Daily Life in Victorian England (The Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series) (Hardcover)

by Sally Mitchell (Author) "The primary subject of this book is social history: how people lived and acted and spent their time, what they ate and wore and cared..." (more)
Key Phrases: Church of England, United States, Queen Victoria (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“Spanning over 60 years of the era's growth from rural to urban to industrial society, Mitchell draws a clear picture of physical, social, economic, and legal aspects of life in the three basic classes of English society--working class, middle class, and aristocracy--and the rules and traditions that goverened each. Each chapter deals with a different subject: work, technology and science, home life, education, health and medicine. The chapters make interesting reading for general background or can be used as a reference....Recommended.”–The Book Report

“The first thing to say about Daily Life in Victorian England is "it's about time." ...[The author] has provided an easy to read summary of information about the ordinary experience of most people during the nineteenth century in Great Britain....It is written in a clear, uncomplicated manner....The finest feature of this book is how much it surveys and how simply it does so....Mitchell has provided a splendid tool for students, both undergraduate and graduate.... [I]t is an extraordinary accomplishment to condense so much basic information in such readable text. Students directed to this book will find all the essentials that they require to understand the daily life of most Victorians, no matter of what class or gender. Every library will want to have at least one copy of this book available for student use...”–Victorian Studies

“...highly readable, attractively produced and illustrated, and more detailed and textured for beginning students.”–Albion

“The simply written but engaging text seems suited...includes illustrations as well as excerpts from primary sources.... Daily Life is a useful companion to the life of Victorian England.”–English Literature in Transition

Book Description

An exciting, in-depth look at everyday life during the Victorian era.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; illustrated edition edition (September 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313294674
• ISBN-13: 978-0313294679
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #319,797 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional!, January 27, 2001

By	K. Giorlando "amateur social historian" (Eastpointe, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

You know, if history classes in schools used books like the 'Daily Life' series as their text, I'm sure alot more kids would not find history so boring. In fact, many kids would probably actually enjoy it! Written in a highly readable 'you are there' style, they truly bring the past to life. Daily Life In Victorian England by Sally Mitchell is no exception. I've used it extensively to add 'flesh to the bones' of my long dead English ancestors in my genealogy research. My ancestors were far from rich and this book explains, in descriptive detail, how they lived and survived; from a description of what their small cottage may have looked like, to the food they ate, to the clothes they wore, and even what type of lighting they had (hint: they probably did not use candles early on!). Birth, baptism, marriage, death and dying, funerals, celebrations- it's all here. And, as I mentioned above, it doesn't just concentrate on the well to do, but ALL the classes of people. This is really a wonderfully written book that is highly recommended. Any interest at all in this era, then it is a MUST HAVE.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books about Victorian England, October 25, 2000

By	Rachael Evans (Coventry,Warwickshire,United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Whether you use this book purely for research purposes or simply because you are curious about English life during Victoria's Reign, you will not be disappointed. The content is exceptionally impressive, with none of the padding out and boring text often found in history books. The book is divided into different sections which deal with a wide range of subjects, so you don't have to read through lots of text just to find one particular subject. The book is well illustrated and all kinds of topics are included, from clothing to Victorian morality. As a historical author, I personally found this book to be extremely beneficial and enjoyable to read.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars indepth and invaluable, June 29, 2001

By A Customer

In doing extensive research on the basic, every day living of people in Victorian England, I found this book to be an invaluable source to my work. Of all of the books that I ordered, Mitchell's guide to Victorian England truly gives the reader a picture of people, places, and ideas that is only dealt with on surface levels in other texts. For my own work, this book was a savior!!