A Visitor's Guide to Jane Austen's England by Sue Wilkes is a thoroughly researched practical guide covering everything in England’s genteel life during Jane Austen’s time. From gentleman’s entertainment to clothes, waking habits, outhouses, being sick and how much things cost.

If you are a fan of that era, and especially Jane Austen, it will no doubt give you a lot of insights into a lot of things Austen talks about and put it in context. A lot of Austen’s life is actually used as example, some of her letters are cited, some of her books too, as well as circumstances in the life of her famous contemporaries. We learn about many odd little events at the time, it’s very anecdotal and easy to read. The chapters are short and entertaining.

For people who like me are writing stories/plays/video games set in that era it is really a wonderful guide full of information that can give life to your work (like for example which inn to stay at to get the best view, how people travel and what are the risks and what gentlemen’s club is the most sought after and what are there secret practices…. Yes, you can find all those answers in the pages of that book!).

I highly recommend the guide to all creatives and fans. A great collection, not too dense, not too restricted, that will give a good overview all in one place without having to exert any research efforts. Wonderful!

A basic guide to what various aspects of life would have been like throughout Jane Austen’s life, from marriage to mourning customs- as if the reader is a tourist to England. Written in a breezy, easy to read style, this is an excellent book for people who want just a little ‘behind the scenes’ views of what life was like for Jane Austen’s characters. Good for the casual reader looking for just a bit of history, but history lovers will find it a little basic, although still fun to read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

A Visitor’s Guide to Jane Austen’s England by Sue Wilkes provides historical context for fiction set in the Regency period (~1811-1830)—fiction that deals with the upper class, or at least the middle class. This book is particularly suited to readers of Austen and her contemporaries and/or readers of Regency Romance.

The book is presented as a guidebook for those entering Regency England (mainly London) who need a primer on social customs, how to travel, what to wear, how to address others, how much money you’ll need and what to spend it on, how to go about finding a mate, etc. The book is well-researched and footnoted and quotations from Austen and others are sprinkled throughout. It’s a light read that accomplishes the task of providing details of the period, without analysis or any deep dives into the material.

If you’ve ever wondered why fictional characters set in Regency England are doing what they do, or been curious as to what particular social tidbits mean, this book provides an informative peek into the world.

This was a splendid ride through the time period of Regency. The background and things you learn were things I had always wondered about. Not only that, but it was quite unexpected how interesting it was as I was afraid it would be dry.

This was a joy of a read and made me want to go back to Austen's books and read them again. It's a fascinating period of English history and Wilkes explores it with interest, wit and a great attention to detail.

Cleverly written historical book on the Regency period, disguised as a modern travel guide.
Well researched. Excellent read. A Janeite must read.

Thank you to Pen and Sword for the ARC to read and review.

Such a great resource that is not a dry textbook! If you have any interest in or affinity to life in England when Jane Austen was writing, you do not want to miss this book. Careful research brings this period to life and answers many questions you may not have even realized you had! Each chapter covers various aspects, such as living day to day, travel, money, leisure, finding a partner and sickness and health, all from the perspective of middle or upper class. Highly insightful and helpful to better understanding books I love to read from this time period. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

This is a lovely book offering overview of regency England. The topics flow easily form one to another and there are a plethora of Jane Austen quotes to guide you along the way. It is very pretty and well presented. I would have liked a little more in depth information but nevertheless this is a lovely coffee table book and perfect for any fan of a Jane Austen.

I have always loved and read many historical romance novels over the years and enjoyed this book because it explained so many things I have read in those novels and may not have understood at the time.

The book starts with the hierarchy of the time period: King George III and the Prince of Wales. Much has been written about his huge size and the money he wasted on gambling, clothes, and horses. Aristocrats, nobles, and gentry follow. Jane Austen’s family was considered middle class. In addition, the war with France was ongoing during that time.

The book is written as if the reader is visiting England for the first time and is being introduced to the ways to travel; hotels and their amenities; restaurant food; and the need to always be on the lookout for highwaymen.

Next we learn about the London Season running early in the New Year and ending in early summer, then the little season in autumn.

There are many references to Jane Austen’s comments plus quotes from some of her books.

I think this is a perfect book especially for all authors of historical romance to have right by their computers while writing. So much valuable information. I really enjoyed it.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an excellent history book, that doesn't really feel like a typical history book. If you have watched and loved Bridgerton on Netflix and wanted to know more about the society that it was set in, this is a must-read. Also, if you enjoy the books of Ian Mortimer - this book will be a joy to read. Absolutely loved it!

