Voices of the Georgian Era - 100 Remarkable Years, In Their Own Words

Voices of the Georgian Era - 100 Remarkable Years, In Their Own Words

written by James Hobson and published by Pen & Sword Books - £22 -

Hardback - Pages 224

Voices of the Georgian Age is the story of seventeen witnesses to the remarkably

diverse Georgian century after 1720. While being very different in many ways, the

voices have two things in common: they have an outstanding story to tell, and that

story is available to all for free on the internet.

Despite the obvious constraints of surviving evidence, men and woman, rich and poor and respectable and criminal are all covered. Some wrote out their life story with deliberation, knowing that it would be read in future, while others simply put their private thoughts to paper for their own benefit. All are witnesses to their age.

This book guides you through their diaries, memoirs and travelogues, providing an entertaining insight in their lives, and a personal history of the period. It is also a preparatory guide for those wishing to read the original documents themselves.

This was a very interesting and insightful book that looked at the Georgian Period of 100 years through the words and lives of a good number of people. What was good was the wide range of people the book covers, you could say the stereotypical view of the Georgian Age is men and women dressed to the nines in big fancy clothes and covered in make up, usually socialising or taking part in leisure activities.(or maybe that’s just me) But the book covers a wide range of people from well to do, creatives, farm workers and even criminals. It reveals a lot about people, their thoughts and viewpoints and paints an excellent picture of the people rather than the events. I have read a few of James Hobson’s books and he always writes in an informative but relaxed way which is easy to read and very enjoyable. Certainly, if you want a close up view of the Georgian Era, this would be an excellent book. Highly recommended.

Kitty Fisher - The First Female Celebrity

Kitty Fisher - The First Female Celebrity written by Joanne Major and published

by Pen & Sword Books - £22 - Hardback - Pages 208

Generations of children have grown up knowing Kitty Fisher from the nursery rhyme,

but who was she? Remembered as an eighteenth-century ‘celebrated’ courtesan and

style icon, it is surprising to learn that Kitty’s career in the upper echelons of London’s

sex industry was brief. For someone of her profession, Kitty had one great flaw: she

fell in love too easily.

Kitty Fisher managed her public relations and controlled her image with care. In a time when women’s choices were limited, she navigated her way to fame and fortune. Hers was a life filled equally with happiness and tragedy, one which left such an impact that the fascinating Kitty Fisher’s name still resonates today. She was the Georgian era’s most famous – and infamous – celebrity.

This is more than just a biography of Kitty Fisher’s short, scandalous and action-packed life. It is also a social history of the period looking not just at Kitty but also the women who were her contemporaries, as well as the men who were drawn to their sides… and into their beds. In this meticulously researched, lively and enjoyable book we discover the real woman at the heart of Kitty Fisher’s enduring myth and legend.

An interesting read looking at the influence and some could say the start of what a celebrity culture could bring albeit a Georgian one. The book follows the story of Kitty Fisher, a celebrity made famous at the time, this book which also featured other women at the time is a fascinating look not only of women in society back then but also at the social history of the time, a time that was dominated by men, and women stayed indoors. A fascinating read.

The Real Queen Charlotte, Inside the real Bridgerton Court

The Real Queen Charlotte, Inside the real Bridgerton Court written by

Catherine Curzon and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224

Known to millions as the imperious matriarch of Bridgerton’s court, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was still a teenager when she was chosen to be the bride of King George III. Shy, innocent, and sheltered, the orphaned princess and her youthful groom carried the hopes of a nation on their shoulders.

The placid and unassuming young couple symbolised a new beginning, but soon those hopes began to sour. Charlotte and George’s marriage lasted for nearly 60 years and produced more than a dozen children, but it was beset by unrest at home, war in the colonies, and the king’s encroaching madness.

As the royal couple battled against their critics, their political opponents, and sometimes even their own family, Charlotte learned what it really meant to be queen. Locked in a bitter struggle with her eldest son for the king’s future and with her daughters for their freedom, the timid young girl grew into an insular and domineering woman that few dared to cross.

Shouldering the burden of family disputes, ambitious courtiers, and the care of the man she adored, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz presided over one of the most tumultuous eras that the monarchy has ever seen. As tragic as it was glittering, this is the story of her extraordinary life.

I should say that I have never seen Bridgerton and only know little about Queen Charlotte, I offered to review this book purely because I like the writings of the author Catherine Curzon. I have read a number of her books and they are always comprehensive and very well-detailed, and yet an easy read. Queen Charlotte was unfortunately overshadowed by the life and health of her husband, and her sons. I actually think this was something she wanted or became used to as she actually came from a small family and she was dwarfed by marrying into a larger, much more prominent family. Plus she was more of a family woman and she cared more for her family than anything else, at a time when royals were seen as the stars of that period. I enjoyed reading this book and loved learning more about a woman who the world doesn’t get to know much about. Yet another excellent book from Catherine Curzon.