The World for a Shilling: The Story of the Great Exhibition of 1851

More relaxed than Mr. Leapman's treatment of Mr. Fairchild - it being a wholly different and more approachable subject - this is a humorous, elevating account of the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace. Both the enterprise and the edifice knock the Millennium Dome into a cocked hat, even given the disparity in time and technology, largely due to the influence of filthy lucre, rather than patriotism, in our 'enlightened' age.The shilling in the title (5c in today's money) is slightly misleading - at that time it represented a day's wage to a labourer. But even so, it was obviously worth it, judging by the millions who paid that shilling entrance fee to (try to) see the almost 14,000 exhibits on display.The first exhibition of its kind to open its doors to the hoy-poloy, it succeeded admirably in its intent to show the general populace (and the world) the fruits of British (and international) industry - its singular failure being the exclusion of Babbage's difference engine. Although a gaggle of nay-sayers warned that it would end in tears (popular opinion of HM Gov. was not at its best just then), it all went swimmingly, increasing Prince Albert's standing in the eyes of a population who had largely had their fill of four less-than-satisfactory Teutonic monarchs.By stages, we see the design, construction, and inauguration of the palace, meet the prime movers of the concept, see some (obviously not all!) of the more interesting and bizarre exhibits, then the decline and cataclismic death of the palace in the great fire of 1936.A most entertaining and instructive read, enhanced by the addition of portraits, diagrams and contemporary colour plates. *****,