Victorian Books

I purchased several of Tom Tierney's historical paper doll sets to augment my family history projects. I have 150 years of family photos which are mostly in black and white, of course, so it's great to see the period clothing in detail and in color. The paper dolls will add so much to my research and my family's appreciation of the historical times and stories. Although I intend to keep the paper dolls uncut, they are printed on card stock which would be easy to cut and not tear apart if well-cared for.

I cannot rave enough about this book. It is absolutely perfect for my writing research based on characters in 1876 America. I have had a very difficult time finding examples of dresses from that time period for the full-figured woman for one of my main characters. I was so pleased to see a full-figure doll and outfits in this book. It has far-exceeded my hopes! Thank you for a fabulous find!

I love these paper dolls. The time period was very ornate at the time which called for some very ornate dresses. Red was a very fashionable color too. These paper dolls are great for kids and a great addition to paper doll collections. Also, look at some of Tom Tierneys other paper doll publishings which were just as good as these.

If you like the McGuffey Readers you'll love these books! These books are beautifully colorized and the large, sturdy pages make reading these books easy and fun. We use the Amish Pathways readers in our homeschool because of the old-fashioned values, and these books made an excellent supplement to our reading curriculum. I have a Kindergartener, 2nd grader and 3rd grader. The first book is a fun way to learn the sounds of the letters for my beginning reader and the the third volume was a fun supplement for my 3rd and 2nd graders. The second volume will be used for my youngest when she starts reading. My boys loved reading about historical figures such as Abe Lincoln and Clara Barton and liked learning about what life was like almost 100 years ago. The second volume follows the first one nicely with new words phonetically introduced at the begining of each story to help those beginning readers. The pictures are well-done and the stories are interesting and fun! This would make an excellent Christmas gift for a homeschooling family with younger elementary kids.

The American Schoolhouse Readers are a beautifully updated set of early-reading books. My four-year-old enjoys looking at the pictures and saying the letters for us. The books are an ideal size for little hands to handle. I enjoy the old fashioned, wholesome aspect of the books; reading them feels like we're taking a trip back to a simpler time.

I believe the books will be very helpful as a supplement to our homeschooling materials when she begins learning phonics. The set would make and ideal gift for homeschooling parents.

A three volume hardcover set, The American Schoolhouse Reader is a colorized children's reading collection drawn from post-Victorian American sources originally published from 1890 to 1925. Book I offers a unique pictorial alphabet book (with some digraphs) derived from a 1913 primer. The engaging text presents the sounds of the letters through amusing and clever picture associations making it ideal as a curriculum supplement for preschool through first grade beginners. Book II is a collection of charming, child-friendly reading exercises whose beautifully colored illustrations will capture the attention of emerging readers from Kindergarten through second grade. Book III showcases interesting stories about nature and life in the 1910's and 1920's with illustrations for these character building stories specifically intended for young readers second grade through fourth garde. The American Schoolhouse Reader is a very highly recommended three volume series that will be of immense interest for classroom instructors and homeschool teachers wanting to supplement their usual reading instruction curriculum with material that is time tested, illustrated in full color, and imbued with character building values.

I've always had a weak spot for the history of science and exploration, so when I discovered this book, I went weak in the knees. We all know Darwin and Cook, but what about Russell and Spruce? Here are the true heroes of science from the days when gaps in your knowledge weren't just unfortunate, they could get you killed! Excellently written, with a mountain of information for the scholar, historian and casual reader. Get it now!

"Bright Paradise: Victorian Scientific Travellers" gives a refreshing glimpse into the scientific travellers and explorers of The Victorian Age. It covers the well-known (Darwin, Wallace, and Hooker) to those overlooked and nearly forgotten travellers like the botanical painter Marianne North. It is written without any academic pretentiousness and is ideal for introductory courses in cultural anthropology and European History of the 1800s. The only fault with this book is that it is too short.

Subtitled "Victorian Scientific Travelers," this book tells the story of a handful of 19th Century British scientists, all naturalists, who, through their researches in the field in many different places around the world, helped Darwin advance his theories of evolution. The accounts are interesting: we get Darwin, of course, but also Sir Joseph Hooker in the Himalayas, Alfred Wallace in the Amazon and on the Malayan Archipelago, Henry Bates also in the Amazon, Richard Spruce in the Amazon and the Andes, Richard Lander and Heinrich Barth in Africa, Mary Kingsley in Africa, and Marianne North in Borneo. All were fearless, resourceful, and dedicated scientists/collectors of plant and animal species from the areas they explored. Thousands of new species of flora and fauna were first identified by these intrepid people. Raby covers a lot of ground by telling about each of these scientists (and others as well) succinctly and directly. He also attempts to explain the times in which these scientists worked as people tried to come to grips with Darwin's implications. A fascinating and important book.

