Victorians! discussion

Hello everyone,

I recently joined the group and I am currently reading Woman in White and really enjoying it. I haven't posted on any of those threads though because you all are much further along than I am and I didn't want to accidentally read any spoilers! :)

Anyway, I'm devoting 2010 (and the last part of this year) to reading classics and Victorian literature. I wanted to read a good, introductory-level non-fiction book to go along with my novel reading. I've posted some of the ones I've come across below. If anyone has read any of them and has thoughts/opinions to share, please post them.

Here's the list:

-English Society in the Eighteenth Century by Roy Porter

-Jane Austen: The World of her Novels by Deirdre Le Faye

-What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool

-Daily Life in Victorian England by Sally Mitchell

Thanks!

Nicki wrote: "Hello everyone,

I recently joined the group and I am currently reading Woman in White and really enjoying it. I haven't posted on any of those threads though because you all are much further a..."

That sounds like such fun! A few months ago I bought Victorian London by Liza Picard. Although I haven't read it yet, it appears to be a good introduction to the era.

Amanda,

Thanks for the recommendation. I looked up Victorian London on Amazon and it looks like a good pick. I will add it to my list!
Thanks.
Nicki

Amanda wrote: "Nicki wrote: "Hello everyone,

I recently joined the group and I am currently reading Woman in White and really enjoying it. I haven't posted on any of those threads though because you all are mu..."

I have Liza Picard's Victorian London, and it is a good read.

I would also recommend Victorian People and Ideas A Companion for the Modern Reader of Victorian Literature, by Richard Altick.

Yeah, I'd definitely second anything by Richard Altick. The English Common Reader is wonderful, as is The Shows of London .

Nicki wrote: "Hello everyone,

I recently joined the group and I am currently reading Woman in White and really enjoying it. I haven't posted on any of those threads though because you all are much further a..."

Nicki, I noticed you've added some wonderful books to your TBR pile; and in that vein, you might find the Oxford Reader's Companion to Dickens a valuable addition to your library. While it is, perhaps, not the sort of book you can read from cover-to-cover, it is a book that you can simply get lost in for hours at a time. It really gives you a flavor of the times and issues that Dickens and his contemporaries wrote about in Victorian England. It has become one of my "go to" books when looking for more information on a particular subject in Victoriana. Cheers, and 'welcome' to the group! Chris

Thank you all for the wonderful recommendations! I'm so glad I found this group. :)

What would people think if we had a non-fiction read once or twice a year? My idea is that we would trade off the neo-Victorian for those one or two times. I see that there's a lot of interest in the non-fiction. I myself would sooner read non-fiction than neo-Victorian, which is why I'm suggesting it. Maybe others have this preference too. Voting in a group read would fill an existing group space, too, rather than making another reading cubby to the side. What do you say? Enough interest to put the idea to a vote?

I like the idea of a group non-fiction read.

Peregrine wrote: "What would people think if we had a non-fiction read once or twice a year? My idea is that we would trade off the neo-Victorian for those one or two times. I see that there's a lot of interest in t..."

I love that idea. I've been reading some Victorian non-fiction this year. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher and Death at the Priory were two of my favorites.

A new biography of Charles Dickens -- the first one in twenty years -- will be published in November. I believe Michael Slater is the author. Dickens has been all over the place: Drood, The Last Dickens, Girl in a Blue Dress, Little Dorrit on Masterpiece.

All that to say I think the idea is splendid!

I think that's a great idea. There are plenty of Vic biogs I am dying to read and I loved the likes of he Suspicions of Mr. Whicher .

The next neo-vic read is Jan/Feb and after the holidays my brain doesn't cope well with anything too heavy so what do people think to substituting the Mar/Apr neo read for a non-fiction?

Keen to hear other thoughts before we do this.

I`d be happy to go with it....

Boof wrote: "I think that's a great idea. There are plenty of Vic biogs I am dying to read and I loved the likes of he Suspicions of Mr. Whicher .

The next neo-vic read is Jan/Feb and after the holidays my..."

That works for me!

I'd be quite fine with the occasional non-fiction read! (I'm a non-fiction kinda girl.)

I'd love to do a non-fiction group read! I've been dipping my toes in the non-fic Vic waters, so to speak, but would love to fully dive in!

A non-fiction read would be wonderful. I'd definitely join.

I would be interested in a non-fiction read too. I noticed "The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher" in my local Library the other day and made a mental note to read it at some point.

My list of books relating to the 19th century would be :

The Making of the English Working Class - E. P. Thompson

For me this is the single most important book I have ever read about the Victorian Age. I reread it a few years ago and try to keep a look out for "working class" literature of the era.

