A Brief History of Life in Victorian Britain (Brief Histories)
£9.60£10.40 (-8%)
The Victorian era has dominated the popular imagination like no other period, but these myths and stories also give a very distorted view of the 19th century.
The early Victorians were much stranger that we usually imagine, and their world would have felt very different from our own and it was only during the long reign of the Queen that a modern society emerged in unexpected ways.
Using character portraits, events, and key moments Paterson brings the real life of Victorian Britain alive – from the lifestyles of the aristocrats to the lowest ranks of the London slums. This includes the right way to use a fan, why morning visits were conducted in the afternoon, what the Victorian family ate and how they enjoyed their free time, as well as the Victorian legacy today – convenience food, coffee bars, window shopping, mass media, and celebrity culture.
Praise for Dicken’s London:
Out of the babble of voices, Michael Paterson has been able to extract the essence of London itself. Read this book and re-enter the labyrinth of a now-ancient city.’ Peter Ackroyd
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Additional information
| Publisher | Robinson (6 Nov. 2008) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 384 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1845297075 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1845297077 |
| Dimensions | 13 x 2.6 x 19.6 cm |
by Kindle Customer
our friend loves this book
by TC
A vast subject area covered well in the limited space. Never degenerates into mere lists of facts – divided into chapters based on different aspects of Victorian life, with enough sense of continuous narrative to keep the reader engaged even when topics are not ones in which they have the greatest interest. Stylistically pleasing and plenty to stimulate the imagination. Altogether a very good read.
by Mr. Bernard E. Mcguire
Full of unusual information, an interesting read for history buffs.
by Rev. Caroline Cowan
Item was used for research purposes in my PhD thesis
by Fluffy Velociraptor
When studying about the Ripper, one does need a handy book or few about the Victorian life to be able to know how everything was in those days.
This is one of those handy books, it’s very detailed.
by John Davison
The author takes various aspects of the era – transport, clothing &c – and devotes a chapter to their development throughout the century. It was slightly disconcerting therefore to travel with Queen Victoria herself from her birth to her death in one of the first chapters, only to start at the beginning again with the next subject.
But once you get used to this it makes for great clarity, and also means you can pick and choose. I am frankly uninterested in the history of people killing each other in battle, and was a little put off by the author’s [moderate] flag-waving for the British Empire, but lapped up the chapters on food, transport and fashion [the last of these not previously an interest, but Michael Paterson had me fascinated].
And if you like good clear writing, this author will delight you.
by JB
Purchased as a present, well received
by HistoryBookReviewer
A very interesting and informative read. Well researched and written. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the Victorian period.