A Great and Monstrous Thing: London in the Eighteenth Century by Jerry White - 2012 - 729 Pages

A Great and Monstrous Thing: London in the Eighteenth Century by Jerry White is an excellent through account of life in London in the Eighteenth Century.  White takes us from the magnificent homes of the rich to stories of people living on the street. 

He includes famous people like Samuel Johnson, James Boswell, Joshua Reynolds and lots of infamous courtesans.  Long ago I did a literary tourist type visit to London and White's book took me back.

London in the 18th Century was a powerful draw for ambitious people from the provinces, Scotland and Ireland. Some became famous, others were tradesmen, servants and lots of the women became prostitutes.

There are chapters on just about every aspect of London life. London was full of prostitutes, many doubled as petty Thieves. Simple crimes could get you hung. He goes in detail into crime, publishing, hack writers and geniuses (not mutually exclusive categories), taverns, inns, different kind of servants, and much more.

if you are interested in Eighteenth Century English history this is a perfect book for you,

There is an extensive bibliography, numerous illustrations and maps.

It is currently on sale for  $4.95 as a Kindle 

I suggest you consult the author's website for bio data 

https://www.jerrywhite.co.uk/about.html

Mel Ulm