Here Pomada, with co-author Michael Larsen and photographer Douglas Keister, branches out from her San Francisco roots in search of Painted Ladies in other regions of the country--and finds them. Once again she shows houses of all sizes, degrees of elaboration, and amounts of gaudiness--the quietly lavender Blackberry Inn of Camden, ME, the darkly splendiferous English Queen Anne at 130 Mt. Vernon St., Boston, beach cottages on Martha's Vineyard, a vividly red church in West End, NJ, a crisp turqouise-and-cream confection from Cape May, a wondrously porched house in Savannah, GA, even a brick eclectic in Milwaukee. One wonderful little gem on p. 89 is an Aspen, CO, cottage whose front-porch gable comprises a blending rainbow of 25 colors--"14 blues of the sky and oranges from the sunset." The Morey Mansion of Redlands, the Carson Mansion of Eureka, and several Main Street buildings are here too. Pomada even contrived to get permission to show some interiors from a Portland house. These lovely houses will set you dreaming even if you don't own one of the same vintage yourself.

After I read and enjoyed this beautiful book I painted my home in Victorian style and soon many houses in Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego Argentina, also change the "white walls, black roof" they ever were.Thanks! Virgini

"Daughters of Painted Ladies" is a beautiful tribute to restored Victorian houses from throughout the United States. Full-color photographs by Douglas Keister are complemented by the commentaries of Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen.

The book focuses on what the authors call the "Colorist Movement" in historic house restoration. In other words, every one of the homes pictured has been painted "in three or more contrasting colors" that "bring out the decorative ruffles and flourishes" of each structure. So if your idea of a Victorian home is a dull, gloomy old mansion in a state of disrepair, be prepared to have that stereotype blown away. These "painted ladies" are some of the most vibrant and beautiful homes I have ever seen.

The book captures many different Victorian era styles: Italianate, Second Empire, Steamboat Gothic, Queen Anne, Octagon, Stick, and Victorian eclectic. And don't miss the special appearance by "Lucy," the elephant-shaped house built by James Lafferty. The colorist approach to these homes truly accentuates the varied vocabulary of Victorian architecture, with its towers, covered verandas, neoclassical pillars, oriel windows, decorated verge boards, and other fanciful details.

The book concludes with some helpful tips and resources for those interested in creating their own painted lady. If you are a lover of Victorian era architecture, buy this spectacular book and prepare to indulge in a decadent symphony of visual splendor.

This is an excellent, finely tuned study of Gaskell. It investigates Gaskell as an artist caught up in ambivalent, conflicting goals. When so much work on Gaskell flattens her into an unbridled politico, this book traces the complex relationship between her social intentions and her artistic ones. And it reads all the novels but _Cranford_, including the neglected _Sylvia's Lovers_.

There aren't enough books about Elizabeth Gaskell. D'Albertis has stunningly filled what heretofore had been a Gaskell void. Yea, Dierdre! This sort of scholarship is rarely seen amongst Victorian scholars, particulalrly female ones. Fabulous!

The burgeoning interest in Elizabeth Gaskell has at last produced an author with the cogent prose style and analytical brilliance to match the subject. Brava d'Albertis! It reminds me of the impact of reading Axel's Castle in 1931.

This is a great book, but you should know that it is not a second edition of Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 1. It is the second volume of the anthology, and a different book with all different patterns. The title is actually Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 2: Evening, Bridal, Sports, Outerwear, Accessories, and Dressmaking 1877-1882. It's just as good as Volume 1, none of the information is the same except the intro on how to use the patterns, and the dressmaking manual is really unique.

I heard both volumes were published but it took me awhile to find the second one on Amazon because it was mislisted. So I thought I'd warn other people.

I just reviewed Volume 1, where I said the book contains a huge selection of patterns. Volume 2 focuses on patterns for evening dresses, bridal wear, sports wear, and outer wear. The chapters on accessories and trimmings contain some needlework patterns, embroidery and so on. I figure if I don't do the handwork I'll still have learned a lot about buying appropriate materials.

I bought both volumes, but they are organized so you can use them separately. Both contain the instructions for using the book and the special rulers that allow you to draft patterns to fit you. They also both have a big glossary, a bibliography, and two indexes.

Volume 2 has something really special though--a dressmaking manual. The book says it was rewritten from numerous rare original sources that are listed in the bibliography. But it's been rewritten so it doesn't read that way; you can't tell where any source begins or ends. That makes the manual a lot easier to use. And it's so long it could have been published as a book by itself. I'm glad to have it, because I've never been able to find a comprehensive sewing manual for this period. It even has corset-making instructions (the corset patterns are in Volume 1).

Both volumes are very well edited and produced. This is not a cheap printing job.

Anyone who does Old West reenactment or Victorian teas would love these books!

