Like her previous books, this book is the product of the author's passionate interest in the realities of everyday life - and the conditions in which most people lived - so often left out of history books. This period of mid Victorian London covers a huge span: Victoria's wedding and the place of the royals in popular esteem; how the very poor lived, the underworld, prostitution, crime, prisons and transportation; the public utilities - Bazalgette on sewers and road design, Chadwick on pollution and sanitation; private charities - Peabody, Burdett Coutts - and workhouses; new terraced housing and transport, trains, omnibuses and the Underground; furniture and decor; families and the position of women; the prosperous middle classes and their new shops, e.g. Peter Jones, Harrods; entertaining and servants, food and drink; unlimited liability and bankruptcy; the rich, the marriage market, taxes and anti-semitism; the Empire, recruitment and press-gangs. The period begins with the closing of the Fleet and Marshalsea prisons and ends with the first (steam-operated) Underground trains and the first Gilbert & Sullivan.
Victorian London: The Life of a City 1840-1870
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A highly readable account of nineteenth-century London... Picard's book is a mine of information told with great enthusiasm and passion. (EXPRESS (7/7/06) )
This is a comprehensive history by anecdote, so the enlightening facts come thick and fast... Picard enforces the idea that history really is all around us. (TELEGRAPH (8/7/06) )
Her survey of Victorian London is as enjoyably wide-ranging as her previous volumes, and her curiosity about apparent trivia resurrects the realities of the past more successfully than many more solemn works of social and political analysis do. (SUNDAY TIMES (30/7/06) )
This is a comprehensive history by anecdote, so the enlightening facts come thick and fast... Picard enforces the idea that history really is all around us. (TELEGRAPH (8/7/06) )
Her survey of Victorian London is as enjoyably wide-ranging as her previous volumes, and her curiosity about apparent trivia resurrects the realities of the past more successfully than many more solemn works of social and political analysis do. (SUNDAY TIMES (30/7/06) )
Book Description
From rag-gatherers to royalty, from fish knives to Freemasons: everyday life in Victorian London
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
86 of 87 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I found Victorian London to be entertaining, full of enthusiasm for the subject full of enjoyable facts, large and small. All in all, highly enjoyable. A bit lightweight in places, but nothing wrong in that.
Yet it is exactly the same book as the reviewer from Edinburgh loathed with a passion bordering on hate. Yes, there are more serious history books available and yes, if you are fortunate, you could go visit your local folk museum. None of which seems to warrant one of the most damning reviews I have read on Amazon.
I urge you to read the book yourself. It will tell you more about London than you could possibly imagine.
62 of 63 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Liza Picard's latest book is an entertaining, pleasingly diverting history of the period, written with her usual wit and fondess for the minutiae of daily life of times past. It's full of enthusiasm for the subject, hugely readable and a mine of information about a fascinating period.
I'm somewhat taken aback by the scathing review from A Reader From Edinburgh. While I don't claim it is the greatest history book of all time, it's significantly better than the review below would lead you to believe.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Andrea Bowhill
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Liza Picard opens up this book To Londoners, but I can safely add to history lovers, tourist and anyone fascinated with this Victorian era for the years of 1840-1870 there is simply a wealth of information about the social everyday life of Londoners. For all modern day Londoners living the life no need to look down at the pavement on your daily drudge to work because after reading this book you may look up and have thoughts of enlightenment and wonder. This era gives you an account of how you came to travel the underground so next time you hear that automated voice over at the station "This train is delayed, due to the previous train being delayed.. and so on" for clarification, the delay started back in the 19th century. Victorian buildings you may pass were a base from which a great idea was formed, everything is right before our very eyes, this book welcomes us back to a fascinating city.
I'm firstly going to bring everyone into the lay out and expectations when reading through. Incredibly researched, primary sources have been used but its been investigated much much further for detail. Its then I would say been divided into themed references and then themes form chapters, each broken down into many small sub-sections. Themes: Buildings, the river, the streets, working, middle, upper classes and royalty, domestic service, poverty, railway, Crystal Palace at Sydenham, Great Exhibition, health, fashions, language, food, and so on. Theme example: Under Practicalities: The postal services, subs: the stamp introduction, letterboxes, post offices when the first uniforms were worn and fashion ect ect. This builds up an image in the mind, of people, a place, an area and a sense of time in an observant way.... Read more ›
I'm firstly going to bring everyone into the lay out and expectations when reading through. Incredibly researched, primary sources have been used but its been investigated much much further for detail. Its then I would say been divided into themed references and then themes form chapters, each broken down into many small sub-sections. Themes: Buildings, the river, the streets, working, middle, upper classes and royalty, domestic service, poverty, railway, Crystal Palace at Sydenham, Great Exhibition, health, fashions, language, food, and so on. Theme example: Under Practicalities: The postal services, subs: the stamp introduction, letterboxes, post offices when the first uniforms were worn and fashion ect ect. This builds up an image in the mind, of people, a place, an area and a sense of time in an observant way.... Read more ›
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Peasant
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
Here is a book which treads the difficult line between popularity and erudition. It is not intended to be an academic history, yet every reader will learn a lot from it. At the same time, it is so easy to read you may well romp through it like a novel. Having read it once, you will find yourself dipping back into it at random - a good pick-me-up when bored or on a long journey, as you can read it in snippets without losing out.
