Jenny UglowReviews

I am fascinated by the history of science and technology, and I found this long and very thoroughly researched book to be a real treat. I hadn’t realised until reading it how closely the leading lights of British science and industry were connected to each other in the late 1700s.

But close they were, and often met monthly in an informal association called the Lunar Society (because they met on nights with a full moon).

Just a list of those who came to those meetings is almost sufficient to show what an immensely talented group they were, and how much they influenced the development of technology and knowledge in that period:

ERASMUS DARWIN, grandfather of Charles Darwin, but also a hugely important figure in the intellectual world of the time. A practising medical doctor, who also made many inventions and wrote several long descriptions of the natural world in the form of poetry. His views on evolution weren’t as well grounded as those of his more famous grandson, but were nevertheless very advanced for his time.

JOSIAH WEDGEWOOD, famous for his creation of beautiful English ceramics, but also as I found out from this book, a major force in the establishment of Britain’s network of navigiable canals. His interest in developing canals came from the fact that he was sick of his beautiful pottery being broken when being transported over the terrible unmade roads of the time. On the smooth waters of a canal, his precious cargos would be far more likely to survive the journey.

JAMES WATT of steam engine fame. Watt didn’t by any means invent the first steam engine, but he developed many significant improvements which greatly increased their efficiency and power, as well as making smaller engines possible. Initially only used in mining, Watt’s more efficient engines eventually saw use in the early textile industry in Britain, which made use of his engines to drive the powered looms in factories.

MATTHEW BOULTON, prominent in manufacturing, and for a long time Watt’s business partner. I get the impression that Boulton was the optimistic, outgoing character in the partnership compared with Watt. Without Boulton, Watt may never have achieved any success.

JOSEPH PRIESTLY the chemist, the first person to isolate the gas oxygen (though he clung to the old ‘phlogiston’ theory and so called it ‘de-phlogisticated air’). I also discovered from this book that he was a prominent preacher with radical views. So radical that eventually his house and laboratory were destroyed by a mob and he eventually left England for the Americas.

As well as these five, there were at least seven other men prominent in the Lunar Society over the years. Alas, they were all men, but their wives, sisters and daughters also played their part in the intellectual ferment of the time, and it is interesting that most of these men seemed very willing, even eager, to have their daughters as well as their sons educated.

The closeness of the relationships between these people may be indicated by the fact that Erasmus Darwin’s son married a Wedgwood daughter, and one of their sons was the more familiar Charles Darwin of evolutionary reknown.

A very interesting book, but I do need to say that I found it a difficult read as an ebook, mainly because there are so many characters and so many of their friends, acquaintances and relations mentioned that I did often find it difficult to remember who everyone was. I almost needed a ‘cheat-sheet’ or a ‘dramatis personae’ by my side. It would have been easier to cope with a paper book, I think, in that it’s very easy with a physical book to flip back and forth to scan for forgotten names and passages. So much so that, even though I now own the ebook, I think I’ll go looking for a paper copy to put on my shelf.

Highly recommended if you are at all interested in the history of technology.

This is a extremely interesting survey of the British home front during the Napoleonic wars. Different social classes, geographical situations, and political affiliations are separated into individual chapters, but the result is a vibrant mosaic. The strategy is too follow individuals and families through their own (often private) writings. Some of this persons show up again and again as the war progresses and as different aspects of its effects on society are discussed.

For years, prints inherited from her parents hung in Uglow’s house, enjoyed but not actively considered. This book is a result of Uglow’s research into Cyril Power, who created The Eight print, and his partner for his most artistically productive years, Sybil Andrews, who made Bringing In the Boat.

