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  • English Society in the Eighteenth Century

  • By: Roy Porter
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (50 ratings)
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English Society in the Eighteenth Century

By: Roy Porter
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Summary

In this boldly drawn portrait of 18th-century England, Roy Porter defines a nation from its princes to its paupers, from its metropolis to its smallest hamlet. The topics covered run the gamut, covering diet, housing, prisons, rural festivals, bordellos, plays, paintings, and work and wages.

Roy Porter's new edition of his celebrated book of English cultural history was revised in light of changes in the climate of debate that occurred in the seven years after its first publication.

©1990 Roy Porter (P)2005 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"Vivid, witty, and entertaining...easily the best general account of eighteenth-century society that we have." ( New York Review of Books)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A fine and interesting book

The C18th has always been a bit of a gap in my historical knowledge and this fine book from Roy Porter proved a great way to fill it. Interesting stories, entertainingly told and unobstrusively narrated by Simon Vance. A good effort all round.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sprawling - in a good way

Porter tackles a century that saw huge changes in England and manages to strike a beautiful balance between painting a sort of crowd scene of scientists, dandies, yeomen farmers, actresses, dissolute nobels and forward thinking social reformers while giving us enough detail about personalities to make us lean in and really look at the faces in the crowd.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very Educational

Excellent insight into the century preceding Victorian times. Exceptional writing and fascinating presentation. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written, beautifully read

This is a wonderful in-depth description of life in the 18th century. The prose is remarkably elegant and Simon Vance reads it beautifully with a clear, mellifluous voice. Great job!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must read on eighteenth century

It has irrevocably changed my perception of the eighteenth century. Before listening to this book I had read many novels, plays as well as biographies and histories from this period, so I was surprised at how much of a revelation this account of the 1700s was to me. It is packed full of facts and figures that contextualise events in a way that seems quite comprehensive. This book had been recommended to me about six years previous and I didn't realise what a good recommendation it was until now. Prepare to be fascinated!

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!

Beautifully narrated by Simon Vance, this well researched, descriptive book provides a fascinating insight into Eighteenth Century England

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1 person found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Dry, dull and boring

Chapter one is an introduction that drones on like a pity party and the rest of the book is enough to make commit suicide from boredom and torture

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