Outrageous Fortune: Growing Up at Leeds Castle
"Well-observed...Wealthy Britons are so entertaining to read about..." —The New York Times Book Review"Outrageously entertaining." —Examiner.com“Anthony Russell reflects with sensitivity and precision on the opulence and grandeur of his childhood, lived in the serenity of two of the most beautiful castles in the British Isles.” —Anjelica Huston, Academy Award–winning actress and author ofA Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London, and New York “A beautiful account of a boy's life behind castle walls, sometimes shocking, sometimes serene. Anthony Russell gives us a delightful insight into a world of vast wealth and privilege that is about to change forever. I loved every minute of getting to know the highly dysfunctional characters who magically appear at certain times for drinks, drinks and then more drinks.” —Jeff Lynne, musician/record producer “Anthony Russell's grandmother left an immaculate and beautiful legacy for the nation in the shape of Leeds Castle. But Anthony himself has improved upon that legacy, by injecting into it life, human interest and a fascinating insight into the way in which the family used the castle, in a memoir which engages and delights in equal measure.” —Victoria Wallace, CEO Leeds Castle Foundation “It takes time for a book to be accepted as a classic, but I am sure Anthony Russell's will be. The book might have been entitled, with a nod to Russell's grandmother's friend Noël Coward,Poor Little Rich Boy—for who else has had the experience of being brought up in unimaginable luxury while not receiving lavish attention? And who, if he had that that experience, would be capable of writing about it a little masterpiece likeOutrageous Fortune?”  —Bevis Hillier, author ofArt Deco Style “A few years ago, while filming the DVD for my ‘Castles in the Air’ concert at Leeds Castle, I decided to stay at the castle overnight and invited my family and friends to join me for dinner in the huge dining room there. I wanted us to get a glimpse of a way of life from a bygone era. How I wish I had read “Outrageous Fortune” before that night! This book is full of humorous and interesting personalities and anecdotes that made the castle and its past come alive! Ducks being 'launched' down a ramp and into the lake. Parrots being flown into England in first class! Even a 'virgin' birth?? Anthony not only brings the castle's past to life, but also shows the 'humanity' of Aristocracy.” —Sir Cliff Richard, recording artist