Recommendation

Can't believe I only just discovered this group! Books by Victorian writers, books about the Victorians, my idea of heaven! Just wondering whether anyone else watched the recent BBC series - 'The Victorians; Britain Through the Paintings of the Age'? It was a fantastic programme and the book that accompanies it by Jeremy Paxman is a real gem. Couldn't resist the chance to recommend it to anyone looking to treat themselves to a wonderful hardback that looks at this most fascinating period through the art and the artists whose job it was to depict it at the time. I'm loving every word!

Thanks for the rec, Booksloth! Sounds fascinating.

How did I miss this? When was it on? My pbs was doing pledge week and so was showing concerts instead of Masterpiece Theater. grr!

It was on Sunday evenings (I think) and only finished about 3-4 weeks ago. I'm sure it'll probably be repeated on BBC4 sometime soon. Hope so anyway - some of the best telly I've watched for ages. Great book too!

Just wanted to let you both know that the series is being repeated next week (Wednesday, 10pm, BBC2 - right after The Crimson Petal. I've just emailed my kids to tell them that if they visit on Wednesdays for the next few weeks they'll find the locks changed and all the doors and windows barricaded.

A special favorite in my library is Persons of Consequence: Queen Victoria and her Circle by Louis Auchincloss. It features concise vignettes of the Queen, Prince Albert, her children, Disraeli, Gladstone, Salisbury, and the remaining major characters (Baroness Lehzen, Lord Melbourne, and also her beloved Uncle Leopold).

Auchincloss's ability to synthesize makes the book an especially concentrated dose of Victoriana. The Queen's well-known (in her time) dislike for Gladstone, for example, is presented in a paragraph that draws from HM's memoranda over 20 years. The vehemence really comes through, not only for the author's compilation, but also for HM's own straight-from-the-heart prose. If not representative of Victoria at her kindest, or her best, it is honest (to a fault) and her frank opinion committed to her diary and to posterity. It is, in our modern terms, Victoria "unplugged," truly!

Beautifully designed, carefully chosen illustrations are purposeful. The book is in an easy-to-read print, with extra-large margins.

Endpapers feature a famous "garden party" photograph of HM and members of her family, ca. 1898.

A pleasure to read again and again!