Book
One hot summer : Dickens, Darwin, Disraeli, and the great stink of 1858
Publication Information
New Haven : Yale University Press, [2017]
Physical Description
viii, 338 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations., portraits ; 24 cm
Summary
London, 1858. Noteworthy for its broiling summer months and the related stench of the sewage-filled Thames River, the year is otherwise little remembered. Ashton reveals that thanks to significant, if unrecognized, turning points the months from May to August turned out to be a summer of consequence. She mines Victorian letters and gossip, diaries, court records, newspapers, and other contemporary sources to uncover historically crucial moments in the lives of three protagonists: Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Disraeli. Invisible threads of connection among Londoners at every social level in 1858 bring the celebrated city and its citizens vibrantly to life.
Contents
- In history
- May 1858
- June 1858, part I
- June 1858, part II
- July 1858
- July-August 1858
- The aftermath of the hot summer
- Epilogue.
Subjects
- London (England) > Civilization > 19th century.
- London (England) > History > 19th century.
- London (England) > Social conditions > 19th century.
- Thames River (England) > History > 19th century.
- Great Britain > Civilization > 19th century.
- Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 > Influence.
- Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 > Influence.
- Disraeli, Benjamin, 1804-1881 > Influence.