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Uproar!: Satire, Scandal & Printmakers in Georgian London
London, 1772: a young artist called Thomas Rowlandson is making his way through the grimy backstreets of the capital, on his way to begin his studies at the Royal Academy Schools. Within a few years, James Gillray and Isaac Cruikshank would join him in Piccadilly, turning satire into an artform, taking on the British establishment, and forever changing the way we view power.
Set against a backdrop of royal madness, political intrigue, the birth of modern celebrity, French revolution, American independence and the Napoleonic Wars, UPROAR! follows the satirists as they lampoon those in power, from the Prince Regent to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Their prints and illustrations deconstruct the political and social landscape with surreal and razor-sharp wit, as the three men vie with each other to create the most iconic images of the day.
UPROAR! fizzes with energy on every page. Alice Loxton writes with verve and energy, never failing to convince in her thesis that Gillray and his gang profoundly altered British humour, setting the stage for everything from Gilbert and Sullivan to Private Eye and Spitting Image today. This is a book that will cause readers to reappraise everything they think they know about genteel Georgian London, and see it for what it was - a time of UPROAR!
Set against a backdrop of royal madness, political intrigue, the birth of modern celebrity, French revolution, American independence and the Napoleonic Wars, UPROAR! follows the satirists as they lampoon those in power, from the Prince Regent to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Their prints and illustrations deconstruct the political and social landscape with surreal and razor-sharp wit, as the three men vie with each other to create the most iconic images of the day.
UPROAR! fizzes with energy on every page. Alice Loxton writes with verve and energy, never failing to convince in her thesis that Gillray and his gang profoundly altered British humour, setting the stage for everything from Gilbert and Sullivan to Private Eye and Spitting Image today. This is a book that will cause readers to reappraise everything they think they know about genteel Georgian London, and see it for what it was - a time of UPROAR!
416 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
November 6, 2022
I have long loved the satirical drawings of Georgian England and have wished to learn more about them, since, while they often illustrate books on the era, they are rarely spoken of in any detail. Therefore I was excited to see a book releasing on this very topic. Overall, Alice Loxton's Uproar! is a wonderful read. It was fascinating to learn more about the background of the artists and the manner in which they produced their prints. Their personal stories were expertly woven in with discussion of the key events and people they lampooned in their artworks, and I learnt a few new things along the way that I hadn't come across in other books on the period. The only reason this book gets 4.5 stars from me and not a full 5 is the fact that, given it is a book about art, I would have liked to have seen more visuals included, perhaps in the form of colour plates. However, I note that I was reading an ARC. Therefore, it may well be that additional images will be included in the final version of the book. I will have to take a look once it releases, as this is one I would like to buy a copy of for my shelf! Recommended for anyone interested in either the Georgian era or the birth of cartoons and satirical artwork.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2024
I listened to this as an audiobook and it was very well made. I never thought much of this part of history but was curious when I saw the book. Very interesting and it did make me more interested in satire and such.
May 11, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. It’s about the satirists Thomas Rowlandson, James Gilroy, and Issac Cruikshanks. Who are these guys? Exactly, but they were the creators of cartoons about the Politicians and the monarchies of the time. Making fun of the people with power. Including Napoleon during the late 1790s and early 1800s.
Their fun sketches making fun of the royals and politicians were displayed in a shop window in Piccadilly and made people laugh. An early version of the Internet. The public couldn’t get enough.
Probably where we Brits get that satire sense of humour?
It seems the Victorians removed this kind of humour and their history has been in the shadows ever since. The cartoons were too saucy for them.
Well done to the author also bringing the history of the time into the book, from 1790-1820, from George III, George IV, Fox and Pitt, Napoleon, and many others. A lot of this I didn’t really know about.
Next time I walk down Piccadilly I will think of them. And you will also want to look up the cartoons on the Internet.
February 13, 2023
Fantastically entertaining, enthralling and educational to boot. I loved this delve into the everyday and not so everyday life of seventeenth century Britain and the unsung heroes, the cartoonists who depicted the goings on and political events with an incredibly dry wit and excellently observing eye.
The level of detail in the narrative is stunning so i felt fully immersed in the contemporary era. I loved that the author drew comparison and made quips which pinged us back to the present era, as they were astute observations in the same style as the artists about they were writing about and reminded me that, although centuries apart, there are many parallels to be drawn.
An exceptional book after which I feel much enlightened and enthused to further research the subject. Absolutely brilliant.