By focusing on the story of two artists primarily remembered (if at all) for their linocuts, Uglow opens up the avant-garde artistic world in London between 1920 and 1940, most of which has now been forgotten. Uglow narrates the lives and describes the art of Sybil Andrews and Cyril Power, most active between 1925, when they formed part of the “Grosvenor School”, to 1938. I had heard of neither before reading this book, but have a general interest in the inter-war period, having read several social histories. This book enlarged my understanding of the period.
Initially providing twin biographies, the book starts slowly by alternating between Sybil’s and Cyril’s stories, building the lives of the two individuals prior to their meeting in 1919 when Sybil is twenty one and Cyril who is about 26 years older, has married, has four children, a struggling architectural career and has published a book on medieval architecture. Uglow manages this initial chronological unevenness by expanding upon Sybil’s ancestors in and around Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
Having worked as a teacher and learned about art as an amateur for about three years (conventional drawings and watercolours), being befriended by Cyril who informally taught her (and probably became her lover), Sybil moved to London in autumn 1922 to attend an Art School. Cyril follows in 1923, deserting his family (but not divorcing, as a Catholic), although he continued to provide some financial support.

Uglow describes London in 1923, the culture and the coming of modernity, the “Jazz Age”, after the austerity of the Great War and the immediate post-war period. This allows the book to also provide a social history of London, as Andrews and Power were interested in depicting modern social and sporting activities such as ice skating, motor racing and funfairs, as well as modern life in the form of mechanised workers and the London Underground (the “tube”), as shown in prints of the station platforms, escalators and trains.
However Andrews and Power must make a living, as well as create art, and so from 1925 with the encouragement of Claude Flight both teach art at the Grosvenor School of Modern Art, and sell linocut prints, to which they had been introduced by Flight. The description of the technical and artistic development of their linocut style, which they seem to have developed jointly, together with the subject matter and approach to sales is explored whilst interweaving their biographical stories and asides about their milieu.
In 1933 they held their first joint exhibition, displaying monotype prints, as well as their now well known linocuts. Monotypes seem a move back from the modernity of linocuts, and all Andrews’ monotype pictures were lost in a gallery warehouse fire, but Cattawade Bridge by Power looks more realistic, although the colouring is post-modern. (Uglow describes a monotype as “a curious creature – not a print, as it can’t be produced in multiples, and not a painting, as it is ‘printed’. In a way it is a reverse painting. Using printer’s ink or oils straight from the tube, ... painted directly onto a metal plate to get the tones and lights ... wanted.”)
Life is lived fully, and Uglow describes concert going, holidays, music making, which provide the inspiration for their art, as well as the work involved in printing and selling their art. An intense period of work and living to 1938, changes by fear of war and Andrews deciding that she no longer wants to live in London. A move to the New Forest by Andrews, with Power only visiting at weekends gradually changes their relationship, and war comes with Andrews working in a military boat building team, where she meets her future husband, and so Power leaves (returning to his wife after more than twenty years apart). This is dynamically and impressionistically described, with plenty of illustrations of the art described (black and white) and some photos.
There follows a brief description of Andrews and Power’s subsequent lives, with Power dying in 1951 and Power moving to the west coast of Canada with her husband, where making a living was hard until interest in the Grosvenor School arose in the 1970’s, and where she died in 1992.

The cover of my Faber edition is a mashup of Andrews’ Racers and Power’s The Escalator.

I received a Netgalley copy of this book, but this review is my honest opinion.
Postscript February 2022, I have bought the beautifully produced Faber hardback edition, which benefits from plenty of colour reproductions of the prints. Upon reflecting on how much I have thought back to this book in the intervening months, I have upped my rating to four and a half stars.½

Wandered off and won't be back for now. I skipped through about the first third of this. The start was rocky because I don't remember much about the Charles I era and the names and places and events were flying at me. The author clearly thinks she has a handle on Charles II's personality. Some of that came through and it was very interesting contemplating the Restoration which was less bloody than you might expect. The new king's early morning tennis playing was new to me. I may need a more stripped down book examining one aspect of the period. English historians of this time are so spoiled for choice with the letter writing.

I cannot begin to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book. The author made it an intimate visit with Mr. Lear. To my mind it is the perfect biography. Not leaving out the bumps and scars, yet presenting them in such a way that the human is seen. We traveled with him, sorrowed with him, rejoiced and reveled in his nonsense.

The author indulged in a bit of literary interpretation of some of his work, but that is to be expected. We want the work to mirror the man. Whether it actually does or not, only Edward Lear could say.

