Very enlightening.

Anyone that is interested in the classic 19th century British novels, novels centered on 19th century British life, or 19th century British history would be greatly assisted by possession of a copy of this little book. It is a relatively short volume that reads like a combination almanac, compendium of antiquated British manners, social customs, and protocols. The author uses references to the classic novels of this era as a guide through life as it existed in the England of the 19th century from the Queen to the lowest level of British poverty. Needless to say Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Anthony Trollope are cited frequently. It is an interesting and informative little book that I will probably hold on to because of my weakness for books on nautical adventures during the Age of Sail. While it does focus on 19th century life I think it is also useful in explaining much of earlier British culture as well especially regarding the ranks and behavior of the nobility of England as that area of British life didn't seem to change a great deal until the 20th century. Enjoy.

A practical, easy to understand guide to life in the 1800's. It explained lots of little tidbits that we skim over in older books because we don't understand them. It was fun to read. I would absolutely buy it and have it on the shelf for future reference.

Delightful!
Es hat durchweg Spaß gemacht zu lesen und auch wenn ich einige Kapitel spannender fand als andere, der literarische Bezug, den Daniel Pool hergestellt hat, hat auch das drögeste Thema aufgewertet. Insgesamt hat es sehr viele Bücher auf meine Leseliste gepackt - der Autor hat seinen Schwerpunkt auf Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, George Elliot, Thomas Hardy und Charlotte & Emily Brontë. Als Recherche für mich als Schreiberin ein unschätzbares Buch. Aber auch für jeden der Interesse an der Zeit hat oder gerne 19th Century english literature liest und endlich verstehen möchte, wovon manchmal die Rede ist. ;) Kann ich nur empfehlen!

Exactly what you'd expect. If you enjoy reading nineteenth-century literature, this is definitely worth a skim. Pros: several truly fascinating facts, and organized in a user-friendly manner.
Cons: Overuse of quotes and examples from novels and pretty ungainly writing.

I loved this book from the moment I read its title. It's a jolly delightful look at perhaps the most popular century ever. And the best part? It pays high tribute to the classic novels of the era - including Austen, Dickens, Eliot, Hardy and more. As a lover of all these authors, as well as the period in general, the book offered up one delight after another.

As other reviewers have noted, it does grow repetitious (sometimes word for word) in areas, but I suspect this is to make it more useful for those using as a reference manual. I read the book as research for an upcoming historical novel, and, although I read it straight through this time, I can see myself appreciating the repetition in places should I need to look up particular facts later on.

Honestly, I think I could stop my research right and be able to write the novel based just one the treasures found in this one book.

This book is great, especially if you read any Dickens, Austen, Trollope, etc. It was a very easy read, especially for a "history" book. It was very insightful about the time period, covering all socioeconomic classes and differences between the sexes. I recommend this.

Very good and very engaging. The first half to 2/3 of the book are various articles about aspects of life found in Victorian life, as depicted in the novels of Dickens, Eliot, Austen, et al. The last half to 1/3 is a detailed glossary of various terms and concepts one would encounter in the novels. Well written and a good resource for anyone interested in the social history of the Victorian era.

A nice companion piece to historical fiction set in 19th century England. I was surprised how much I actually knew but it was a fun book to skim.

This is one of those odd little books, full of interesting facts and factoids--it's a perfect bathroom book, to dip into and out of, but not to read straight through. It would be useful for a novelist writing in the era.

Knowledgeable and well researched, yet I found this book less than what I wanted, mostly due to the title. While Jane Austen is the first author listed in the title, the book references and focuses more frequently (possibly due to quantity of titles) on the works of Trollope and Dickens. Austen is rarely referenced- in fact, Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre might get more mentions individually than the entire works of Austen. Granted, this book is focused on the Nineteenth Century, of which Austen is very early; however, I came to this book for Austen insight and left wanting to have gained more insight.

What Jane Austin Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist - the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England by Daniel Pool (Simon & Schuster 1993) (820.9). This is the backstory of Downton Abbey, more or less. It explains the day-to-day life of an Englishman or Englishwoman in the 1800's in detail. This is pure trivia for the Anglophile. My rating: 7/10, finished 8/16/16.