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charlottereadshistory's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
5.0
I absolutely love Ian Mortimer’s Time Traveller’s Guides. I already owned his Medieval and Elizabethan guides and had read them several times, so when I spotted the Regency version in a bookshop recently I couldn’t resist!
It’s the minutiae of everyday life that has always fascinated me about the past - comparing the current day with how other, ordinary people went about their lives. This is Mortimer’s specialty - the book is an immersive, whirlwind tour of everything you could possibly think of if you were to find yourself plonked into the Regency period.
As Mortimer says himself:
“The soul of history does not lie in separating the past and the present and examining the former in isolation, as if it were the fossil record of an extinct species, but in connecting the two and discovering they are equally full of life.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the real lives behind the characters of Austen or Bridgerton, this Guide would be a fabulous place to start. I’d recommend the paperback version for the beautiful illustrations that really add to Mortimer’s descriptions of fashion, industry and even bookshops!
It’s the minutiae of everyday life that has always fascinated me about the past - comparing the current day with how other, ordinary people went about their lives. This is Mortimer’s specialty - the book is an immersive, whirlwind tour of everything you could possibly think of if you were to find yourself plonked into the Regency period.
As Mortimer says himself:
“The soul of history does not lie in separating the past and the present and examining the former in isolation, as if it were the fossil record of an extinct species, but in connecting the two and discovering they are equally full of life.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the real lives behind the characters of Austen or Bridgerton, this Guide would be a fabulous place to start. I’d recommend the paperback version for the beautiful illustrations that really add to Mortimer’s descriptions of fashion, industry and even bookshops!
charlibirb's review against another edition
4.5
Amazing history facts that are written so that they draw you in and tell a story. This whole series is absolutely brilliant.
bethpaws's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
A glorious journey through Regency Britain, read in a welcoming style by the author, with smatterings of humour throughout. Themed chapters give a wonderful depth of information about the people and their lives in this period. My only grumble is that I would have liked to know the modern day equivalence of the money values mentioned.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
A 3.5 to 4 star.
This is a good overview of the history and customs of the time period. Some of it was really familiar to me as I'm well-versed in Regency history, etc. a la Jane Austen research. A good jumping-off point to maybe find names or events to do a deep dive on.
This is a good overview of the history and customs of the time period. Some of it was really familiar to me as I'm well-versed in Regency history, etc. a la Jane Austen research. A good jumping-off point to maybe find names or events to do a deep dive on.
dexychik's review against another edition
5.0
All of Ian Mortimer's books in this series are spectacular pieces of social history.