A Butler's Life: Scenes from the Other Side of the Silver Salver (Paperback or Softback)

Part memoir, part how-to, A Butler's Life -- the account of Christopher Allen’s real-life duties Behind The Silver Salver-- offers a contemporary peek into this fascinating, yet demanding profession.

Those for whom the mental picture of a British butler is the impeccable Jeeves or Remains of the Day’s prim Mr. Stevens will find Christopher Allen a surprise and a delight. The engaging Englishman, while no less a paragon of service than his literary peers, is charmingly human in his ongoing endeavor to master a profession whose most perfect representative is invisible.

And, for those whose homes might not be staffed with live-in servants but who would enjoy benefiting from their expertise, nearly two dozen sidebars reveal tips of the trade--everything from hints for seamless entertaining to advice on household management.

Far from a relic of a past era, Christopher Allen demonstrates that being a butler -- in villas on the Cote d’Azur and in California, on luxury yachts in England and estates in the Hamptons -- is still a very viable, rewarding way to make a living in the twenty-first century.

Christopher Allen, the subject of A Butler's Life, has worked in private service for over twenty years. Born in England and trained formally, his career allowed him to live and work in various parts of Europe before relocating to the U.S. in 1985. He now trains and consults on issues of household management.

A Butler's Life is Kimberly Burton Allen's second published book, following the 1996 publication of Wedding Wonders: Tales & Traditions, Customs & Curiosities. She and Christopher live on Long Island, where she is currently at work on her second novel.