Our Tempestuous Day: A History of Regency England

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: My reading life has acquired a second act. Commuting to work, I enjoy audiobooks from the public library. But you have to settle for what's available. This was among my recent favorites, and has led me to seek out three other books by Erickson (who is not a nincompoop). Tastes of the period are dramatically conveyed by the reader, Simon Prebble. The spectrum of prevalent mores represented ranges from the evangelical Hannah Moore to the depraved Lord Byron. The war with France takes an unexpected turn for the better thanks to the hero Wellington. And the miserables of the period are remembered: ... chimney sweeps, Luddites, victims of the the Corn Law, and of Peterloo. But most compelling is the Prince-regent, who will become George the Fourth. A man whose personal short-comings were not redeemed by his deep appreciation of art and beauty.

Rating:
Summary: I really like George IV
Review: My reading life has acquired a second act. Commuting to work, I enjoy audiobooks from the public library. But you have to settle for what's available. This was among my recent favorites, and has led me to seek out three other books by Erickson (who is not a nincompoop). Tastes of the period are dramatically conveyed by the reader, Simon Prebble. The spectrum of prevalent mores represented ranges from the evangelical Hannah Moore to the depraved Lord Byron. The war with France takes an unexpected turn for the better thanks to the hero Wellington. And the miserables of the period are remembered: ... chimney sweeps, Luddites, victims of the the Corn Law, and of Peterloo. But most compelling is the Prince-regent, who will become George the Fourth. A man whose personal short-comings were not redeemed by his deep appreciation of art and beauty.

Rating:
Summary: The characters come alive in this wonderfully written book.
Review: Tempestuous indeed! I could not put this book down. This is a very readable historical narrative set in England during the Regency Period from 1810 to 1820. Erickson paints a very vivid picture of the chaotic times in which George IV ruled as Regent while his father King George III declined into madness at Windsor, alongside the already troublesome war with Napoleon, social unrest, and economic uncertainty.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: This is as well researched as can be and as well written as non-fiction must be. Some things are not a hundred percent accurate but rather minor. If you are interested in the period this is a must.