The Victorian World Picture: Perceptions and Introspections in an Age of Change /]Cdavid Newsome

Newsome presents a highly readable overview of, as his subtitle puts it, Victorian "Perceptions and Introspections." The emphasis is on Victorian thought, as may be seen by the number of literary quotes that open chapters and dot the text. Those looking for a quick overview of Victorian life might be daunted by the thematic, rather than chronological, structure. Chapters, given broad amorphous titles like "Looking Inwards" and "Looking Beyond," range along the length of Victoria's reign in pursuit of the given theme. As no chronology is provided, some may find it hard to piece together all that was going on in a given time frame. What this book does do is provide a broad picture of the preoccupations, controversies and concerns of 19th century British thinkers, skillfully weaving in everything from Queen Victoria's letters to the ditties of Gilbert and Sullivan. Somewhat of an old-fashioned history (it reminded me of Walter Houghton's The Victorian Frame of Mind from the '50s), but well-crafted and pleasant to read.