Edwardian Culture


Book Description

Edwardian Culture: Beyond the Garden Party is the first truly interdisciplinary collection of essays dealing with culture in Britain c.1895-1914. Bringing together essays on literature, art, politics, religion, architecture, marketing, and imperial history, the study highlights the extent to which the culture and politics of Edwardian period were closely intertwined. The book builds upon recent scholarship that seeks to reclaim the term ‘Edwardian’ from prevalent, restrictive usages by venturing beyond the garden party – and the political rally – to uncover some of the terrain that lies between. The essays in the volume – which deal with both famous writers such as J. M. Barrie and Arnold Bennett, as well as many lesser-known figures – draw attention to the nuanced multiplicity of experience and cultural forms that existed during the period, and highlight the ways in which a closer examination of Edwardian culture complicates our definitions of ‘Victorian’ and ‘Modern’. The book argues that the Edwardian era, rather than constituting a coda to the Victorian period or a languid pause before modernism shook things up, possessed a compelling and creative tenor of its own.




The World of Downton Abbey


Book Description

A lavish look at the real world—both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama—of the beloved Emmy Award–winning Masterpiece TV series. April 1912. The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear that it seems as if the way of life it represents will last for another thousand years. It won’t. Millions of American viewers were enthralled by the world of Downton Abbey, the mesmerizing TV drama of the aristocratic Crawley family—and their servants—on the verge of dramatic change. This gorgeous book—illustrated with sketches and research from the production team, as well as on-set photographs from the first two seasons—takes us even deeper into that world, with fresh insights into the story and characters as well as the social history.




Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 1901–1910 in Their Own Words


Book Description

Max Arthur, bestselling author of the hugely popular ‘Forgotten Voices’ series, recaptures the day-to-day lives of working people in the Edwardian era.




Life Below Stairs


Book Description

UPSTAIRS, an Edwardian home would have been a picture of elegance and calm, adorned with social gatherings and extravagantly envisioned dinner parties. DOWNSTAIRS, it was a hive of domestic activity, supported by a body of staff painstakingly devoted to ensuring the smooth running of the household. Brimming with family secrets, society scandal, and of course elaborate parties, dresses, and social customs, the world of an aristocratic Edwardian household as depicted on the hit show Downton Abbey has captivated millions. But what was life really like for the people who kept such a household running: the servants? In Life Below Stairs, international bestselling author Alison Maloney takes readers behind the scenes to reveal a lively and colorful picture of what went on "downstairs," describing servants' daily life in this now-vanished world. Detailing everything from household structure, pay and conditions, special duties, and rules and regulations, to perks, entertainment, and even romance, Maloney examines the drudgery and hardships below stairs, as well as the rewards and pleasures. Thoroughly researched and reliably informed, this charmingly illustrated volume also contains first-hand stories from the staff of the time, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the lifestyle and conduct of a bygone era.







Lost Voices of the Edwardians


Book Description

"Max Arthur's compilation of memories from the turn of the century recaptures the day-to-day lives of people living through a fascinating period of transformation and landmark events. Arthur has assembled hundreds of excerpts from private and public archives of Britain. Miners, millworkers, postmen, actresses, soldiers, bricklayers, shipbuilders, farm hands, seamstresses, footballers, and children working hard both in the factory and the schoolroom - all give rich and moving testimony of their day-to-day lives." "Lost Voices of the Edwardians combines oral history and images, including stills from the rediscovered Mitchell and Kenyon film footage from the turn of the century. This collection gives voice to the forgotten figures that peopled the cities, factories and seasides of Edwardian Britain."--BOOK JACKET.




Edwardians


Book Description

Looking at London life and letters from 1901 to 1914 with a wicked eye, Mr. Paterson captures the excitement and rebellion of the age's art and literature, sex and society, politics and laabor.




Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown


Book Description




English Literature: A Very Short Introduction


Book Description

English Literature: A Very Short Introduction discusses why literature matters, how narrative works, and what is distinctly English about English literature. Jonathan Bate considers how we determine the content of the field, and looks at the three major kinds of imaginative literature - English poetry, English drama and The English novel.




The Right to Rule and the Rights of Women


Book Description

Reveals Queen Victoria as a ruler who captivated feminist activists - with profound consequences for nineteenth-century culture and politics.