Frances Grimble shares her meticulous vision with us once again. A great two book series full of facinating information and patterns galore. I cannot wait to clothe many a pretty lady using them. Not for the faint of heart. The patterns are period correct and I would advise an advanced skill level, or a great deal of patience. Always do a mock up. Remember these are patterns of the age. So start at the skin and work your way out to a glorious new costume.
Enjoy.

Highly acclaimed anthology of John Ruskin, this book is made out of 39 vols Library Edition of John Ruskin's works, supported by 5 pillars--art, architecture, society, solitude and self and compiled chronologically.In the introduction, Herbert Tucker estimates this book as a classic anthology. It is followed by Rosenberg's preface, and before each section mentioned above is his own explanatory comment. This is extremely superb in style as well as contents. At the end of the book is a new bibliography, to some of which entries brief comments are added. As Ruskin's writings, especially those in early years, are not easy to read, this book is priceless. Among relatively rare entries are "Traffic" in The Clown of Wild Olive, "Athena Keramitis" in Queen of the Air, and "Essay I" in Fiction Fair and Foul. Compared with the previous anthology by Kenneth Clark, "Ruskin Today", this one is inferior in variety but far superior in amount. Now we have the Ruskin's Complete Works in one CD-ROM, but it cannot be read, say, in a train or bed unless printed out. Concisely selected, this book is, I think, quite valuable when kept by your side.

One can hardly read any thoughtful analysis or
evaluation of art, artists, even poets, without
coming upon a quote from John Ruskin. Yet one
may read the quote, realize its acuteness, but
then proceed on -- without really knowing anything
about John Ruskin himself, or about his ideas
and works. That is a tragic loss. Ruskin was an
English art critic and scholar, as well as a
cultural and philosphical historian who
lived from 1819 to 1900.
He attended and graduated from Oxford University,
and in 1869 was appointed first Slade Professor
of Fine Art at Oxford.
John Ruskin seems to me to be a combination of
Plato, godly Greek sculptors, and Thoreau. His
own senses, apparently (just like Thoreau's) were
extremely acute...he has incredible sharpness of
vision. But even more telling, he has incredible
command of vision and the language to express it
with. He seems, at times, like a Homer of artistic
cultural and philosophical expression.
This volume is a compilation of excerpts from
Ruskin's major writings: MODERN PAINTERS I, II,
III, IV, and V/ THE SEVEN LAMPS OF ARCHITECTURE/
THE STONES OF VENICE/ THE TWO PATHS/ UNTO THIS
LAST/ THE CROWN OF WILD OLIVE/ SESAME AND LILIES/
THE QUEEN OF THE AIR/ FORS CLAVIGERA/ FICTION, FAIR
AND FOUL/ THE STORM-CLOUD OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY/
and PRAETERITA. There are multiple excerpts from
each of these works, and each excerpt is followed
by a very helpful citation of the volume, part,
section, and chapter of the work where the excerpt
is found.
Ruskin is not "merely" an acute analyzer and
evaluator of art and architecture, but he also is
an artistic and ethical philosopher. His philosophy
seems to have a strong dose of PAGAN GREEK (Plato)
underpinning, which interacts interestingly with
the Evangelical Protestantism overlaid when he
was young by his mother's strict Bible lessons.
His whole life seems to have been a struggle
between these two grappling forces, like the

statue of "The Wrestlers" from Hellenistic times.
Ruskin idolized and glorified the painter
Joseph Mallord William Turner [J.M.W. Turner].
He seems to have set out on a crusade while still
a teen-ager (17) by writing an essay defending
Turner and his art -- his admiration, esteem,
and idolatry continued even after he had gone
to Oxford University and began writing his art
criticism works.
Ruskin's topics sound like a role-call of
classical virtues and perfection seeking -- and
like Thoreau, he bemoans the fact that more
people do not wake up, see intently, and live
better lives. I personally find Ruskin's admonitions
to be inspiring, rather than merely preachy. He
obviously has a vision (like a prophet), a wondrous
sense of beauty and appreciation, and a fine mind
and expressive ability which create words of golden
glow. Yet he also has a heart of reproof towards
the mercantilism of his times (in one speech he
tells his audience that they have two religions,
one which they pay lip-service and tithes to,
and the other religion of their practicality,
the one they actually live by -- and he says:
"...but we are all unanimous about this practical
one; of which I think you will admit that the ruling
goddess may be best generally described as the
'Goddess of Getting-on,' or 'Britannia of the
Market.'")
Some of the topic titles in the various sections
give one the flavor of his insights and vision:
"Definition of Greatness in Art"; "That the Truth
of Nature in Not to Be Discerned by the Uneducated
Senses"; "Of Truth of Space"; and "Of the Naturalist
Ideal." In his works on architecture, there are
such topic titles as "The Lamp of Truth" and "The
Lamp of Memory."
The editor of this volume, John D. Rosenberg, has
done a masterful, insightful job of presenting
Ruskin and his views -- and the Univ. Press of
Virginia have done a masterful job of printing
and binding those valuable views in an attractive
and valuable volume.

