Stephen Fry’s Victorian Secrets

by John Woolf, Nick Baker, Stephen Fry (Narrator)

Legendary British comic Stephen Fry is our tour guide to the highs and the lows of Victorian society. In popular culture, the straitlaced era is portrayed as one of propriety, industry, prudishness, and piety. But scratch the surface and you’ll find haunting tales of scandal, sadism, sex, madness, malice, and murder.

"They were us in different dress and slightly different codes," says Fry, whose signature wit and whimsy are in full force in this Audible Original. Find the quirky, dark, and forbidden details and family skeletons that even the most distinguished and conventional households attempted to cover up and hide, as you listen for the humanity beyond the polished veneer of this most fascinating era.

Genres: Audiobook, History, Nonfiction, Humor, Victorian

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Katlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got Stephen Fry’s Victorian Secrets free as an Audible Original ages ago, back when they classified it as an audiobook instead of a podcast, but only just listened to it for the first time. I found it quite enjoyable, mostly due to Stephen Fry’s narration. It was also interesting how they brought in experts on various topics to share their expertise. However, I do have a bit of feedback. My main complaint is that it was rather short for all of the topics covered. Many of the subjects felt like they weee barely touched upon before the book switched to the next. For example, I had previously read a book on a woman falsely committed to a Victorian asylum by her husband because she would not obey him and was hoping for more detail, but I found it a bit lacking. Although I did enjoy the tidbit about the psychiatrist’s view of rich patients vs. poor patients and what drove them to lunacy, as well as the fact that rich people were afraid their loved ones would commit them to steal their money. If you enjoyed the chapter on asylums and wanted more, I would recommend The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore.

The humour in this book was top notch at times. The third chapter (focusing on pornography) had me laughing hysterically at how polite their dirty talk was. Acting out the scenes varied. I understand what they were trying to do in quoting diaries and such directly, but I honestly feel Stephen Fry could have done it all himself. At times, I felt as if the subject of secrets was very loose. There were subjects I hadn’t heard touched upon in other books on the time period (although I haven’t read much), but some chapters felt like they were less relevant to the topic, such as the one of Sherlock Holmes. Overall, I would recommend this if you can listen free with your Audible subscription. It’s educational and entertaining, but you may find yourself wishing they had included more information on each topic. 3.5/5 May 10 2024

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind blowing at times,great voices/dramatization and funny! Interesting facts that I didn't know I missed out on before listening to Mr Fry 😃Never too late to learn new stuff!

Entertaining and an easy listen well worth the time

[Rav Grewal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this, finding it both interesting and engaging. Being a fan of Stephen Fry’s narration this book did not disappoint, alongside the narration I especially enjoyed listening to historian’s analysis’ and deductions.

[Mo Coghlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good road trip listen. Interesting, cheeky and fun.

[Anna T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Journal/Review number 4! This is "Stephen Fry's Victorian Secrets"!

Audible calls this a podcast, but since it's a self-contained work, I'm counting it as a book. This was really interesting! I like how it covers aspects of Victorian society that you don't hear much about even though they were very influential. I especially appreciated how it showcased a lot of historians who have obviously done quite a lot of research into the period. They helped provide a lot of context to each topic, explaining how that topic reflected and was a result of Victorian ideas. Some of the topics didn't really feel "secret" enough in my opinion, but they were still interesting, so I don't mind their inclusion. I wouldn't say this is the best history book I've ever experienced, but it's certainly a very good one!

What's your favorite historical period or topic to learn about?

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[Graeme Newell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a fun glimpse into the hidden corners of Victorian society. It’s a collection of tales about the social morays of secrecy and privacy.

The Good:
Woolf's writing style is engaging and witty, making the dense subject matter of Victorian secrets quite accessible. He weaves together anecdotes, historical facts, and Fry's signature charm to create a fun tale.

The book delves into fascinating topics such as the hidden world of Victorian etiquette, peculiar medical treatments, and the scandals lurking beneath the surface of polite society. This blend of humor and history makes it an entertaining read.

One of the parts that I liked best was the chapter on Victorian slang and its witty use of language. It's fun to discover how our ancestors used words like "jelly-bag" and "mutton-shunter.”

The Bad:
This book just felt too frivolous. Most sections lacked depth, leaving me hungry for more. Also, the book often veered into Stephen Fry fan territory, focusing more on his life and opinions than on the Victorian era itself. This might be a plus for die-hard Fry fans, but I found it distracting.

The book could also benefit from a more structured organization. It often jumps between topics and time periods, which makes it confusing. A clearer narrative thread would have made for a more cohesive read.

This book is a very light and clever exploration of a bygone era. That’s something I wish more history books included. Too many history books sorely lack storytelling excellence and they end up being a dull slog through time. I applaud the book’s fun and approachability. I just wish the author had not focused on such trivial aspects of this era.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Fry as a narrator and am always interested in historical facts and tidbits from different periods so thought this might be interesting. It is more of a podcast but since it’s only self-contained I think it can count as a reading selection.