This is such a charming book. I've always been drawn to England and this time period and found this book fascinating. It was such a fun way to learn about the etiquette expected of the upper and middle class societies. I loved that it is set up as more of a guide book rather than a stuffy text book. It had the same feel that the new Netflix show Bridgerton has as far as narration. I also enjoyed the drawings at the end and loved how the cover looks like something you'd see in that time period.

This is such an entertaining and educational book. I’ve always loved this period in history and was fascinated by this book. I love how it is presented as more of a guidebook rather than a boring history textbook. Sue Wilkes takes us on a fantastic journey back in time into the lives of the upper and middle class in England. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Jane Austen’s novels or that time in history.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of A Visitor’s Guide to Jane Austen’s England. I love everything Jane Austen so I was quite eager to get my hands on this. I have to say it was such a fascinating read. I appreciate all of the details that Sue Wilkes included as well as the variety of sources she used. Her writing style was very engaging and easy to follow. I especially enjoyed that she incorporated passages from Jane Austen’s novels in order to further explain their significance during that period. Now that I am educated in what type of carriage to ride in, which playhouses to attend, and how to dance the quadrille, I’m looking forward to re-reading Austen’s novels to identify all of the regency references that I may have overlooked.

Quick read about life during the time of Jane Austen. I’ll admit it it took me a little bit to fully embrace the writing style where the book acts like guide and keeps addressing the reader directly (“On your tour of the countryside. . . “ “When you travel by stagecoach. . . “, etc). Once I was immersed I found it enjoyable and informative. A great way of incorporating history while also referencing the characters of the books. There are also some great historical sketches and drawings at the end. Thank you Pen & Sword History Publishing for granting my NetGalley wish! !

A Visitor's Guide to Jane Austen's England is a book that presents the facts of Regency life in a fun and entertaining way. The tone of the 'narration' of the text feels like someone tell you a story, and while much of the information included was already known to me from past research and reading, Wilkes goes into detail in some sections on topics that are often only glossed over in other works. As such, I think this is a valuable work both for the Jane Austen fans and for writers looking to pen their own works set in this period.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love everything *history" and I love Jane Austen, so, easy to say, this was the perfect read for me!
This book is a real gem, entertaining and informative, full of interesting tidbits about Austen's life and her writings. Also a great insight into Regency England and what life was about in that era. And a very well written one, too!
Loved it from beginning to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I love all that has to do with Jane Austen. This book shows you what it would be like living during the time in the books. If you lived in that time, how you were expected to act, an what each place that you stayed had to offer. It was a little slow and I couldn't get through all of the book.

Loved, loved, loved!
I think this type of history books are a great way to learn about everyday life in a specific time.
This one is highly entertaining, well researched and well written.
I had a lot of fun and learned a lot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I received an advance copy of, A Visitor's Guide to Jane Austen's England. This is a very interesting book. I learned a lot about life from Jane Austen's time period. Traveling, how they lived, heating and lighting etc. A great book for a fan of Jane Austen, England, or that time period.

See Georgian England through the eyes of Jane Austen and those who lived in that era in this absolutely fascinating, riveting, humorous and fun book without having to deal with the inconveniences of living it! I have read all the books on this subject I can get my hands on and was thrilled with this one and was happy to increase my knowledge. Class structure and gender, of course, are amongst the most identifiable "features" of England at that time. Marrying well (not too high above or below your station) was crucial and so was keeping appearances, at all cost. But there is so, so much more. Glimpses such as this into real lives is exciting and revealing.

Learn details about modes of transportation, the sights which greet you from the outskirts of communities, a story of a lioness attack (!), frozen chamberpots and night soil removal procedures, different types of candles to burn, how NOT to light a fire in the fireplace, heavily taxed items to pay off war debt, "bosom-friend" definition, clothing and fashion, education, occupations, childbirth and so on. I like that the costs of many things are mentioned including home upkeep and salaries. You will read about etiquette, "coming out", marriage and how to fashion a toothbrush! One of my favourite topics is about dentistry and medicine.

A lot of the information was found in books written at the time, including those of Jane Austen, as well as other documentation. The author writes in an engaging friendly tone, very enjoyable.

Jane Austen fans and those who treasure information on the era will have hundreds of reasons to be smitten with this. The author is entertaining as well as informative, certainly not dry or a slog.

My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this charming and delightful book in exchange for an honest review. It really made me smile with joy!