XXVI.  Jessica Fellowes is known to listeners as the best-selling author of the five companion books to the Downton Abbey television series, which was created by her uncle, Julian Fellowes. 

An accomplished journalist, novelist and public speaker, Jessica went on to write a unique and tremendously popular mystery series using the world of the famed Mitford family in the 1920's and 1930's as a backdrop.   Most recently, Jessica has published a stunning new novel on the subject of life-long friendship, The Best Friend.  

This episode of "The Gilded Page" delves deeply into the writing life of Jessica Fellowes and reveals some unique and fascinating aspects of the creative process. 

XXVI. In July 1922 an unassuming book with a rich blue cover landed on bookstore shelves.  Titled simply "Etiquette" by a moderately successful writer named Emily Post, the book went on to become a cornerstone of America's social fabric.  

Now, 100 years later, Emily's original book has been entirely rewritten by her great-great grandchildren for a new generation while maintaining the spirit and philosophy of Emily Post's original intentions.  Join The Gilded Gentleman for this unique look at just who Emily Post was, why she chose to write the book at all and how it has evolved - and yet in some ways - stayed the same since it was first published.   

Carl is joined by Lizzie Post, Emily Post's great-great granddaughter, podcast host, and co-author of the new edition, to take a look at Emily and etiquette, then and now. 

XXV. The Merchant's House Museum is one of New York City's most important and cherished historic house museums.  Built in 1832 and still intact to this day, the house was home to patriarch Seabury Tredwell and his family for just about 100 years before opening to the public as a museum in 1933.  

Nowhere can one see the antebellum world of Old New York quite as clearly one can see here with much of the family's original furniture and belongings still in place. Hidden in the Tredwell family tree is Effingham Nichols, the husband of Seabury's eldest daughter.  Born into old Knickerbocker New York, Effingham rose in wealth and stature to become a true player in the Gilded Age that ended the century brushing up against Astors and Vanderbilts.  

Join me and my guest, Merchant's House historian Anne Haddad for a look at his life, what he did and where he was, to gather a very personal and extraordinary picture of the life of a long forgotten, but very real, gilded gentleman and just how that life and the life of others like him,  came to be. 

Credits: The Gilded Gentleman is produced by Kieran Gannon and is a production of Bowery Boys Media.

Bertha Palmer was the wife of Potter Palmer whose famous Chicago hotel, the Palmer House, was one of the grandest of the Gilded Age.  Bertha has been compared to the queen of New York society, Mrs. Astor. However, as my guest, historian Tom Miller shares in this week's show, that comparison minimizes who Bertha Palmer truly was.  

While both women ran and ruled society in their respective cities, Bertha was in many ways the more complex and deeper character. Among her many accomplishments, she was an astute businesswomen, cared deeply about charity work, rolled up her sleeves to do what needed to be done, assembled a major collection of French Impressionist art, and became one of the first real estate developers of Florida.  Join Tom Miller of "Daytonian in Manhattan" and me for a look at this fascinating woman and a look at Chicago's Gilded Age. 

Beatrix Farrand, Edith Wharton's niece, was born during New York's Gilded Age and went on to become the first successful female landscape designer of the early 20th century. 

Her path was not easy, since any career for a woman held challenges at the time and landscape design was at that point a man's domain.  But her perseverance, determination, business acumen and exceptional talent led her to create some of America's most beautiful gardens, including Dumbarton Oaks, in Washington, DC and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden on Mount Desert, Maine.  

Join me for a look into the extraordinary life of Beatrix Farrand to celebrate her pioneering vision and style.  

XXII.Julian Fellowes' new series on HBO "The Gilded Age" fascinated viewers with its complex plotlines and endlessly entertaining characters, some of whom were based on actual historical figures.  The show depicted the enormity of the age in so many of its social, political and cultural layers.  

It also raised so many new insights and new viewpoints on this (not always glittering) age.  Tom Meyers of The Bowery Boys joins me for this show to take an even deeper look at the Gilded Age -- both the historical period and the HBO TV show. 

Tom was co-host along with TCM's Alicia Malone of HBO's "Official Gilded Age Podcast" and he had the unique opportunity to delve further into the history behind what we saw on screen and hear insights from members of the cast and creative team.  

Join us for a unique look behind the glitter and the gold! 

XXI. While the sumptuous dinner parties and grand country house weekends of years past may have vanished, the secrets of elegant entertaining and hospitality live on.  

Nancy Lancaster and Nancy Astor, two American born women, entered upper class British society in the early 20th century and brought the traditions of great Southern American hospitality to some of England's greatest estates including the renowned Cliveden. 

In recent years, Emily Astor and Jane Churchill, descendants of Nancy Lancaster and Nancy Astor, have continued the tradition and share its elements with today's hosts and hostesses in Entertaining in Style (Rizzoli), their book of history, memories and recipes.

Join the Gilded Gentleman and both Emily and Jane for a look back at the tables of the two Nancys and particularly Nancy Lancaster's vision, which led to what we think of as great English Country House look and style. 

Visit the Gilded Gentleman website.

XX. Absinthe was one of the most popular and most mysterious drinks that fueled Paris and London's cafe society and artistic circles in the Belle Epoque and late Victorian and Edwardian worlds. 

Artists and writers from Henri Toulouse-Lautrec to Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde were proponents along with members of the upper classes as well as everyday workers. Myths sprang up that the elixir created dramatic hallucinations and even provoked ghastly crimes. It became banned throughout most of Europe and even in the United States by the early 20th century. 

Join me and my guest Don Spiro, creator of New York's Green Fairy Society to discuss and demystify the myths and legends of this most evocative of spirits. 

XIX. Edith Wharton's novels were full of drama of course but so were moments from her own actual life. 

Jennie Jerome -- Lady Randolph Churchill,  the mother of Winston Churchill -- also had a life of high drama, public scrutiny and moments of happiness as well as tragedy.  

Join Carl and his guest, playwright and actor, Anne Undeland as they discuss how she dramatized the characters of Edith Wharton and Jennie Jerome -- as well as Henry James -- in Undeland's plays "Mr. Fullerton Between the Sheets" and "Lady Randy". 

They'll discuss how Anne brought these complex characters to the stage as well as take a look at how some of Wharton's own work has been dramatized.  

XVIII. The enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa has captured the attention of the public for centuries. But even today, few people actually realize that on a warm summer morning in Paris in 1911, the painting was actually stolen.  

Press hysteria surrounding this unusual theft made the masterwork of DaVinci's quite simply the most famous painting in the world.  But much is still murky in the story of its theft and recovery. Join The Gilded Gentleman as he takes a look at this case and and attempts to piece it together.