For me, it wasn't just the story, which was well told, or the person, who is a wonderfully interesting man, it was also the production value of the work itself. There were many illustrations and reproductions of Lear's art, also much of his verse was included, all beautifully done. The pages themselves were soft and silky, an invitation to hold.

What an endearing man, what an enjoyable biography! This wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated biography tells the life history of Edward Lear, known principally to me as the author of the poem, The Owl and The Pussycat. That poem is well known and was judged to be England’s favorite poem. It is certainly one of mine.
But there was so much more: Lear’s nature illustrations, his travels and gorgeous scenic drawings and paintings, his limericks, his alphabets, his gift for friendship. All of this is marvelously well told by Jenny Uglow, and set within the context of both Lear’s time and family background. Lear was a courageous and intrepid traveler as well as an often insecure, indecisive, and needy man. He had both physical and psychological challenges, which are sympathetically told. What shines through though, and no doubt sustained his many friendships, was his humor and affection which he bestowed upon the adults and children around him. He would have been lovely to know and I highly recommend this biography.

An up-close look at all elements of Charles's first 10 years on the throne, from the political to the (very) personal.

I enjoyed the use of lines from Restoration poetry and plays, and illustrations from contemporary playing cards, all used to re-create the largely overlooked time period.

But, Uglow's writing was often difficult to follow in this book. Especially with the frequent name changes, it was tough to remember who was who, and Uglow didn't provide many hints to jog the reader's memory. For example, it can be tough to remember exactly which Duke Monmouth is when we haven't heard about him for 10 chapters. A small reminder that he was the king's son would have cleared up quite a bit of confusion for me.

This is a First Reads for me - I won this as a Giveaway.

I was intrigued about this woman - another Sarah living a life in another time, building a very unusual church before women could officially be architects.

The idea was more romantic than the actual writing down of it. The illustrations in the book were very helpful, but larger pictures would have helped me visualize this church better. I struggled with really seeing this church in my mind with all of the odd and unique designs.

This book was filled with characters and I struggled with that, also. I was grateful for the family tree that was included in the book, but I never was able to get the names straight and really remember who was what. There seemed to be a lot of filler in the book. Good in the sense the author was trying to give us background of the times, but there was often so much information that I found myself drifting in and out as I'm reading through this.

I enjoy non-fiction. Non-fiction can be a bit difficult to read but informative, and I like to read about things I did not even know existed - like this church, for instance. However, I had a hard time following the story of Sarah Losh. So much of her life history was lost when she burned her papers before her death and the author went into detail about other people in her life to make up for this shortage. I'm also not British and I struggled with the places, trying to figure out where exactly this place is and where all these other towns are. There is a map and I studied it, but it wasn't enough for me.

At the end, I was still confused about what exactly this church was like and who all of these people were and I had difficulty getting through all of it.

This book covers mainly ten years of Charles II, from 1660 when he was restored to the throne, to 1670 when a secret treaty with Louis XIV was signed. I am no expert in this history at all, so I can't really judge how balanced, accurate, etc. the book might be. There are lots of names and all kinds of plots and intrigues. Uglow does a good job of helping the poor reader keep track, but still it is a bit overwhelming. Anyway it is a great kind of bath in the royal court affairs of the time.

I'm not sure there was a real organizing theme to the book. Why did Uglow write it? She says late in the book that Charles was the first king of the coming Age of Reason, while Louis was the last king of ... hmmm, I can't find that sentence, but maybe the last absolute monarch.

Myself, I am interested in early modern history because it's really the birth of our present age, international corporations and materialism and consumerism etc. How did we get here? This book didn't really address that perspective, but it certainly fleshed out a key piece of the story.

I loved this book, a fascinating account of the community of non-conformists whose energy and imagination fueled the industrial revolution.

Lear was a name familiar to me, but I knew nothing of his life, and nonsense verse has little appeal to me. I read this book by chance, and am really pleased I have. The book is beautiful, and wonderfully illustrated. Occasionally I thought the detail was more than sufficient, but then I got sucked into the travels and revelled in them, desperate now to follow in Lear's footsteps to India, Corsica, San Remo, and so on. I can recommend this biography.