England's Lost Eden - Philip Hoare

The spooky but enthralling true tale of the New Forest Shakers and related Victorian nutters.

Thomas Hardy: The Time-torn Man - Claire Tomalin

Re-introduced me to the poetry of Thomas Hardy.

The Way of a Ship: A Square-Rigger Voyage in the Last Days of Sail - Derek Lundy

Found this by chance recently and it is brilliant evocation and history of life "before the mast" in the 19th century.

Stephen wrote: "The Making of the English Working Class - E. P. Thompson

For me this is the single most important book I have ever read about the Victorian Age. I reread it a few years ago and try to keep a look out for "working class" literature of the era...."

I couldn't agree more about the importance of this book, not just for the Victorian Age, but for history in general. I read some of this book for a grad class, and had always meant to go back and read it in full.

After the discussion about mobility among the classes, I went back to find this book and mark it as a to-read. It's one of those books, IMO, that you need to sit down with at a desk, with a notepad and pen handy, and prepare for a lengthy but extremely rewarding read.

Does anyone know of any non-fiction books that cover new-world history in Victorian times? I'm interested in what was going on in New York, Montreal, etc at the time.

There's a lot of non-fiction about 19th century America.

The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge is about the New York of the day, and excellent.

For more general stuff, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era is first rate, and covers the period from 1848 through Reconstruction (mid 1870s).

Hi all,

For those waiting on news of my new non-fiction book, "Jack the Ripper and Black Magic: Victorian Conspiracy Theories, Secret Societies and the Supernatural Mystique of the Whitechapel Murders", it is released and now available.

Thanks
Spiro Dimolianis

Jack the Ripper and Black Magic: Victorian Conspiracy Theories, Secret Societies and the Supernatural Mystique of the Whitechapel Murders

Spiro wrote: "Hi all,

For those waiting on news of my new non-fiction book, "Jack the Ripper and Black Magic: Victorian Conspiracy Theories, Secret Societies and the Supernatural Mystique of the Whitechapel Mur..."

Looks good!

I'm enjoying the following books in the spaces between novels:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65...

Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England

The first book is a bit dry and academic, though interesting. I think the second book would make a wonderful group read.

Marsha wrote: "Spiro wrote: "Hi all,

For those waiting on news of my new non-fiction book, "Jack the Ripper and Black Magic: Victorian Conspiracy Theories, Secret Societies and the Supernatural Mystique of the W..."

Thanks Marsha,

Hope you find it an enjoyable and information read.

Spiro

Inside the Victorian Home was excellent; I read it a few years ago.

This thread kinda died out until that one dude popped in to spam for his book, huh? But I would totally be down for a group non-fiction Vic read. (Not that dude's.)

The one book I'm planning to read that I don't see mentioned here is AN Wilson's The Victorians. It's a monster - like 800 pages - but a bunch of people here recommended it.

Alex wrote: "The one book I'm planning to read that I don't see mentioned here is AN Wilson's The Victorians. It's a monster - like 800 pages - but a bunch of people here recommended it. "

I've heard about it, and like you have heard it recommended, but I've never gotten around to tackling it. I always prefer to read the novels than read about them!

Alex wrote: "This thread kinda died out until that one dude popped in to spam for his book, huh? But I would totally be down for a group non-fiction Vic read. (Not that dude's.)

ROFL

Seriously though, I would also be interested in reading a non-fiction book for this group.

Have not read that one, Alex, but it looks interesting.

Y'know, it's actually only 620 pages (without notes). That's not that long.

Anna wrote: "The Victorians isn't about novels. It's a historical account of the whole period. I've read around in it but never tried to tackle it straight through. I'm game though if we want to or..."

Yeah, I know - although from what I've heard it does at least mention novels pretty often, which is definitely a bonus for me.

I'm hoping (although not 100% confident) that I can get to Victorians in late October, so if anyone wants to come along...

If you're going to do a buddy read of Wilson's The Victorians, Alex and Anna, I'll join you--I've been meaning to read it for years.

Has anyone else read Robin Gilmour's The Idea of the Gentleman in the Victorian Novel? It's been a long time since I read it, but I enjoyed it, and as an academic resource it was invaluable.

Haven't heard of it, Ashley. Interesting title...not much else about it available, unfortunately. Maybe I'll see if it's at my library.

The Idea of the Gentleman in the Victorian Novel

If we can get a buddy read going, I'll be wicked excited.

Oh, we'll just do it informally, set up a thread somewhere and just chat around. Mid October okay for y'all?

Yes, I'll be caught up on a few other books by then.