Regency England

This period is technically contained in the years 1811-1820 when the Prince of Wales (later George IV) became Prince Regent while George III was incapacitated by mental illness. But the spirit of the period can be extended greatly before and after these borders. Well known from Jane Austen's novels (and the movies adapted from them) as a time of decorum and gentility, this is also the time of the Napoleonic Wars, unprecedented industrial change and quite a bit of naughty behavior.

Books: Biographies of Persons of Interest to the Regency Period

Byron: Child of Passion, Fool of Fame by Benita Eisler: Romantic poet and romantic figure for his age, Byron was famously called "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" by Lady Caroline Lamb, who was just one of his many ex-lovers.

Prince of Pleasure by David Saul: What would this list be without a biography of the Prince Regent himself? Known as a patron of the arts, a spendthrift, and a womanizer, the Regent was a fascinating character.

Maria Fitzherbert: The Secret Wife of George IV by James Munson: When the Prince of Wales secretly and illegally married Maria Fitzherbert, a beautiful Catholic widow, it became one of the best known secrets in the Polite World of London society.

The Unruly Queen (Book and Audiocassette) by Flora Fraser: The Prince of Wales married his official wife, Caroline of Brunswick, in an arranged marriage which went terribly awry. Within weeks the couple was living apart and remained separated throughout their marriage. Also available in format.

Wellington: A Personal History by Christopher Hibbert: The military hero who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and later became Prime Minister of England, Wellington was an icon in his own time.

An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England by Venetia Murray: The scandals and social turmoil of the upper classes.

Life in Regency England by Reginald James White: An overview of the period from the lives of the very rich to the very poor.

Our Tempestuous Day (Book and Audiocassette) by Carolly Erickson: Highlights the key personalities and events of the era.

The Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian: Master and Commander (Book, CD and Audiocassette) establishes the friendship of Captain Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin and begins their adventures during the Napoleonic Wars.

The Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester: Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Book and Audiocassette) is the beginning book in this classic series following Horatio Hornblower through the ranks of the British Navy.

The Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell: If you like realistic military fiction, start with Sharpe's Rifles (Book and Audiocassette) the first book about Richard Sharpe-an everyman in the British army during the Napoleonic Wars.

The Beau Brummell series by Rosemary Stevens: Beau Brummell was a noted leader of fashion in the Regency world. The author uses this historical figure as her sleuth starting with Death on a Silver Tray.

The Jane Austen series by Stephanie Barron: Jane Austen takes a break from writing to act as amateur detective in this series beginning with Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrove Manor.

The Julian Kestrel series by Kate Ross: These well-written books follow the investigations of the elegant Julian Kestrel and his valet, Dipper. Cut to the Quick is the first in the series.

The Thief-Taker: Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner by T.F. Banks: Henry Morton is a Bow Street Runner, the regency version of a police detective, who must uncover the real reasons behind a gentleman's "accidental" death.

Jane Austen: Writing about the world in which she lived, Austen turned her astute observations of people and society into amusing and beautifully written novels. She is perhaps best known for Pride and Prejudice (Book, eBook, Audiocassette and CD) and Sense and Sensibility (Book, Audiocassette, CD and E-Book).

Georgette Heyer: With her witty dialogue, historical accuracy and light, humorous touch, Heyer is known to many as the Queen of Regency Romance. Arabella (Book and Audiocassette) is an excellent choice for dipping into this author's prodigious output.

Mary Balogh: Writing since 1985, Balogh is acknowledged as one of the best authors currently writing regencies. Good samples of her work include Dark Angel and Indiscreet.

Carla Kelly: Another author still publishing regencies, Kelly is known for her unusual characters and settings. Libby's London Merchant and Miss Chartley's Guided Tour are both published in one volume so you can try out two at once.

Patricia Veryan: An accomplished author of Georgian and Regency novels, Veryan has been delighting readers for years. Logic of the Heart is just one of her novels owned by the library.

Horatio Hornblower (Videocassette and DVD): This miniseries follows the daring adventures of Horatio Hornblower. With fine acting, exciting battle scenes and authentic costumes, it's well worth watching. Horatio's exploits go on in Horatio Hornblower: The Adventure Continues (DVD), and Horatio Hornblower: The New Adventures: Duty (Videocassette and DVD) and Horatio Hornblower: The New Adventures: Loyalty (Videocassette and DVD).

Master and Commander (Videocassette and DVD): The series is brought to film by Peter Weir in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany.

Persuasion (DVD): Although she was persuaded to reject his marriage proposal, Anne Elliot has never stopped loving Captain Wentworth. His return from the Napoleonic Wars brings them together again. This adaptation beautifully renders the subtle nuances of Jane Austen's novel.

Regency House Party (DVD): In this reality show, a group of eligible men and women take up residence in a magnificent English country estate to live as they did two centuries ago—including the social hierarchy, the lavish lifestyle, the backroom intrigues, and the intricate courtship rituals.

A Royal Scandal (Videocassette): This hilarious account chronicles the ill-fated marriage of the Prince of Wales to Caroline of Brunswick.

Sharpe's (Videocassette): A four-volume miniseries based on Bernard Cornwell's novels. Starring Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a maverick British soldier. Also available in DVD format: Sharpe’s Gold, Sharpe’s Battle, Sharpe’s Company, Sharpe’s Enemy, Sharpe’s Regiment, Sharpe’s Revenge, Sharpe’s Waterloo, Sharpe’s Mission and Sharpe’s Rifles.

St. Ives (Videocassette and DVD): Based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story, this romantic comedy follows the adventures of Jacques St. Ives, a French prisoner of war escaped from his jail in Scotland.

The Regency Collection: Regency books, recipes and other information about the period