The Regency Underworld

by Donald A. Low

Book Overview

Alongside the world of Pride and Prejudice and Vanity Fair , Byron, Keats, Constable and Nash, there also existed a pulsating underworld where crime and vice of every kind flourished. Venture into this forgotten world, and discover a fascinating place filled with pleasure-seekers, criminals and body snatchers at work. This revised edition has a new introduction by the author, and is illustrated with a variety of contemporary prints, portraits and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0750940476
• ISBN13: 9780750940474
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: History Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.6" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent, intriguing information

Gentle Journey This book is fantastic for the Regency writer who wants to be accurate with their historical facts, but it is also as easy to read through as a novel and filled with interesting details. I am very glad I bought it.

A Different World

This book, THE REGENCY UNDERWORLD, does a good job of depicting the social reality of London's underbelly, circa 1800. Unlit streets, bad smells, contaminated water and food, throngs of poor, excess wealth and fine taste, all merge nicely in this piece. The book does a fine job of capturing another world, one which would no doubt scare the daylights out of anyone today. It is one benchmark for speaking about "progress" in the course of 19th century England.

Fascinating and lively portrayal

The seamier side of London in the early nineteenth century written with flare. This book was an enjoyable romp through the back streets, slums and 'rookeries' of London and the attempts by authorities to control them.The book is packed full of detail of the people of the time including some of the more famous characters such as fences and theives and the methods they used to continue their trade. You can read about 'Mudlarks and scuffle hunters' of the river Thames, or if you prefer, the 'resurrectionists' who traded in dead bodies for medical students.Low also draws deeply on literature of the time such as Pierce Egan's "Life in London" which is chock full of authentic Regency-era slang. For instance Money could be referred to as "Blunt, rhino, flash the screens, sport the rhino, show the needful, post the pony, nap the rent, stump the pewter, tip the brads down with the dust only get into tip street."Some great illustrations and a fun trip into the life among the lower orders.