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Book Description
From the Great Exhibition to Dickensian slum, the triumph of empire to the anxiety of revolt – Victorian Britain was an age of paradoxes.
Product Description
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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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A most disappointing book for anyone looking for a social history of Victorian Britain. A more correct title for this book would be "A brief history of Life in Middle Class Victorian London". It would appear that the author has taken his earlier book "Dicken's London" and attempted to add a few paragraphs about Britain as a whole but he falls into the trap of most London based authors and barely a page goes by without some mention of London.
If, like me, your ancestors are working class and did not live in London, there will be nothing in this book for you if you are trying to get a feel for how your ancestors lived. There is barely any mention of working conditions for the vast majority of the population who fuelled the industrail revolution and no mention of trade unions or chartism. While most people in Victorian times were worried about where their next meal was going to come from, Mr Patterson feels it is more important to concentrate on William Morris wall paper and daily menu's for the very rich.
If, like me, your ancestors are working class and did not live in London, there will be nothing in this book for you if you are trying to get a feel for how your ancestors lived. There is barely any mention of working conditions for the vast majority of the population who fuelled the industrail revolution and no mention of trade unions or chartism. While most people in Victorian times were worried about where their next meal was going to come from, Mr Patterson feels it is more important to concentrate on William Morris wall paper and daily menu's for the very rich.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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 writing, elegant style, perfect clarity, this author will delight you.
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 writing, elegant style, perfect clarity, this author will delight you.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really liked this book and recommend it wholeheartedly. Another reviewer has complained of the London-centric feel of the book which I actually didn't notice too much. What is apparent is the author describes what life was like, in a particular part of the country, for whichever piece of Victorian history he is currently describing.
Therefore a lot of the book is, I guess, largely centred on London but I'd argue that that's where most of the people were living; then as now. When he speaks of railways he speaks of the West Country; Bristol and Brunel. When he speaks of Slate Mines he speaks of Wales.
I personally didn't have a problem with the focus of the book but it's a worthwhile comment by the other reviewer for anyone who would want a more wide ranging view of Britain.
Moving back to the book itself; the author moves very swiftly through each area of Victorian Britain, keeping the tone pretty light and the information interesting but quite shallow. Once again I don't see this as a problem. When I find something I want to know more about I research further. This choice keeps the book interesting throughout. One moment you're reading about Mrs Beeton's cookbooks and the next you're reading about the invention of flushing toilets.
The book is, of course, helped by just how inherently interesting the Victorian age was but the author does make the most of his subject.
Therefore a lot of the book is, I guess, largely centred on London but I'd argue that that's where most of the people were living; then as now. When he speaks of railways he speaks of the West Country; Bristol and Brunel. When he speaks of Slate Mines he speaks of Wales.
I personally didn't have a problem with the focus of the book but it's a worthwhile comment by the other reviewer for anyone who would want a more wide ranging view of Britain.
Moving back to the book itself; the author moves very swiftly through each area of Victorian Britain, keeping the tone pretty light and the information interesting but quite shallow. Once again I don't see this as a problem. When I find something I want to know more about I research further. This choice keeps the book interesting throughout. One moment you're reading about Mrs Beeton's cookbooks and the next you're reading about the invention of flushing toilets.
The book is, of course, helped by just how inherently interesting the Victorian age was but the author does make the most of his subject.
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