The Regency years : during which Jane Austen writes, Napoleon fights, Byron makes love, and Britain becomes modern / Robert Morrison.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Morrison, Robert, 1961- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Regency--Great Britain.

Regency.

Arts.

History.

Great Britain.

Arts--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Civilization.

Manners and customs.

Social conditions.

Great Britain--Civilization--19th century.

Great Britain--Social life and customs--19th century.

Great Britain--Social conditions--19th century.

Local Subjects:

Great Britain.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xv, 366 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Jane Austen writes, Napoleon fights, Byron makes love, and Britain becomes modern

Place of Publication:

New York ; London : W.W. Norton & Company, [2019]

Summary:

"A surprising history of the era that brought our modern world decisively into view. Though the Victorians are often credited with ushering in our modern era, the seeds were planted in the years before. The Regency (1811- 1820) began when the profligate Prince of Wales replaced his insane father, George III, as Britain's ruler; around the regent surged a society of evangelicalism and hedonism, elegance and brutality, exuberance and despair. The arts showcased extraordinary writers and painters such as Austen, Byron, the Shelleys, Constable, and Turner. Science gave us the steam locomotive and the blueprint for the modern computer. Yet the dark side of the modern era was visible in the poverty, slavery, pornography, opium, and gothic imaginings that birthed Frankenstein. And all the while, the British Empire fought in foreign lands: the Napoleonic Wars in Europe and the War of 1812 in the United States. Exploring these crosscurrents, Robert Morrison illuminates the profound ways this period shaped and indelibly marked the modern world."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The Regent and the Regency

Crime, punishment, and the pursuit of freedom

Theaters of entertainment

Sexual pastimes, pleasures, and perversities

Expanding empire and waging war

Changing landscapes and ominous signs

Epilogue

The modern world.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-336) and index.

Local Notes:

Athenaeum copy: Beardwood Fund bookplate.

ISBN:

9780393249057

0393249050

OCLC:

1037806531