Industrial Revolution

[Melanie]

Industrial Revolution. We all probably had an overload of history taught to us on this subject but hardly ever about the human cost of this. Also, the Industrial Revolution took place at different times across the world. So this does not have to be just set in the UK.

Some recommendations: https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

Share any books you read or will read.

[Regina]

Silas Marner

Published in 1861, but set in the early 19th century.

[Victoria]

This is the category that I've had the most difficulty thinking of books for. Silas Marner is a great pick. I wondered if Mary Barton counts as well. But maybe it's not historical enough, given that it was published in 1848 and was only set 10 years earlier in the late 1830s?

[Melanie]

Yes tricky to find books, but Silas Marner is a good one.

[Kate]

I’m going to be reading A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce. I’m very excited about this one because it’s also a rumpelstiltskin retelling.

[Kate]

Hmmm - I just realized that maybe fairytale retellings are a separate thing from historical fiction?

[Kate]

Victoria, Sylvia’s Lovers is set during Industrialization and also during the Napoleonic wars. A tragic but beautiful Gaskell!

[Victoria]

Ah thanks for that Kate, Sylvia’s Lovers is the only Gaskell I haven’t read yet. I’ll definitely be turning to that one for this prompt.

Personally I think fairytale retellings can count, so long as there is a strong historical grounding.

[Cathie]

I think Zola's novel Germinal is a fantastic portrait of French society during the Industrial Revolution. Told mainly from the viewpoint of the havenots, it's just a great -no holds barred- depiction of the life of French coal miners in the 1860's.

[Melanie]

Cathie wrote: "I think Zola's novel Germinal is a fantastic portrait of French society during the Industrial Revolution. Told mainly from the viewpoint of the havenots, it's just a great -no holds barred- depicti..."

Excellent suggestion!

[Robin]

Would The Jungle by Upton Sinclair be set too late in the Industrial Revolution?

[Robin]

Also Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser I remember being a commentary on the Industrial Revolution. If my memory isn't failing me.

[Melanie]

Robin wrote: "Would The Jungle by Upton Sinclair be set too late in the Industrial Revolution?"

it's about industrialisation, so go for it.

[Britta]

I think I'll go for Shirley by Charlotte Brontë. Which also counts for Napoleonic War. Ha, double dip. :-)

[Heidi]

I just read The Jungle last month and it is excellent for this prompt I think.

[Nisreen]

For this prompt I am reading Hard Times by Charles Dickens

[Ygraine]

i've just picked up On The House as i'd requested in on netgalley before realising it would fit this prompt! but i'm also super tempted to pick up a gaskell... the only one i've read so far is north & south, and i feel like mary barton is calling to me.

[Amanda]

Does Lark Rise to Candleford fit this? I know it was published in the 1940's and is about rural life in a Victorian village, but something tells me I think it touches on the influence of the industrial revolution in rural life. Or have I got that completely wrong (obviously never read it) xx

[Melanie]

Amanda wrote: "Does Lark Rise to Candleford fit this? I know it was published in the 1940's and is about rural life in a Victorian village, but something tells me I think it touches on the influence of the indust..."

It's naturally a Classic rather than Historical Fiction, but you can totally read this for the challenge. A lot of people chose to read a Classic rather than a Historical Fiction. Still a great experience. I wouldn't be surprised if some people picked up non-fiction. So all goes.

[Tanya Willis Anderson]

I plan to read SO FAR FROM HOME : THE DIARY OF MARY DRISCOLL {a dear America book series) by Barry Denenberg.

[Melanie]

Tanya wrote: "I plan to read SO FAR FROM HOME : THE DIARY OF MARY DRISCOLL {a dear America book series) by Barry Denenberg."

Oh that sounds really interesting, it is weird how I always think of England for the Industrial Revolution but naturally Industrial Revolution happened in a lot of places at different times.

[Melanie]

The Infidel Stain by M.J. Carter
is book 2 in the Avery and Blake series, book 1 fits the India prompt and this one fits the Industrial revolution on, so rather neat.

[Melanie]

Someone recommended this book to me for the Industrial Revolution prompt. Thought I share. Stolen Moments by Rosie Harris

[Shaun]

I think Blood & Sugar is set during to commencement of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of London as a commercial centre. Would this count?

[Sue]

I've just read Bleak House by Charles Dickens which is set in this period. Although it's mostly about a long court case, there are interesting references to the itinerant brickmakers, travelling (by foot) across the south-east of England to find work. There was a boom in demand for bricks, because of all the new factories and houses being built.

There's also a character called Robert Rouncewell, who has gone to Manchester and made a fortune from the iron industry. He comes back to the grand house where he grew up (being the son of the housekeeper there) and the lord of the manor is enraged at his lack of subservience. Sir Leicester refers to him patronisingly as the iron man - he is in fact an iron master, a position of some seniority. Robert sees no need to defer to Sir Leicester, since he is now at least as rich as he is and has has quite as much political influence.

This shake-up of the class system was a key feature of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, and it's brought out really well in this book, even though it's only a tiny part of the plot. I highly recommend it. :-)

[Melanie]

Shaun wrote: "I think Blood & Sugar is set during to commencement of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of London as a commercial centre. Would this count?"

I guess you could count it.

[Melanie]

Sue wrote: "I've just read Bleak House by Charles Dickens which is set in this period. Although it's mostly about a long court case, there are interesting references to the itinera..."

Dickens was obsessed with the changes the ongoing industrialisation brought to wellfare and quality of life. Glad you enjoyed it.

[Ruth Ann]

I finished reading Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It’s a young adult historical fiction about three women in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire which was technically part of America’s second industrial revolution. It’s a little bit of a stretch but I’m going with it.

[Melanie]

Ruth Ann wrote: "I finished reading Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It’s a young adult historical fiction about three women in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire which was technically part of America’s seco..."

I like it when you ladies and gents interpret the challenges to your liking. Go with it.

[Bonnie]

I’m reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell for this years Victober Reading Challenge (2019) and realized that it would, I hope, also fit for this groups prompt for the Industrial Revolution. I watched the movie version on Netflix and thought it was excellent. It’s so interesting how some characters remind me of those in books by Jane Austen’s and Charles Dickens too. Thus, would North and South qualify?

I like to discover a few books to fit each prompt as a way of making a more extensive reading list. Other books I also hope to read for the Industrial Revolution prompt are Bleak House and Hard Times by Charles Dickens and Shirley by Charlotte Bronte. Reading Through the Ages has been my most favorite Reading Challenge this year in which I have finished 8 prompts by reading 8 long books. No bingo yet, but I’m reading based on genuine interest and have even purchased other books to read soon for the next prompts.

[Marina]

Bonnie wrote: "I’m reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell for this years Victober Reading Challenge (2019) and realized that it would, I hope, also fit for this groups prompt for the Industrial Revolution. ..."

I'm also planning on combining a Victober read for this challenge. I've had Elizabeth Gaskell's Sylvia's Lovers on my tbr for a while and this is the perfect opportunity. Charlotte Brontë's Shirley is another good choice that would fit both challenges.