Victorian America: Transformations in Everyday Life, 1876-1915 (The Everyday Life in America Series, Vol. 4) | 
 enlarge | Author: Thomas J. Schlereth
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 138956
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0060921609
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.8
EAN: 9780060921606
ASIN: 0060921609
Publication Date: July 15, 1992
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Condition: **Books may NOT include Online Access Codes (InfoTrac, MyEconLab).** Books MAY contain highlighting, writing, and/or bent pages. We ship M - F.
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Product Description
A valuable and compelling portrait of the daily life of Americans during the Victorian era--the fourth volume in the Everyday Life in America series
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Tedious, but great info September 5, 2008
I read this book for a class and I am glad it was assigned because I learned so much from reading it. However, this is not a book I'd expect anyone to read for pleasure.
The book is a social history of post-Reconstruction to about World War I. The author breaks down categories of everyday life -- housing, working, playing, etc. -- showing how much things changed during that 40-year period. And it is loaded with information. I learned that Americans used to buy houses from the Sears catalog; I learned of the origins of some of the more popular department stores and products of today, like Filene's and Post cereal; I learned about the early stages of the telephone and voice recorder. It was very educational.
However, it reads like a textbook. There's no color here, just one fact after another. It serves its purpose as an informative book that provides background for a class on that era, but it's hardly the kind of book you take to the beach for a relaxing, smooth read.
 Good place to start February 11, 2008
The book overviews the Victorian period, touching on a vast array of topics that would have influenced the daily lives of ordinary people. I would highly recommend it for those looking to introduce themselves to this age or those interested in the factors leading the changes of the times. However, it does not go into deep discussion / explanation on individual topics. I would consider this an introductory book rather than an instructional book.
 Focus Is On The Details Of Daily Life October 4, 2007
I bought this to use as a textbook for my own indepedent study of Victorian American history. At first I was a bit disappointed because it didn't offer much attention to the broad outlines of the era - the presidents, the wars and other major personalities and events. Instead it was more about the details of everyday life for the average American, with chapters on topics such as work, play and housing.
But this book really grew on me, as I found myself transported to an earlier time where I could imagine what it was like to live 100 hundred years ago. Part of what makes this book successful is that the era itself is so interesting. The "Gilded Age" was certainly a time of rapid transformations in American life, as people increasingly moved from the country to the city, major technological innovations, such as the electric light bulb and the telephone, occurred, the population and consumerism both dramatically increased and the beginnings of modern life and a youth orientated culture began to take shape.
The time between the end of Reconstruction and World War I is probably the most overlooked in American history. But I came away from this book feeling that these years, from 1876 - 1915, were also among the most interesting.
Lanny North May 7, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent insight into the past, especially for Americans. A glimpse into the make up our Great-Grandparents and Grandparents is both releasing and enlightening.
The baby thrown out with the bath casts a sidewards glance at the future peering back at its births and deaths. A good portion of our soul, tarnished, bloody and torn seethes beneath the surface of modern life. In a way we struggle to clasp what the Victorians so feverishly tried to find. We still battle its Darwin.
We still feel faint in the presence of the Almighty and argue with the same with the same ferocity. We wish to hold Civilized life while we fear and invite the uncivilized. The Victorians tried and were cast from the Garden. We can learn from their banished hopes, dreams and fears. The baby once thrown out needs at least a nod from us who are no wiser.
Victorain America: Trans. in Everyday Life. November 10, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was purchased to help with research for this time of our history. It is excellent and has provided much needed and trustworthy information.
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