For me, while I still love Fry’s narrative style, I could’ve done without some of the graphic nature of the descriptions related to the historical content. I feel like you can tell what went on without needing to be salacious which this did venture into at times.

Also I wasn’t big on the need to focus on everything throguh a modern lens, so coating the material with views about oppression, bigotry, homophobia and the like. Could’ve done without two whole episodes on lgbtq topics, I’m sure there’s plenty of interesting Victorian topics beyond that.

This did have a strong sexual focus at times as well which bordered on inappropriate. When it stayed factual to the person it could be fine but others it seemed unnecessary. Again, overall this was an interesting listen and I like learning about history but I think they could’ve toned down a few aspects and it would’ve been just as good.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this, finding it both interesting and engaging. Being a fan of Stephen Fry’s narration this book did not disappoint, alongside the narration I especially enjoyed listening to historian’s analysis’ and deductions. The audio book covered a variety of topics peculiar to the Victorian age: the permissive and simultaneously extremely conservative views on sex, the shifting attitudes toward what was called at the time "freak shows," the construction of water closets and the Great Sewer, the fascination with family secrets, insane asylums and the genesis of Sherlock Holmes. Highly recommended for a long trip.

[Ron Lamberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could listen to Stephen Fry read anything. I found most of the stories fascinating. The subject matter experts added an important dimension to the narrative. The only part I found missing was a greater description of day-to-day life in the Victorian age. I realized early on that the focus was on "secrets" rather than an in-depth explanation of society. The Brits can be a little blunt at times, and I had to adjust to some of their comments. Definitely worth the quick listen if you're curious about all things Victorian.

[Tera · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. A sort of shallow report on various things during the Victorian era. Some sections regarding the darker parts of society (treating non-white folks like zoo animals to be gawked at) were skimmed over and the language used was very... interesting. Clearly the writers acknowledge that these things were bad, but didn't want to be too harsh. Anyway, it was fine. Glad to clear it out of my Audible list.

[Anita Beasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It waws an interesting read about English history on a wide range of strange topics. Probably a little long on some chapters. I read to gain knowledge on England before my trip there, but the topics didn't really cover the traditional topics of English history; instead, it was about hygiene, murders, odd people, etc.

[Eric Bingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining and informative book of all the things you never knew about Victorian time periods. Each chapter deals with a different issue (I skipped a few that were too graphic for me).

[Sybiee Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audio and it's series is fantastic. It's brilliantly funny and full of history mostly lost in time. Full of amazing and horrible people that have been forgotten --
So easy and lovely to listen to

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scandalous, entertaining, and just plain fun.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has excellent info but it was a little too sensationalized for me. But still great.

Also it jumps around some times which wasn’t my favorite format.

[Trevor Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting run through a variety of lesser-known aspects of 19th-century Victorian society

[Abi Kortum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a great book, very interesting and historical. Can be crude at times but I learned a lot. Also Stephen Fry has a great voice so that makes it better!

[Alexandra Shipley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensational as always!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love stephen fry. This was very interesting and certainly showing how far we've come as a society.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great production quality and a lovely Stephen Fry!

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent listen, learned loads of things. I did not know, for example, that the word ‘mesmerize’ comes the therapeutic movement founded in the 18th century by German Franz Mesmer.

[Katherine Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and funny.

[Annabel Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the roaring twenties one but I am so into this series! Learning a lot

[Karla Sentíes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Stephen Fry's narrations.

[Sara Pauff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly interesting and well narrated. Love Stephen Fry

[Bre Thor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild and informative!

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a set of short non-fiction stories, or maybe assembled podcasts? I don't care to look into it further, tbh. But this is interesting Victorian myth-busting. Lots of salacious details of murders, sex scandals, and mannerisms are explored. Stephen Fry not only narrates, but is one of the voice actors. It's well done with background scoring and sound effects.

[Andrea Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 loved this! Listened to the audiobook, and not only enjoyed Stephen's narration, but the use of other actors to read letters, diary entries etc. and the interviews with academics. So excited to read more!

[Grant Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNR. Bored out of the gate. Fry is a great narrator, but the material is just not that interesting.

[Thia Reads A Lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3*

It's good, the topics are interesting, they bring experts and actors read out quotes. Hearing Arthur Conan Doyle's voice was a treat.
I wish there was an introduction to tie things together, or explain the project. The name is misleading, as Stephen Fry is only the narrator, not the author. There are some music and sound effects, as well as "mise-en-situation" (Fry goes to the barber, for example). I learned some things, but I also already knew a lot.
It's not UK-centric, there are anecdotes from Germany and the United States, which didn't feel misplaced exactly, but it still felt a bit weird.

- When will we get a Fanny & Stella movie? Gentleman Jack is mentioned.

Subjects:
- Family secrets
- "Freaks"
- Pornography and Sex in Victorian times
- Female serial killers (why only female?)
- Afro-Victorians
- Beard craze and fashion
- Surgery and medecine
- Gay relationships
- Sapphic relationships
- Asylums (mostly controlling unrule women, who is surprised)
- Mesmerism and messiahs
- Sherlock Holmes and drugs