The level of detail in the narrative is stunning so i felt fully immersed in the contemporary era. I loved that the author drew comparison and made quips which pinged us back to the present era, as they were astute observations in the same style as the artists about they were writing about and reminded me that, although centuries apart, there are many parallels to be drawn.
An exceptional book after which I feel much enlightened and enthused to further research the subject. Absolutely brilliant.
May 17, 2024
Not my normal read, but it was an insight into one of the most interesting periods of British history through the eyes of a group of artists who have been forgotten and under appreciated. A really easy read, despite it being non-fiction and historical. Definitely worth reading.
August 29, 2023
Amazing research, loved the breakdown of the images and really enjoyed the lives of these people, glad they are getting more recognition now, especially Hannah
August 12, 2024
At first this book was a little lost on me, the topic almost too small and focused - I wondered if this was modern history...extremely specialized almost to the point of absurdity.
I stuck with it because, simply, I find Alice Loxton's online presence and presentations to be fantastic.
Worth it.
The book is very much inline with Loxton's style and voice, and expands the picture to really place the importance of the unusual topic in the big picture, with intricate connections and explanations to a great many things - all tied up nicely. For me, this was almost a character work, read more just to read the author than the subject - and I enjoyed it as such.
Worth reading if you are already a Loxton fan or if you are interested in satire, journalism, and a unique place in history.
I stuck with it because, simply, I find Alice Loxton's online presence and presentations to be fantastic.
Worth it.
The book is very much inline with Loxton's style and voice, and expands the picture to really place the importance of the unusual topic in the big picture, with intricate connections and explanations to a great many things - all tied up nicely. For me, this was almost a character work, read more just to read the author than the subject - and I enjoyed it as such.
Worth reading if you are already a Loxton fan or if you are interested in satire, journalism, and a unique place in history.
March 4, 2023
Alice Loxton’s Uproar! Probably needs its subtitle - Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London – to give the reader a clue what it’s about. Don’t let the Author’s Note at the beginning put you off. Its deliberately “down and dirty” tone – “We’ll pry into the most intimate moments of our ancestors’ lives – see them sneeze and yawn, hear them giggle and snort” does not reflect the deep scholarship that Loxton has put into this book. It’s far better than you might be led to expect from that introduction, even though a later footnote includes “Ten points to Gryffindor”.
The look is undoubtedly written in a brisk style and does use the domestic lives of its subjects to carry the narrative forward. Chapter one starts with “A fifteen-year-old whippersnapper named Tom scurried through the grimy backstreets of eighteenth-century London.” That’s Thomas Rowlandson, the great artist. The book focuses upon Rowlandson, James Gillray and Isaac Cruikshank. There are imagined conversations between them and other suppositions about what they did or thought but, in general, this is serious research put over in a very light C21st manner – “The nation held its breath and grabbed the popcorn.”.
Loxton does an excellent job of showing us the rivalry between the artists and the printmakers to depict the truly exciting political and court world of the late 1700s and early 1800s. CJ Fox, William Pitt and the Prince Regent were just a few of the much larger than life characters that the artists gleefully lampooned. Like today’s brilliant Matt of the Daily Telegraph, they responded overnight to news stories. Although I knew a bit about the political history of the time and about the artists, Loxton’s narrative really does put the two together in a highly readable way. Understanding the commercial aspects of the print world, with rival printmakers racing to be the first to issue prints commenting on current news stories; the scandals (and why they were scandals); and the political leanings of the various players, makes this book the best commentary upon those times that I’ve read.
I really do recommend this book. If, like me, you have initial reservations about the very modern prose style that mentions Rowlandson’s aunt giving him “dollops of TLC”, don’t worry. It actually works very well and does carry the narrative forward at pace. I began to enjoy the style and I emphatically enjoyed the book. There are enough footnotes to satisfy the most fastidious historian, drawing upon primary and secondary sources; a comprehensive bibliography; and lots of illustrations. The quality of the reproductions weren’t terribly good in the proof e-book I was sent, but that might be down to them being prints that are, after all, over 200 years old!
#UPROAR #NetGalley
The look is undoubtedly written in a brisk style and does use the domestic lives of its subjects to carry the narrative forward. Chapter one starts with “A fifteen-year-old whippersnapper named Tom scurried through the grimy backstreets of eighteenth-century London.” That’s Thomas Rowlandson, the great artist. The book focuses upon Rowlandson, James Gillray and Isaac Cruikshank. There are imagined conversations between them and other suppositions about what they did or thought but, in general, this is serious research put over in a very light C21st manner – “The nation held its breath and grabbed the popcorn.”.
