Julie Summers is a bestselling writer, researcher and historian. Her books include :Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine; a biography of her grandfather, the man who built the 'real' bridge over the River Kwai, The Colonel of Tamarkan, Stranger in the House and When the Children Came Home,a social history of servicemen returning to their families from the Second World War. She lives in Oxford.
‘A celebration of the ability of the British to pull together, improvise and transform our most beautiful ancestral homes’ * The Times * ‘An intimate picture …engagingly written and covering a good selection of country houses…wonderfully evocative…a warm-hearted and fascinating treatment of a very good story.’ * Country Life * ‘Thanks to extremely detailed research Ms Summers has unearthed fascinating stories about how life in country houses changed radically during the war years.’ * Oxford Times * ‘Homes of every shape and size played their part… Summers examines in detail the rich cast of characters that occupied these houses.’ * Daily Mail * ‘A great panorama of extraordinary tales...Julie Summers has an amazing instinct for unearthing good stories and telling quotes.’ * Mail on Sunday * 'This is an enjoyable book, peppered with examples of under-reported wartime heroism.' * The Daily Telegraph * 'It’s hard to believe that there are still untold stories about Britain and World War II, but Julie Summers has unearthed a fascinating one that she tells with great verve and style. All in all, Uninvited Guests is a sheer delight.' -- Lynne Olson, author of Citizens of London and Last Hope Island ‘By focusing on the human side of the story, Julie has created a book [that] readers who have no previous knowledge of the war and country homes will be able to pick up and enjoy.’ * Aberdeen Press & Journal *