The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette [Paperback]

Thomas E. Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994

Essential for understanding Victorian way of life, this is a very interesting book on the code of manners of Victorian behavior. This book is about life in the Victorian World when the British Empire never slept or the sun never set on it. America in the Victorian World was still a colony and indeed wanting to become it's own in identity. The book plays an important role in explaining that the rules and manner system of America was very similar to the British at least in the old families of Boston and Philadelphia. This highly entertaining little book is great for those just starting to learn about the Victorian culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas E Hill, both cultured in history as well as in historical social conduct, wrote the well reviewed The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette in 1994.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Bluewood Books (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0912517123
• ISBN-13: 978-0912517124
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Historical Study > Social History
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Etiquette > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Slim, interesting, basic and American, June 9, 2005

By 

A. Reid (NC, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette (Paperback)

First point of reference: thought the title does not specify, Hill was American. American etiquette of the period shared many common points with Victorian England, but not all. If you're looking for a guide on proper British behavior, this is not it.

Second: it's true that these are Thomas Hill's original words--but just a portion of them. This book lifts just a fraction from several of Hill's manuals. Some of the illustrations are original to Hill's works; others are Gibson illustrations randomly added throughout. There are no reference notes. This book may be great for casual interest, but for scholarly purposes it hasn't much to offer.

It is interesting, however. A good bit of this material will be familiar to anyone who reads much from or about the era, but there are some gems hidden here. Hill's advise on what sorts of people make proper marriage partners is funny and says a lot about scientific misapprehensions of the age. And his pronouncing it evidence of "ill-breeding" for young ladies to suck the handles of their parasol is pretty intriguing, casually dropped as it is among more obvious exhortations against eating on the street or whispering in public conveyances.

Ultimately, the book is fun, but a little too slight to fully satisfy. I can't help but wish that Thomas Edie Hill's original publications had been reproduced instead of excerpted. For fans of etiquette and the Victorian era, those would be truly essential reading.

This is a good way to pass a few hours, especially if picked up on discount.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining look at the past, October 29, 2005

By 

Jennifer Mackay (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette (Paperback)

I bought this book several years ago and enjoyed it immensely.

If you are interested in manners and social graces of the past, this book gives you a glimpse and will make you laugh at the same time.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining etiquette book, April 17, 2005

By 

Kristy Howard "Student" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette (Paperback)

What an entertaining book. Essential for understanding victorian way of life. If you are stuck reading plays like The Importance of Being Earnest or anything by Thomas Hardy, I would read this book to get a feel for the characters' lives. Entertaining because the book is written as if it was for a victorian reader.