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One Hot Summer

Dickens, Darwin, Disraeli, and the Great Stink of 1858
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( 315 ratings, 61 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
One Hot Summer by Rosemary Ashton is a fascinating historical account set during the sweltering summer of 1858 in London. The book delves into how the intense heat and the resulting "Great Stink" impacted everyday life and compelled a citywide transformation. Through a blend of personal stories and historical events, Ashton explores how this pivotal time influenced London's future development and public health reforms.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are intrigued by detailed insights into London's vibrant history, particularly during the intense summer of 1858. This engaging account blends cultural history with anecdotal stories, providing a fascinating glimpse into a transformative period driven by both environmental challenge and societal change.

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A unique, colorful view of Victorian London when residents both famous and now-forgotten endured "the Great Stink" across one hot summer

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One Hot Summer offers a unique, colourful view of Victorian London when residents, both famous and now-forgotten, endured "the Great Stink" across one hot summer.

While 1858 in London may have been noteworthy for its broiling summer months and the related stench of the sewage-filled Thames River, the year is otherwise little remembered. And yet, historian Rosemary Ashton reveals in this compelling microhistory that 1858 was marked by significant, if unrecognized, turning points. For ordinary people, and also for the rich, famous, and powerful, the months from May to August turned out to be a summer of consequence.

Ashton mines Victorian letters and gossip, diaries, court records, newspapers, and other contemporary sources to uncover historically crucial moments in the lives of three protagonistsβ€”Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Disraeli. She also introduces others who gained renown in the headlines of the day, among them George Eliot, Karl Marx, William Thackeray, and Edward Bulwer Lytton. Ashton reveals invisible threads of connection among Londoners at every social level in 1858, bringing the celebrated city and its citizens vibrantly to life.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

One Hot Summer by Rosemary Ashton is praised for its superb research and engaging narrative, focusing on the significant year of 1858 in the lives of Dickens, Disraeli, and Darwin. The book captures the turbulent midsummer of London, marked by the infamous Great Stink, offering vivid descriptions of public upheaval and societal transformation. Critics appreciate the detailed exploration of daily life, saying it's both an informative and entertaining portrayal of Victorian values and events. Ashton's ability to uncover lesser-known stories and weave them into the broader historical context has been particularly highlighted.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300238662

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 July 2018

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 28 b-w illus.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 454g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Rosemary Ashton is Emeritus Quain Professor of English Language and Literature, University College London. She is the author of ten previous books and a fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Society of Literature. She lives in London.

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