Loxton does an excellent job of showing us the rivalry between the artists and the printmakers to depict the truly exciting political and court world of the late 1700s and early 1800s. CJ Fox, William Pitt and the Prince Regent were just a few of the much larger than life characters that the artists gleefully lampooned. Like today’s brilliant Matt of the Daily Telegraph, they responded overnight to news stories. Although I knew a bit about the political history of the time and about the artists, Loxton’s narrative really does put the two together in a highly readable way. Understanding the commercial aspects of the print world, with rival printmakers racing to be the first to issue prints commenting on current news stories; the scandals (and why they were scandals); and the political leanings of the various players, makes this book the best commentary upon those times that I’ve read.
I really do recommend this book. If, like me, you have initial reservations about the very modern prose style that mentions Rowlandson’s aunt giving him “dollops of TLC”, don’t worry. It actually works very well and does carry the narrative forward at pace. I began to enjoy the style and I emphatically enjoyed the book. There are enough footnotes to satisfy the most fastidious historian, drawing upon primary and secondary sources; a comprehensive bibliography; and lots of illustrations. The quality of the reproductions weren’t terribly good in the proof e-book I was sent, but that might be down to them being prints that are, after all, over 200 years old!
#UPROAR #NetGalley
January 2, 2024
3 1/2 stars.
This book started with a faux pas. Not by the author, but by me. The author, Alice Loxton, is becoming known as a rising face of British history, in large part due to Dan Snow's History Hit YouTube channel. This is how I became familiar with her work, and that she wrote a book. And I happened to be in London just after this book was released, so why not grab it?
Therein lies the faux pas. I didn't even look at the subject of the book! I guess I was expecting a more general book, in line with what I had seen of her work, instead this is a detailed dive into political and cultural satirical artists of the late Georgian era. Not something I am particularly interested in, and after finishing the book that hasn't changed a lot.
The writing was a bit thick at times, and she jumped between artists often and quickly, which made it hard to remember who was who, or did what, or when. I would have liked to get more sense of their impact, it was talked about but not enough. And the illustrations were way too small, at least in the Kindle version. I will compare it to the printed edition.
All in all it was a little interesting, though a few Wiki articles would have sufficed. Next time I will do my research first.
This book started with a faux pas. Not by the author, but by me. The author, Alice Loxton, is becoming known as a rising face of British history, in large part due to Dan Snow's History Hit YouTube channel. This is how I became familiar with her work, and that she wrote a book. And I happened to be in London just after this book was released, so why not grab it?
Therein lies the faux pas. I didn't even look at the subject of the book! I guess I was expecting a more general book, in line with what I had seen of her work, instead this is a detailed dive into political and cultural satirical artists of the late Georgian era. Not something I am particularly interested in, and after finishing the book that hasn't changed a lot.
The writing was a bit thick at times, and she jumped between artists often and quickly, which made it hard to remember who was who, or did what, or when. I would have liked to get more sense of their impact, it was talked about but not enough. And the illustrations were way too small, at least in the Kindle version. I will compare it to the printed edition.
All in all it was a little interesting, though a few Wiki articles would have sufficed. Next time I will do my research first.
February 18, 2024
Five stars are not enough to rate this wonderful journey through history. Someone who is not British but very passionate about British history - who would have thought that satirists held such an exciting story?
I devoured every page as if it were a spoonful of my favorite sweet. I loved it, loved it, loved it! Fascinating! I learned so much, and I had fun while doing so.
I am 100% hooked and patiently waiting for the next book Alice Loxton will create. And so it will continue. Thank you for sharing these hidden gems of history!
I devoured every page as if it were a spoonful of my favorite sweet. I loved it, loved it, loved it! Fascinating! I learned so much, and I had fun while doing so.
I am 100% hooked and patiently waiting for the next book Alice Loxton will create. And so it will continue. Thank you for sharing these hidden gems of history!
October 23, 2024
I started following Loxton on Instagram years ago, and as soon as she started talking about her book, I knew I wanted to buy it. It just so happened that she was touring in Edinburgh while I was there for my honeymoon, so my husband and I went to the reading - what better place to buy a copy!
