What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . .

Behind Closed Doors: At Home in Georgian England by Amanda Vickery -- Non-Fiction

This book gives readers a close-up look at the idea of home in Georgian England (18th century) and what went into making the house a home. She begins each chapter with an anecdote about real people and the way they lived which makes the book more enjoyable than a scholarly text. Using letters, diaries and account books, Amanda Vickery pieces together stories of middle-class life. There are fabulous paintings, etchings and political cartoons of the period which add to the enjoyment of the book. I really enjoyed learning about the home in Georgian England and I hope the BBC documentary series based on the books will air in America or be available on DVD soon. For now, you can read more at Amanda's blog on the BBC website and get the full run-down on Jane Austen's World. This book is highly readable and very interesting. I recommend it to those who have an interest in the period and have time to pick up this book and read it. (I've had it for awhile but been too swamped with school work to want to do any more non-fiction reading. It's due back at the library soon so I had to finish.)