…beneath the surface glitter of Regency life–the opulent interiors, the elegant dress, the grand, scenic architecture–was an underlying malaise, a pervasive emptiness and sense of loss that afflicted a wide spectrum of the populace. Equally powerful was a shift in the moral tone, an urge to uplift, improve and spiritually regenerate the realm–and the world, if possible.
From Bas Bleu: Our Tempestuous Day takes a lively plunge into all the social, political, religious, economic, and moral complexities of England in the years between 1810 and 1820. With plenty of big personalities and turbulent drama, this enthralling history often reads like juicy fiction. Carolly Erickson’s insightful book is sure to please Anglophiles, historians, and anyone interested in paradoxical times. (CH)