It is a great pity that the works of Ruskin are neither widely read nor widely available. One can only hope that the day will come when an affordable, comprehensive, multi-volume collection will become available. For now, we may be thankful for the work of Columbia University's John Rosenberg, who has given us perhaps as fine an introduction to Ruskin as can be hoped for. The selections are long and judiciously made, and they address Ruskin in all important aspects of his work: art critic, social heretic, autobiographer. This book is like a wise old friend, especially comforting in a world that has in so many ways departed from the values that this volume enshrines. A faithful rendering of an indispensable author.

Englishman Owen Jones first published his monument to design, the Grammar of Ornament, in 1856. It was originally published in installments for subscribers. Jones's illustrated plates and design motifs drew from nineteen different cultures including the ornament of Oceania, Rome, Byzantium, ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, Rome, and Moorish Spain.

The Grammar was adapted to architectural decoration, fabrics, textiles, tile design, furniture and wallpaper during the second half of the nineteenth century. It has remained influential among designers worldwide.

The quirky colorways are decidedly of another era and worthy of study. I have effectively used them to thwack my creativity out of occasional dead ends or potholes. This is a respected, classic reference. It is deserving of space in every designer's reference library.

FREE use of graphics is permitted ... it is a great resource for web designers. It has great designs and textures which, if used properly, can really enhance your website. A lot of the graphics can make for lovely textures and backgrounds. The graphics are from history .... ornaments from Oceania, Egypt, Greek, Pompeian, Roman, Byzantine, Arabian, Turkish, Moorish, Persian, Indian, Chinese, Celtic, Medieval, Renaissance, Italian ... loads of Ornaments from all over. A must buy IMO!

This book is excellent for artists, web designers,students. there are well chosen designs of many countries and eras and more than just a few for each catagory.It is a reference book that is a total must.

I really enjoyed reading this. I've lived in Boston for nearly 30 years, but never really felt like I knew its history. Chaim Rosenberg provides a wealth of information about the changes the City and region have undergone in past times. Every page has some interesting fact to reveal or story to tell. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how our great city emerged and came to its current form. I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the Sox beating the Yankees, but as a history of Boston, The Great Workshop hits a homerun.

This is a must read for anyone who lives in the Boston area, goes to school in Boston, or has visited (or plans on visiting) Boston. Who knew history could be so interesting? The author provides all the facts in a colorful and exciting manner. The pictures (some black-and-white, others in color) further bring the text to life. I'm sure you will enjoy this book as much I have!

"The Great Workshop: Boston's Victorian Age" is a terrific book, written in a lively and interesting style. In addition to the engaging text, there are many pictures, including some charming colorful trade cards and old postcards. The book describes how transportation, industry, commerce and society are interrelated. It's got fascinating details, but also covers a lot of ground-- Boston and beyond. A great read for anyone interested in how communities are settled and grow, whether you're from the Boston area or elsewhere.

I picked it up in a box full of books at a yard sale, and found it fascinating. I suppose it's out of print but if you can get a used one it's worth reading. Words and pictures describe a very fashionable 19th century London cemetery. Highgate was London's most fashionable cemetery for most of a century, and then was mostly forgotten as weeds and vines overtook it. More recently a group of "Friends of Highgate" have been clearing away the tangled vegetation and revealing the ornate monuments and intriguing sculptures. The original management kept detailed records of who is buried where. Besides for the expensive area with it's stone carvings much of Highgate is common folks, average age only thirty something, indicative of the hardships of the working class. The last half the book is photos of monuments, lions, horses, angels, cherubs, a lamb, and a faithful do keep eternal watch over master's grave.

I have always wanted to visit Highgate, but economics keep me at home. There is a nice history of the cemetery and a it is wonderfully illustrated. If you are into cemeteries, Highgate is The Victorian Vallhalla and it amazes me that it is out of print. Wouldn't The Friends of Highgate make a couple bucks selling copies? There are graves I would have liked to have seen pictures of that aren't in it, Elizabeth Siddal for instance, but there are wonderful stories about the people who are there.

I was surprised, when struck with curiosity about Highgate Cemetery, that there was so little information available about this beautiful and fascinating landmark. I managed to find this photographic study of the cemetery through my library. What a shame that it's no longer in print. (I believe it WAS in print in the UK until not so long ago, but last time I checked Amazon UK it wasn't there). Beautiful, well done photos, a record of a time when death was common and loved ones were remembered with spectacular display and tender words. Many of the photos were taken prior to the vandalism that occurred there in the 60's and 70's, so this may be one of the few records of how the place appeared before then. I highly recommend anyone to seek this out through an interlibrary loan.