Picard tackles Victorian London by themes - probably the only way to do it - and each subject will contain a mix of what we already vaguely knew from other sources, and stuff which is new. As the chapters build up we begin to absorb a many-layered picture which gives us a rich, textural understanding. For anyone studying or just fond of the Victorian novel - Wilkie Collins, Dickens, even Trollope - this background will enrich our appreciation. If you are reading more modern writers such as Sarah Waters or recent best-sellers like The Crimson Petal and the White, I think you'd find it equally fascinating.
This book will appeal to people who read non-fiction for pleasure. If you are only really interested in the novel with its plot-line and characterisation, you'll probably find it less immediately appealing. For those studying the history of the period, it will fill in a lot of gaps. Take it on its merits, rather than expecting it to be something it is not.
Picard tackles Victorian London by themes - probably the only way to do it - and each subject will contain a mix of what we already vaguely knew from other sources, and stuff which is new. As the chapters build up we begin to absorb a many-layered picture which gives us a rich, textural understanding. For anyone studying or just fond of the Victorian novel - Wilkie Collins, Dickens, even Trollope - this background will enrich our appreciation. If you are reading more modern writers such as Sarah Waters or recent best-sellers like The Crimson Petal and the White, I think you'd find it equally fascinating.
This book will appeal to people who read non-fiction for pleasure. If you are only really interested in the novel with its plot-line and characterisation, you'll probably find it less immediately appealing. For those studying the history of the period, it will fill in a lot of gaps. Take it on its merits, rather than expecting it to be something it is not.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By ZM
Format:Paperback
I too came across this book by chance - and found I couldn't put it down once I started reading. Unlike some other reviewers, I liked the fact that it wasn't a 'heavy' history book (not to say it doesn't provide a mine of information, however). Rather than dry analysis of the political/industrial/scientific developments of the period, everything was referred back to the impact on the people, their responses, their thoughts. It paints a rich picture of what Victorian life was like for people of all classes - which was what I was looking for.
The chapters are divided by subject area (railways, health, women, class etc) - and don't necessarily need to be read chronologically. The reviewer who found the first couple of chapters boring might have found more interest going further into the book first - the chapter on health, for example was a real eye opener.
I really like Liza Picard's style of writing. She clearly picks some anecdotes for the amusement (and astonishment) of the reader, and dots the book with her own wry observations (many of which made me giggle). This makes what is potentially a hard-going subject very easy to read. Charming, in fact.
I am delighted to find she has written about other periods - and am off to purchase them!
The chapters are divided by subject area (railways, health, women, class etc) - and don't necessarily need to be read chronologically. The reviewer who found the first couple of chapters boring might have found more interest going further into the book first - the chapter on health, for example was a real eye opener.
I really like Liza Picard's style of writing. She clearly picks some anecdotes for the amusement (and astonishment) of the reader, and dots the book with her own wry observations (many of which made me giggle). This makes what is potentially a hard-going subject very easy to read. Charming, in fact.
I am delighted to find she has written about other periods - and am off to purchase them!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Victorian London
This is a very good book about Victorian life and very readable. It is full of interesting anecdotes about Victorian Life and must interest anyone who has researched their... Read more
Published 13 hours ago by Mrs. V. E. Hunt
5.0 out of 5 stars
A joy to read
A vivid picture of the age. Beautifully written with a light but witty touch. Extremely thoroughly researched but none the less highly readable.
Published 7 days ago by Richard Winter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyed.
Given as a present and very much enjoyed by the recipient. Has proved an easy read and informative as well.
Published 14 days ago by StevenF
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent read... thoroughly recommend
I bought this book as I have an interest in Victorian history. My degree was focused on Victorian history but since graduating some years ago and moving into the legal profession,... Read more
Published 3 months ago by ErenaP
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just What I was Looking For
I ordered "Victorian London: The Life of a City 1840-1870" as a research book and not only does it have just what I was looking for , but just the right time frame too. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Barbara D. Zambrana
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent book for insight of victorian life
I enjoy dipping into this book at different times. It is clearly written and enjoyable to read giving a clear insight into Victorian life in London
Published 5 months ago by junepickard
3.0 out of 5 stars
Little bit boring
Was looking forward to reading this but found it slightly complicated and boring in parts. Skipped through most of the pages to try and find points or subject of interest - still... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Celly Louise
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full of information
For someone who gets bored when reading very easily I found this book very interesting and informative. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Carl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lisa Picard at her best! Easy and informative amusing book.
I have read most of the work created on historical London by Lisa Picard and this is in my opinion one of the finest. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Twenty-Twenty
4.0 out of 5 stars
History "Lite"
Having read all four of Lisa Picard's books, this is possibly the best written, though there remains a need for some better editing; we do not need to be given the same facts more... Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2011 by Simon Welch
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