I have always been fascinated by Charles II. He'd gone through such hell, watching his country reject his family via civil war and then kill his father. I wonder if his has something to do with his absolute determination to enjoy his life once he was asked to return as King? Wine, women, and song.
He also returned determined NOT to become involved in any religious persecution, which he was unable to uphold. When it came to running the country,Parliament held most of the cards and it seems he had little choice but to go along. England wasn't about to allow another absolute monarchy within their boundaries.
He did sponsor The Royal Society, as it seems he was scientifically curious. A big plus! I did enjoy his book, although non-fiction at times can be a bit dry, and tough to follow all the political machinations. This one is well written.

Bought this because of the good reviews and the absolutely gorgeous presentation. It's a beautiful book to hold and flick through with lots of illustrations and reproductions. As a biography, it's about as straightforward a history of a life as it's possible to imagine. That's not necessarily a criticism, but, as with any life, there are longueurs and repetitions. The analysis of Lear's nonsense is deft and illuminating (like the Dong's nose) and probably the best thing here. Mostly, though, I just like how the book feels in my hands.

This is by far the best biography I have ever read, and considering I have read many, that is high praise. I had read Levi's biography many years ago and I hardly remember anything, it left such a weak impression. What I do remember is finding it a boring book and being a bit disappointed, considering how much I love Lear.

Uglow's writing, by contrast, is like reading a good novel—e.g. you keep on hoping Lear will marry Gussie even though you know he won't in the end. Uglow brings Lear to life as an individual, while also providing insight into his art & creative process—both for his landscape painting as well as his nonsense. Her fascinating portrayal is not just of the protagonist, but the many interesting friends and acquaintances he had. She also vividly portrays the era & brings alive its artistic & cultural trends. I learned quite a bit not just about Lear and his art, but of the historical artistic milieu which influenced him.

Even if you never heard of Edward Lear, this book is highly recommended.

An excellent chronological history of Charles II reign from 1660 to 1670 following his return to England/Britain and the restoration of the monarchy.
Having recently read Peter Ackroyd's wonderfully readable narrative history of England in the seventeenth century, which dealt with the Stuarts and Cromwell, and which provides an overview of the period, I subsequently read Adrian Tinniswood's detailed history of the Great Fire of London.
A Gambling Man provided me with​ a greater​ understanding of the approach that Charles took to ruling the country, which was very pragmatic, contrasting with the apparent single-mindedness of his father and Oliver Cromwell.
Although clearly very charismatic in person, Charles does not come across as a good man; he is complicated.
He is a pleasure seeker, with numerous mistresses and a passion for gambling. But he treats his mistresses, even when they are ex-mistresses, and his illegitimate children well.
Charles provided royal patronage and showed interest (in the early days) in the Royal Society (a forum for scientists). Following the Fire of London, when he comes across as extremely hard working and able, he promotes the rebuilding of London. But it appears that his attention was not held for long once the novelty wears off, so he moved on.
I found the insights into why the English went to war with the Dutch very interesting, as well as the political maneuvering, both foreign and domestic, as I knew next to nothing about this before I read this book.
For me, Jenny Uglow persuasively explains how and why Charles continually modified his rule.
At the same time Uglow provides details of contemporary society and Charles' interaction with it, especially his many mistresses, court life and the theatre, which became both a social and political forum.
This is a very rich and readable history, although at times it provided a little too little analysis for me.

Thoroughly good read on a somewhat neglected aspect of the British experience and perspective during the Napoleonic era. Informative concerning all levels of the British social order in the period.

While I enjoyed this biography, the actual amount of biography of Sarah Losh was relatively small. No doubt this was a result of not having diaries and other personal documents to use as source material. There was a lot of information which was provided to give the background and to fill in the picture of her life.

There appeared to be only one portrait of Sarah Losh and this too highlighted the difficulty of writing a biography without the photographic sources which many biographers of more recent subjects have. I wished there were more pictures of the church she built at Wreay as this was her most important work - one full page photo of the nave of the church would have given a better impression for the reader.

This biography is well-written and therefore easy to read in spite of a lot of detail. The family tree was invaluable and I referred to it many times.

