Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 941
EAN: 9780140282962
ISBN: 0140282963
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: March 01, 2000
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Release Date: February 28, 2000
Sales Rank: 300955
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Rakes and dandies, duchesses and courtesans, pugilists and patrons, whirl through this dazzling and definitive history of Great Britain's most decadent era.

The Regency period was one of the most turbulent ages in British history, one that spanned the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, that witnessed unprecedented industrial progress, artistic accomplishment, and violent social unrest and--paradoxically-- the most sparkling social scene English high society has ever enjoyed. Under the influence of the obese, loose-moraled Prince of Wales (to whom Jane Austen dedicated Emma), the Regency was the apex of British decadence, an era of lavish parties and relentless bed-hopping that set a standard for elegance and vulgarity. With wit and lively style, Venetia Murray chronicles the scandals, courtships, and daily life of these aristocrats, and evokes the tempestuous times of the early industrial and French revolutions. Sumptuously illustrated with rare contemporary cartoons, prints, diaries, and caricatures, An Elegant Madness is a book readers of social history and historical romance alike will devour.

"Glittering and gossipy, an extravagant panorama of the 'Age of Scandal' . . . frivolously entertaining and assiduously researched."-- Kirkus Reviews

"A delightful book, well researched and highly entertaining."--Christopher Hibbert, author of George III: A Personal History

"A treat. . . . Murray's gusto is giddily infectious. . . . She writes in the amused style that would easily have befit that Regency scribe Jane Austen herself."-- Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon Magazine

Amazon.com Review:
Regency England was, according to Venetia Murray, a "glorious paradox": High society placed a premium on civilized living, yet vulgarity, gluttony, and moral vicissitude were considered fashionable--and socially acceptable--vices. In An Elegant Madness, Murray examines this polarity, providing readers with an accurate, entertaining, easy-to-read portrayal that conveys the mood of the period, focusing primarily on the oft-paradoxical social practices and attitudes of the English aristocracy.

Generally understood as a 50-year period beginning, as with the French Revolution, just before the dawn of the 19th century, Regency England (or, more precisely, its uppermost stata) remained, in many ways, oblivious to and safely distanced from the ravages of the Napoleonic Wars consuming the continent. The tone of society, according to Murray, tends to be set by its titular head; thus, the paradox and political detachment of the Regency Period emanated primarily from its leader, the Prince Regent. The carefree Regent, who would reign as King George IV from 1820 to 1830, was known not only as "The First Gentleman of Europe," but also as a dedicated hedonist, drunkard, and lecher. Elegance and vulgarity characterized the rest of the English aristocracy, as well, and Murray's chapters clearly illustrate how Regency high society appropriated for itself the same duality as their leader's. Her chapters, each a freestanding study of its own, examine fashions of the period, the (exorbitant) cost of living, London high society, clubs and taverns, the common practice of taking a mistress, the country home, and the seaside resort. She embellishes her study with cartoons, prints, and caricatures of the period, all of which contribute to our understanding of this unique period of English history. --Bertina Loeffler Sedlack




Rating: - Couldn't tear myself away
There were parts that seemed a bit suspect as I read, but I didn't realize how inaccurate it was until I read these reviews here. Still, the book was quite entertaining so if you want to read it more as a work of historical fiction, then that's what I suggest. I recommend this as a source of entertainment rather than a source of information and as a source of entertainment it's very good.

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Rating: - Elegant Madness - Current U.S. Politics
I fully realize that some previous reviews on this book raises some academic questions. Since I am not fully versed on the Regency Period, I cannot draw any conclusions in either direction. But.... quite a bit of this book is nearly a mirror image of Hollywood movie stars and Washington D.C. politics with absolute power, lust, money, greed, social climbing, and immunity from being held responsible for what you are doing. I had to skip a few paragraphs as some of the stories were far too current ... Read More

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Rating: - Good read
Information and interesting. Easy to read too which is not always the case with some very dense history books. Enjoyable.

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Rating: - Delightful Overview for the Uninitiated
I found the writing very engaging and thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading it. While there are a few problems with sources I think this is an excellent introduction to the period. It's not a textbook, though; you don't quote from a book like this, you use it as a starting point to track down original sources in the specific area of interest to you. There is also a marvelous sense of humor about it.

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Rating: - the perfect title for this bit of self-indulgent madness
If one reads this, they might do it with one of those foam collars about their necks that people use for whiplash, because that is precisely how you will feel when you finish this work. It's not bad enough the writer gets SO many facts wrong, out of order or does about faces on her own statement - it's a marathon of WRONG - she actually and consistently contradicts herself! One can write a small book on the errors this author carelessly makes.

Take this as TOTAL FICTION and you MIGHT ... Read More

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