Great Victorian Reads

[Shelley]

Amazon is offering a wonderful, if not brand new, book about kleptomania in Victorian America by Abelson called When Ladies Went A'Thieving : Middleclass Shoplifters in Victorian Department Stores. It really sheds a light on the fairly commonplace epidemic of respectable women, like Lizzie, who could not resist pinching things- and WHY they did it. Good stuff! A bargain at $3.69 per copy, paperback.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... 605&sr=1-1


If Victorian interiors are your favorite, I recently finished a series of essays by Victoriana expert, Kenneth Ames and loved, Death in the Diningroom which explains why Victorians seem to have had so many dead stuffed animals, pictures of dead fish and game, carved dead beasts in the furniture, and the like hanging on the walls.

Am currently reading American Home Life, 1880-1930: A Social History of Spaces and Services which describes in great detail the Victorian Parlor and its decline which begain in the 1890's- and why. All are available on Amazon very inexpensively.

[bobarth]

Thanks for the suggestions, had to grab that first book. Never would have thought the Victorians could be so interesting!!!!!

[Shelley]

You'll love it Bobbie. Makes me imagine ole Lizzie B at McWhirr's, fingering the buttons and ribbons with a sly eye and a quick hand. The book also gives so much great background on the rise of the department store, women as consumers, the department store as a social institution and their methods for attracting women and children consumers. Some things I would never have thought of!

[Kat]

Why does that seem familiar to me?
Does anyone remember that as an online article or an LBQ item or something like that?
It's weird because I was thinking about this article this past week.

I read so many things (I'm including Hatchet submissions) and hundreds of news articles. Help!

[Shelley]

The book (When Ladies Went A'Thieving)has been around a long time, and is mentioned in Rebello's book. I just finally found it on Amazon so cheap and got it two weeks ago.

[Kat]

Maybe a contributor gave it as a source and loaned it to me to read? I know I've read it somehow but I don't have it personally.
It really is an interesting piece.

[Kat]

Guess what! This morning I went straight to my pile of Hatchets and went straight to the issue that had the "Ladies Go a' Thievin" article in the index and went straight to the article by Mary Naugle!!! I'm glad I trust myself to do stuff like that. Saves me time and energy!
See Issue May, 2006, Article titled "92 Seconds: Light Fingered Lizzie and the Kleptomania Craze" by Mary Naugle, pages 40- 46. Abelson is a reference. There are lots of "Endnotes." I usually read what sources contributors use, up to a point.

I'm going to re-read Mary's fine article now! I'm so happy to read it again!

BTW: The next page has our Allen/Missy's poem! Yay!

[bobarth]

-Got my copy of when "Ladies Go A-Thieving". It looks like it is going to be a great read. Also got a copy of "Daily Life in a Victorian House" by Laura Wilson. Lots of great pictures and it takes you through how life would be for a lady of the time. Things she would use and activities, very thin book but quite charming.

[Curryong]

I found this early short thread which discusses some seemingly interesting literature on Lizzie and the kleptomania craze in Victorian America.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5491&hilit=kleptomania

[Curryong]

I found this early short thread which discusses some seemingly interesting literature on Lizzie and the kleptomania craze in Victorian America.
Sorry, double post, apparently!!