This book is witty and informing - I am not British, so many of the names and places weren’t very familiar to me, but I feel like I learned so much! Loxton’s writing style is accessible and way to read, and I just think she is so funny.
If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary and historical, this is your book!
This book is witty and informing - I am not British, so many of the names and places weren’t very familiar to me, but I feel like I learned so much! Loxton’s writing style is accessible and way to read, and I just think she is so funny.
If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary and historical, this is your book!
August 23, 2023
Did you know Napoleon was slightly above average height for his time period? So why do we think of him as short? Because brilliant satirist James Gillray portrayed him as a toddler having a tantrum and the image became so pervasive in Georgian a England that the image is still with us today.
Alice Loxton gives us a fascinating look into the work and lives of Great Britain’s original satirical artists and with it an understanding of Georgian England.
Excellent read.
Alice Loxton gives us a fascinating look into the work and lives of Great Britain’s original satirical artists and with it an understanding of Georgian England.
Excellent read.
July 19, 2024
I learned and I laughed - what more can you ask! A funny story about the history of satirist and their influence on society. A niche topic with global appeal and effect. I don’t usually read non-fiction history books, but after seeing Alice on Instagram I was drawn to her style. I am so happy to report that this accessible tone translates into her writing as well.
August 12, 2024
4.25
a really well done look into the origins of published satire which did a great job of situating it in the european political perspective. also it made me think of lila bard a lot
a really well done look into the origins of published satire which did a great job of situating it in the european political perspective. also it made me think of lila bard a lot
August 15, 2024
An excellent navigation through the Georgian period art world and the rise of satire!
Our laid back attitude towards mocking drawings that other countries might consider treasonous propaganda made me proud!
I had no idea Gillray and Rowlandson were so influential!
Our laid back attitude towards mocking drawings that other countries might consider treasonous propaganda made me proud!
I had no idea Gillray and Rowlandson were so influential!
April 18, 2024
I wish I could have enjoyed this, but I have an issue with non-fiction books acting like historical fiction. This book is interspersed with fake conversations and fake diary entries (etc.), and though it doesn't pretend that these conversations and entries are real, I do think that it impacts the legitimacy of the historian and the history being presented.
April 14, 2024
Fascinating topic, but the writing style is utter garbage.
The book is riddled with speculations, made-up conversations, made-up diary entries, made-up radio reports, made-up Tripadvisor reviews (wtf?) and there are constant allusions to modern inventions, devices and behaviour.
The histoical research is also... lacking.
Also, can we please stop making Harry Potter references in history books??!
The book is riddled with speculations, made-up conversations, made-up diary entries, made-up radio reports, made-up Tripadvisor reviews (wtf?) and there are constant allusions to modern inventions, devices and behaviour.
The histoical research is also... lacking.
Also, can we please stop making Harry Potter references in history books??!
May 5, 2023
This read differently to other history books, far more energy and enthusiasm than anything I have experienced. Loxton writes with great fascination and detail, it's hard not to get swept away with it. A fantastic read.
March 14, 2023
I think writing a book about some of Britain's most interesting, funny, and talented artists that are so often overlooked was an absolute masterstroke by Alice. These are people, as Alice says, who have been confined to historians or art experts for too long and they deserve to be adored and enjoyed by the public. I don't think anyone else could have brought them back into the limelight like Alice has.
March 7, 2023
Unfortunately, despite the hype, this book just doesn't hit the mark.
August 5, 2023
5/5 stars. Thanks TikTok!
As a fan of Alice Loxton’s history content on TikTok (and someone interested in the late 1700s & British history), I was really excited when she published this book and knew I had to read it.
Historical nonfiction purists out there probably won’t enjoy this as much as I did from a writing style perspective: Loxton uses modern references to make points in a very casual, comical, delivery style. She uses hypothetical dialogue, journal entries, and “picture this” narrative devices to bring the reader into the past-she doesn’t simply regurgitate factual information. This, for me, was an interesting choice, but one that worked, especially given the light, jokey content & tone of the book. Her delivery style on TikTok and her delivery in this book is very similar-I could hear her voice in my head as I read this!
