the opportunities of this brave new world with both hands.'Margaret Powell was the first person outside my family to introduce me to that world, so near and yet seemingly so far away, where servants and their employers would live their vividly different lives under one roof. Her memories, funny and poignant, angry and charming, haunted me until, many years later, I made my own attempts to capture those people for the camera. I certainly owe her a great debt' Julian Fellowes