A captivating look at the origins of our own tabloid culture in the salacious and titillating media of the Victorian era.
'This enthralling book shows that the Victorians revelled in political and sexual scandals, murder reports, and the antics of royalty, the upper classes and celebrities. Diamond tackles his theme with verve and skill.' —'Sunday Times'
'Entertaining… the newspapers were offering a glimpse into another kind of world, an assertion that people living not very far away from the reader had a very different, and probably more exciting, lifestyle.' —'Guardian'
'This is a fun book. The reader is constantly thinking , "Ah that's what it was all about…" The book is well illustrated with the sort of ephemera of the period that is now so sought after, and there are many quotes from the music hall balladeers who were quick to latch on to each and every sensation as soon as it became hot news.' —'Bookdealer'
Michael Diamond has been an editor, producer and presenter for the BBC, where he worked on 'The World at One' and the 'BBC World Service'. He has a lifelong interest in the Victorian Age. He is also the author of 'Lesser Breeds: Racial Attitudes in Popular British Culture, 1890–1940' (Anthem Press, 2006).