Regarding content: though I’m interested in the Georgian period in general, I wouldn’t necessarily choose a book about famous-yet-not-famous Georgian figures to read about. But, I’m glad I did! It’s fascinating, genuinely, to read about normal people from the past, see how they navigate major historical events, and just understand the gossipy, media culture of the time. I also learned a lot about satirists and caricature artists and the tabloidish media…and saw that honestly, it really hasn’t changed that much. My favorite chapters dealt with the French Revolution and how that was handled by the satirists in England: it was supported by the English public and thus supported via caricature, but as soon as they murked their king, public opinion turned…and the satirists did too (though they did take the opportunity to poke fun, to an extent, at the English for their hypocrisy regarding perceived French “barbarism” after their king’s execution - I mean, the English had murked *their* king only 100 years prior after all!).
What really struck me was the revelation that these satirist-Rowlandson, Gillray, Cruikshanks, and Humphrey (not a true satirist but she gave them a platform in her publishing house!) - haven’t been written about before at this level of depth. Like, I vividly remember seeing these satire images while learning about the Georgian era in my history classes in school (after all, they have a particular look to them); if I saw them in America back in 2011, they must have been viewed and studied widely! But no: as Loxton says, the Victorians did a good job of stamping out their memory (as an aside, Loxton did a great job of depicting the differences between Georgian London-opulent, unserious [even when things were very much serious], light, funny, and indulgent - and Victorian London: dark, dingy, chaste, hypocritical, and serious). Her book, therefore, does history a service of bringing the history-and the people behind them-to life once again.
As a fan of Alice Loxton’s history content on TikTok (and someone interested in the late 1700s & British history), I was really excited when she published this book and knew I had to read it.
Historical nonfiction purists out there probably won’t enjoy this as much as I did from a writing style perspective: Loxton uses modern references to make points in a very casual, comical, delivery style. She uses hypothetical dialogue, journal entries, and “picture this” narrative devices to bring the reader into the past-she doesn’t simply regurgitate factual information. This, for me, was an interesting choice, but one that worked, especially given the light, jokey content & tone of the book. Her delivery style on TikTok and her delivery in this book is very similar-I could hear her voice in my head as I read this!
Regarding content: though I’m interested in the Georgian period in general, I wouldn’t necessarily choose a book about famous-yet-not-famous Georgian figures to read about. But, I’m glad I did! It’s fascinating, genuinely, to read about normal people from the past, see how they navigate major historical events, and just understand the gossipy, media culture of the time. I also learned a lot about satirists and caricature artists and the tabloidish media…and saw that honestly, it really hasn’t changed that much. My favorite chapters dealt with the French Revolution and how that was handled by the satirists in England: it was supported by the English public and thus supported via caricature, but as soon as they murked their king, public opinion turned…and the satirists did too (though they did take the opportunity to poke fun, to an extent, at the English for their hypocrisy regarding perceived French “barbarism” after their king’s execution - I mean, the English had murked *their* king only 100 years prior after all!).
What really struck me was the revelation that these satirist-Rowlandson, Gillray, Cruikshanks, and Humphrey (not a true satirist but she gave them a platform in her publishing house!) - haven’t been written about before at this level of depth. Like, I vividly remember seeing these satire images while learning about the Georgian era in my history classes in school (after all, they have a particular look to them); if I saw them in America back in 2011, they must have been viewed and studied widely! But no: as Loxton says, the Victorians did a good job of stamping out their memory (as an aside, Loxton did a great job of depicting the differences between Georgian London-opulent, unserious [even when things were very much serious], light, funny, and indulgent - and Victorian London: dark, dingy, chaste, hypocritical, and serious). Her book, therefore, does history a service of bringing the history-and the people behind them-to life once again.
June 6, 2024
The roughly forty years from about 1780 to 1820 were a golden age of British political caricature. The three stars were Thomas Rowlanson, James Gillray and Isaac Cruikshank. London was full of print shops which sold their always funny and often vicious drawings hot off the press. They drew King George as a glutton, politicians as locusts and Napoleon as a spider.
Loxton captures the excitement of the period. The artists were never rich. They hustled to pump out stories based on breaking news. The printers, who usually owned the rights to the pictures, had a team to engrave, prints and sell the prints in their shops.
I have always found it difficult to follow most of these prints. They draw on political nicknames and catch phrases that we have forgotten. They are very dense with captions, details and allegories and they are commenting on a very complicated political time.
Loxton knows how to tell this story. She lays out the major political players. For most of the period William Pitt, the younger was the Prime Minister and Charles Fox was the leader of the opposition. The French Revolution and then the wars with Napoleon dominated the period.
