Our Tempestuous Day: A History of Regency England

Entertaining and memorable, but peppered with thin, bad takes based on thin, bad readings of history. Plus bonus fatphobia and slut-shaming, which sort of comes with the territory (poor Caroline) but the text sure does revel in it.

This book serves as a readable and interesting history of Regency England. Erickson explores a range of topics from the political and military to Luddite risings and social happenings. I learned new things about the period and was fascinated by the presentation of a much darker era than what is often reflected in popular fiction.

A fairly short and easily digested history of the Regency period, touching on everything from politics and royal intrigues to literature, military action, and the Luddite rebellion. Certainly made me want to go out and find more books about some of these issues, and Erickson did a very nice job of contextualizing some of these varied events - I'd forgotten that so much was happening simultaneously during this period, and it's interesting to see that laid out so nicely.

First and foremost, the author’s main aim is not to write a comprehensive view of regency England. Instead this is a scholarly, but not dry, examination of the contradiction between two competing images, glittering elegance against violent chaos present in this age. Particularly interesting are the individual human stories that open into broader discussions of cultural trends. For example, the marriage of Princess Charlotte is used to introduce the change in the view of women. These accounts humanize the history presented. I am not as familiar with this time period so at times I did become confused at the flow of events. This is a social history that is an idea book for people interested in a broader outlook of the time, but not for a show more causal reader that lack a basic understanding of the time period. show less

I absolutely loved this book, but I concede that it is made for a specialist’s taste. It is an engagingly well-written history of the Regency period in England – the decade between 1810 and 1820 when George III was sunk in the throes of illness and lunacy, when his eldest son assumed the regency. For anyone who’s been a devotee of the genre known as Regency Romances, and has a historical bent, this book is a clearly-written and entertaining depiction of this most exciting period in English history. From Lord Byron’s scandalous carryings-on with aristocratic ladies to the rise of Evangelicalism, from the Napoleonic Wars to the Peterloo Massacre, this was a time of great ferment in this most important island nation.

Each chapter takes a different focal point, while moving through the decade of 1810-1820. There are a lot of interesting facts, reports of incidents, gossip of personages, and descriptions of parties. There were many more reports of upper class events than poor people's, although the last couple of chapters reported on the 'climbing boys' and the Peterloo Massacre. Also, as the Age was, very focused on London, although the last couple chapters reported on the industrial cities of the North, Manchester and Birmingham, a little, and there was much examination of Brighton. Well researched.

An interesting but not very deep overview of the period. Concentrates largely on some notable personalities, with some odd omissions: Byron, but not Scott or Shelley; Wellington, but not Nelson.