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How to Be a Victorian

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How to Be a Victorian

By: Ruth Goodman
Narrated by: Patience Tomlinson
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of How to Be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman, read by Patience Tomlinson.

How to be a Victorian - a time traveller's guide to Victorian Britain by the BBC's Ruth Goodman.

We know what life was like for Victoria and Albert. But what was it like for a commoner like you or me? How did it feel to cook with coal and wash with tea leaves? Drink beer for breakfast and clean your teeth with cuttlefish? Dress in whalebone and feed opium to the baby? Surviving everyday life came down to the gritty details, the small necessities and tricks of living.

Drawing on Ruth's unique first-hand experience, gained from living on a Victorian farm for a year, this book will teach you everything you need to know about 19th-century living.

If you liked A Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England or If Walls Could Talk, you will love this book.

©2018 Ruth Goodman (P)2018 Penguin Audio 19th Century Europe Modern Thought-Provoking Inspiring

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Very interesting to listen to and it feels real, the author adds her own experiences and thoughts and reflections.

Very real

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I thought I knew a bit about the poverty and general life of the Victorians, but after having listened to Ruth Goodman’s excellent book, I am overwhelmed by the amount I didn’t know and how much I have learnt. Incredibly thorough and comprehensive, this is an epic investigation into the lay man, woman and child of Victorian Britain. Describing everything from education, food, sleep, class and sex very clearly and with great honesty and insight. I will be looking out her other publications once I have had a chance to digest the mammoth journey I feel I have been on since the beginning of this book. Thank you Ruth Goodman!

Full and comprehensive overview

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I'm a big fan of the 'Time Travellers guide' series and I thoroughly enjoyed this!

Excellent insight into Victorian life

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Really loved this book! Packed full of knowledge on so many subjects while still being an easy listen.
Well worth a read!!

Fabulous

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Very interesting and informative book, covering so many aspects of Victorian life from sports to evening meals. Thoroughly recommend, very enjoyable.

Extremely informative

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The first reviews I read said the book laboured too much on fashion, clothes etc. It nearly put me off! The first chapters did indeed focus on clothing fashions. This was very informative but was only the start. There was much more about all sorts of factors of Victorian life. Food, work, schooling etc. I found the book full of interesting information about life in that century

Fascinating insight

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This book is totally absorbing, engaging and entertaining.The subject matter is meticulously researched and very well narrated.

exceptionally interesting read.

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A lively fascinating account account of an era that has now slipped out of living memory

How to be a Victorian

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An excellent account of Victorian Britain. Well researched and well structured. This has, undoubtedly, helped me in my own research. Thank you, Ms Goodman!

A REALLY GOOD LISTEN.

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This book was breathtaking! I could not stop listening! Ruth Goodman is a scientist with a time machine who takes you back in time - and it's fascinating, fun and terrifying. The wealth and scope of knowledge and understanding the author provides are unmatched by any other book on any historical period I have read. What is more, Ruth Goodman provides practical knowledge and experience. Yes, you read that right. Among many other things, the author spent four months not washing to test a dry-brushing hygiene method, lived on a farm simulating Victorian lifestyle for an entire year or made lambskin condoms and various remedies and medicines of the era. The time and effort Ruth Goodman is willing to invest into understanding history and its people are, it seems, limitless. I am in awe of Ruth Goodman and her work. No other book has even made me feel like I could almost touch and feel a historical moment and its people. Thank you, Ruth.

The best book on history I have ever read.

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