Loxton tells the story enthusiastically. She has fun. She imagines a BBC radio broadcast of King George talking to the common man. She gives us present tense descriptions of family scenes. She comments in her own voice on what she is describing. Charles Fox "Is as much an enigma to his contemporaries as he is to historians."
She also explains the drawings in clear and amusing detail. She tells us the significance of the names of the books drawn on a bookshelf in the King's room or the alligator in the drawing of Admiral Nelson. She shows how brilliant the artists were at capturing recognizable caricature faces. She has a clear and very interesting technical discussion of going from drawing to final print.
Loxton traces the end of the era. Cheap printing, a more puritanical and less exciting political scene and the passing of the great generation of artists lead to its demise.
Loxton's passion and deep knowledge give a very clear picture of what an exciting and frantic time this was. The book is well illustrated with examples of the drawings. I read a paperback copy. The reproductions were small and in black and white. It was not possible to see many of the details discussed by Loxton. I don't know if the hardcover had better reproductions. I understand the cost issues, but it is a shame that there was not an insert of larger sized color reprints.
Loxton captures the excitement of the period. The artists were never rich. They hustled to pump out stories based on breaking news. The printers, who usually owned the rights to the pictures, had a team to engrave, prints and sell the prints in their shops.
I have always found it difficult to follow most of these prints. They draw on political nicknames and catch phrases that we have forgotten. They are very dense with captions, details and allegories and they are commenting on a very complicated political time.
Loxton knows how to tell this story. She lays out the major political players. For most of the period William Pitt, the younger was the Prime Minister and Charles Fox was the leader of the opposition. The French Revolution and then the wars with Napoleon dominated the period.
Loxton tells the story enthusiastically. She has fun. She imagines a BBC radio broadcast of King George talking to the common man. She gives us present tense descriptions of family scenes. She comments in her own voice on what she is describing. Charles Fox "Is as much an enigma to his contemporaries as he is to historians."
She also explains the drawings in clear and amusing detail. She tells us the significance of the names of the books drawn on a bookshelf in the King's room or the alligator in the drawing of Admiral Nelson. She shows how brilliant the artists were at capturing recognizable caricature faces. She has a clear and very interesting technical discussion of going from drawing to final print.
Loxton traces the end of the era. Cheap printing, a more puritanical and less exciting political scene and the passing of the great generation of artists lead to its demise.
Loxton's passion and deep knowledge give a very clear picture of what an exciting and frantic time this was. The book is well illustrated with examples of the drawings. I read a paperback copy. The reproductions were small and in black and white. It was not possible to see many of the details discussed by Loxton. I don't know if the hardcover had better reproductions. I understand the cost issues, but it is a shame that there was not an insert of larger sized color reprints.
April 30, 2024
In "Uproar! Satire, Scandal & Printmakers in Georgian London" historian Alice Loxton provides us with a fascinating and different look at politics and society in late 18th and early 19th century London. In particular it looks at the work, art, humour and lives of three groundbreaking satirists of the time, artists whose work continues to influence us today, even though their names have been forgotten by most. But without them, there would probably have been no "Punch", no "Private Eye", no "Spitting Image" and perhaps no "Have I Got News For You".
The three satirists were Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray and Isaac Cruickshanks who, together with others including their sponsors and publishers, poked fun at leading figures of the day, lampooning people like Prime Ministers Lord North and William Pitt the Younger, members of the royal family including George III and the Prince Regent (later George IV), leading socialites, famous military campaigners like Wellington and Nelson and many others. Their satires could be extremely cruel and the satirists sometimes came up against censorship. Yet many politicians and celebrities enjoyed being featured in their cartoons and caricatures. For example, in 1795 young politician and future Prime Minister George Canning made it clear he hoped to be feature soon in a Gillray print. When this didn't happen, Canning was apparently inconsolable. And when later he was lampooned in a cartoon, he celebrated.
The author also shows how these satirists' presentations of the famous and of current events influenced later thinking. For example, even today Napoleon Bonaparte is often presented in film, TV and literature as being small. In reality, he was above average height for the time and was taller than Nelson. But Gillray produced a caricature that presented Napoleon as small, a print called "The Vexation of Little Boney" and the fiction that the French leader was below average height has stuck ever since.
All three were heavy drinkers, and their alcohol consumption played a part in their deaths. Indeed Isaac Cruickshanks son, George, who was also an artist and who provided illustrations for Charles Dickens "Sketches By Boz" and "Oliver Twist", became a teetotaller as a response to his father's alcoholism and fell out with Dickens because the great writer refused to support the temperance movement.
