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A review by thehappybooker
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
4.0
This is a true story of Victorian justice that is entirely entertaining and absorbing, reads like a novel, and is worth reading far into the night. I recommend setting aside some serious do-nothing-else time to read it. One of the best aspects of this book is that it treats the famous Arthur and infamous George with equal time, so the reader is sympathetic with the course of both lives.
The book's not big on Victoriana (insights into life during Victoria's and Edward's regencies), but it does mention things in passing that are indicative of the age, such as the off-the-cuff mention of that passing Woking reminds Arthur of death (read "Necropolis: London and Its Dead" for the reference there). This is how I think a Victorian would have experienced the era - a passing reference in the midst of other details of life.
The author also addresses the scientific investigation of the supernatural, a common hobby of the day (along with other Victorian obsessions like mummy-unwrapping parties). Read "Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death" for more. When Barnes constructs a conversation about spiritualism between Arthur Conan Doyle and Alfred Russel Wallace during their knighthood ceremony, I got the feeling it could have happened exactly that way, since both were known in their fields for divergent expertise but had spiritualism in common.
Barnes is a master of the bon mot - speaking of Sherlock Holmes, one of his characters says, "Though he may be more humble, there's no police like Holmes." Another remarks that the English don't have a strong spirituality, and so invented cricket to give them a sense of eternity.
At close to 400 pages, it's not a fast read, which is all the more delightful. Highly recommended.
The book's not big on Victoriana (insights into life during Victoria's and Edward's regencies), but it does mention things in passing that are indicative of the age, such as the off-the-cuff mention of that passing Woking reminds Arthur of death (read "Necropolis: London and Its Dead" for the reference there). This is how I think a Victorian would have experienced the era - a passing reference in the midst of other details of life.
The author also addresses the scientific investigation of the supernatural, a common hobby of the day (along with other Victorian obsessions like mummy-unwrapping parties). Read "Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death" for more. When Barnes constructs a conversation about spiritualism between Arthur Conan Doyle and Alfred Russel Wallace during their knighthood ceremony, I got the feeling it could have happened exactly that way, since both were known in their fields for divergent expertise but had spiritualism in common.
Barnes is a master of the bon mot - speaking of Sherlock Holmes, one of his characters says, "Though he may be more humble, there's no police like Holmes." Another remarks that the English don't have a strong spirituality, and so invented cricket to give them a sense of eternity.
At close to 400 pages, it's not a fast read, which is all the more delightful. Highly recommended.