A Dictionary of Victorian London: An A-Z of the Great Metropolis (Anthem Art and Culture) [Hardcover]

Lee Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Anthem Art and Culture | Publication Date: August 1, 2006

From slums to suburbs, freak-shows to fast food, prisons to pornography, 'A Dictionary of Victorian London' is a fascinating exposé of everyday life in the Great Metropolis of Victorian London. Compiling authentic nineteenth-century voices from a multitude of sources, including advertisements, diaries, court cases, journalism and guidebooks, Lee Jackson paints a unique picture of life in a vibrant and diverse city in an alphabetical guide. With striking contemporary illustrations throughout, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the remarkable history of London and the enthralling lives of the Victorians.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'As if by magic, Lee Jackson rides to the rescue with his cornucopia of Victorian delight.' —'The Spectator'

 'Our glimpse at the lives of those million creatures touches on a kaleidoscopic range of subjects… judicious choice of contemporary sources ensures Jackson's book never lapses into stale Victoriana.' —'FT Magazine'

 'This is a fascinating book to dig into.' —Museum of London

Book Description

A wonderful A-Z of  curiosities, sensationalism and oddities of daily Victorian life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 346 pages
• Publisher: Anthem Press; 1st edition (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843312301
• ISBN-13: 978-1843312307
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,373,719 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Irish
  • #36 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Welsh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Work Of Scholarship, December 28, 2006

By 

Notnadia (Currently upstairs.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Dictionary of Victorian London: An A-Z of the Great Metropolis (Anthem Art and Culture) (Hardcover)

This is an A-Z compendium of Victorian England's landmarks, people, places, things, advertising, food, medicine, and much else. Almost anything sociological, political, economic, educational, or entertaining is referenced in this profound work of scholarship. I've spent days reading this book and still haven't run out of new details. It's a great source of facts.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Impressive Compilation but not, by any means, a Dictionary, March 2, 2009

By 

H. Edlund "Ghostfox" (usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Dictionary of Victorian London: An A-Z of the Great Metropolis (Anthem Art and Culture) (Hardcover)

Having a curiosity regarding the day to day life of Victorian London, from back-alleys to Buckingham, I purchased "A Dictionary of Victorian London; an A-Z of the Great Metropolis" by Lee Jackson. I was disappointed to find that each entry is little more than snippets of text garnered from other authors, letters to various publications of the time or pieces of newspaper articles from the era.

The word "dictionary" calls to mind a reference work, something that defines, describes and clearly details its subject. Owing to the fact that none of the entries in this book (insofar as I could tell) are actually accompanied by a clear definition or description rather than a paragraph drawn from another source which, one assumes, refers in some way the entry title - I cannot agree with calling this a dictionary.

The author also clearly states in Appendix 1: A Note on Sources, that "excerpts have been taken from three works of fiction." How then should I take such an entry as fact? Therefore, I do commend the author for his diligence and research for having dug up all these quotes and articles to cite in his "dictionary" but I personally would rather have had more information and less opinion, propaganda and fiction.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Slices of Victorian Life, January 4, 2007

By 

Donald A. Petkus "Iron Wolf" (Bloomington IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Dictionary of Victorian London: An A-Z of the Great Metropolis (Anthem Art and Culture) (Hardcover)

The book is a a selective dictionary, not an encyclopedia, so not every word or term used by Victorian Londoners will be found here. It does provide some surprising insights into not only the lanaguage but daily life. Here a reader can find the legal maximum for gunpowder in a private residence, the work of mudlarks and other strangely employed chlidren, and other odd facts. Certainly a good choice for those hungry for bite sized bits of information about the age of Sherlock Holmes, Charles Dickens, and Queen Victoria herself.