Skilfully done of course, and full of human touches, but a trifle bitty. She ranges from top to bottom of British society but the effect is ultimately a patchwork, like a short story anthology or a roman a lettres. Her "Lunar men" gave a more coherent interlinked story.

This was a densely detailed book, so detailed that Sarah Losh nearly gets lost in it. The fact that her journals were lost and papers she burned most of her papers makes it difficult to know what she was thinking when she designed and built her buildings. You have to rely on what the people of Carlisle, Wreay, and her extended family remembered and had written about her either in official village or town business or any surviving paperwork held by her family who appeared to be very good at destroying paperwork. She was forgotten by all but those in the Wreay area and the Losh library was broken up with not much of the Losh house still standing. I learned from the book, had some "really? you've got to be joking" moments, and have a few words whose definitions I have to look up.

The French Revolution, the life of Napoleon and the Napoleonic Wars must be the most written about era of history. Ushering in the modern era, these are times we can relate to most easily and directly; plus, they are full of action, intrigue, politics, hour and engaging derring-do, which also helps. But, how to address this era with a new twist? Jenny Uglow has produced a book that provides that twist an opens up a whole new perspective on these times. This book focuses not on the politics, the military action or the broad historical narrative, but on the lives of ordinary British people through the Napoleonic Wars at all levels of society. Further, she does this through the words - letters, diaries, journals, pamphlets, books - of these individuals. What we get is a remarkable insight into how these people lived their lives, how they reacted to events, how they heard about these events and how they were affected by Britain's involvement in a conflict lasting 22 years. We hear how people benefited from the War, suffered losses, lost loved ones, changed with the times (as people always eventually do), laughed and loved.

The research here is extensive and the selection of texts is just about perfect.

I really enjoyed this book about the men (including Matthew Boulton, James Watt, Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgwood) who formed the Lunar Society in Birmingham in the second half of the 18th century, devoted to learning of all aspects of natural philosophy and for conducting experiments, whilst alongside each of them was pursuing an industrious life and career in ways that made the world a little more modern.

In These Times is a masterful study of life on the homefront in Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. From the humblest weaver to the royal family, everyone makes an appearance here. There is a map at the beginning of the book showing every town that gets a mention and the map is positively covered. The result is a detailed description of everyday life in the late 18th and early 19th century. It doesn't sound particularly enjoyable, but clearly people made their own fun.

For those interested in Regency Era Britain or the Napoleonic Wars, highly recommended.

I enjoyed reading this, even though, I don't normally read history books, but Charles 11 has always intrigued me, and whether this book is authentic or not, I found it informative and interesting, though his death was hastily added on at the end. But, nonetheless, a good read.

Jenny Uglow writes so well that none of this very detailed, 600+ page social history felt difficult to get through. As a social history the focus is on what life in Britain was like throughout the 22 years the Napoleonic Wars were being fought but there were enough details in the book about the wars themselves for me to feel like I now have a better understanding of those too. Uglow draws on written accounts which include some of the Lennox sisters, politicians, authors such as Jane Austen, Walter Scott and Maria Edgeworth but also farmers, bankers, sailors - all sorts of middle class and middling class folk. It's testimony to Uglow's writing and organisational skills that the book never feels overwhelming and that she manages to cover the detail (how many ships, guns and men) as well as zooming in to give the reader the idea of the effects of the 22 year war on families and individuals.

The physical layout of the Faber hardback is beautiful - each chapter opens with an illustration from a contemporary cartoonist/satirist, as do the index, bibliography etc. It gives the whole book a feeling of being steeped in the period Uglow is covering.

A fascinating book. Even if you think you're not interested in the Napoleonic Wars, I think Uglow would change your mind.½

Uglow is a fantastic mass market historian, and her book on Gaskell is one of the best biographies I've ever read; her book on Hogarth I recommend immensely, but..

This, about the Napoleonic home front, is so diffuse. Uglow's writing is as lucid as ever and she has a journalist's eye for expressive details. It covers over 2 decades. It covers rich and poor, rural and city, military and civilian, north and south, and you can hardly see the overall picture for the anecdotes.½