A fascinating book that provides unusual insights into the politics of the time.
The three satirists were Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray and Isaac Cruickshanks who, together with others including their sponsors and publishers, poked fun at leading figures of the day, lampooning people like Prime Ministers Lord North and William Pitt the Younger, members of the royal family including George III and the Prince Regent (later George IV), leading socialites, famous military campaigners like Wellington and Nelson and many others. Their satires could be extremely cruel and the satirists sometimes came up against censorship. Yet many politicians and celebrities enjoyed being featured in their cartoons and caricatures. For example, in 1795 young politician and future Prime Minister George Canning made it clear he hoped to be feature soon in a Gillray print. When this didn't happen, Canning was apparently inconsolable. And when later he was lampooned in a cartoon, he celebrated.
The author also shows how these satirists' presentations of the famous and of current events influenced later thinking. For example, even today Napoleon Bonaparte is often presented in film, TV and literature as being small. In reality, he was above average height for the time and was taller than Nelson. But Gillray produced a caricature that presented Napoleon as small, a print called "The Vexation of Little Boney" and the fiction that the French leader was below average height has stuck ever since.
All three were heavy drinkers, and their alcohol consumption played a part in their deaths. Indeed Isaac Cruickshanks son, George, who was also an artist and who provided illustrations for Charles Dickens "Sketches By Boz" and "Oliver Twist", became a teetotaller as a response to his father's alcoholism and fell out with Dickens because the great writer refused to support the temperance movement.
A fascinating book that provides unusual insights into the politics of the time.
June 27, 2023
This was a fascinating and absorbing read! I’ve been an avid follower of Loxton’s for a while now and as a former student of media discourse analysis, I was extremely excited to see she was publishing a book on Georgian satire.
It was interesting to get such valuable insight into the vital role the satirical prints created by James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank played as a powerful tool to shape public opinion and drive political change through their propagandistic etchings, almost acting as a pendulum to bring things back to a state of balance just when society was teetering on the verge of devastating violence.
It was also very interesting to learn about how publishers and print houses operated in this era as well as the process of designing, etching, printing and distributing each print.
I would have liked the prints selected for this book to have been a bit larger (and, ideally, in colour, though I do understand this would likely have made an already-pricey book even more expensive to print), so I could read the speech bubbles and properly take in the details. I also personally wasn’t a fan of the fabricated dialogue and the numerous heavy-handed comparative references to modern pop culture for humorous effect didn’t really work for me either, but that’s just a matter of personal taste rather than quality.
With this book, Loxton has addressed quite a glaring gap in current literature as in no small part due to prudish (and mostly quite successful) attempts made by Victorians to retroactively nullify these men’s contributions to the course of social history in Georgian Britain and erase their names from history, they have remained peripheral, if not entirely absent, from most history texts to date.
Overall, ‘Uproar!’ has given me a deeper understanding of the driving forces that led to the austere, hypocritically moralistic leanings of the Victorian era in contrast to the excess, scandal and innuendo of the Georgian era, and of satire as a misunderstood art form that “bridge[d] the gap between high and low art and culture.” I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed the journey from start to finish!
It was interesting to get such valuable insight into the vital role the satirical prints created by James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank played as a powerful tool to shape public opinion and drive political change through their propagandistic etchings, almost acting as a pendulum to bring things back to a state of balance just when society was teetering on the verge of devastating violence.
It was also very interesting to learn about how publishers and print houses operated in this era as well as the process of designing, etching, printing and distributing each print.
I would have liked the prints selected for this book to have been a bit larger (and, ideally, in colour, though I do understand this would likely have made an already-pricey book even more expensive to print), so I could read the speech bubbles and properly take in the details. I also personally wasn’t a fan of the fabricated dialogue and the numerous heavy-handed comparative references to modern pop culture for humorous effect didn’t really work for me either, but that’s just a matter of personal taste rather than quality.
With this book, Loxton has addressed quite a glaring gap in current literature as in no small part due to prudish (and mostly quite successful) attempts made by Victorians to retroactively nullify these men’s contributions to the course of social history in Georgian Britain and erase their names from history, they have remained peripheral, if not entirely absent, from most history texts to date.
Overall, ‘Uproar!’ has given me a deeper understanding of the driving forces that led to the austere, hypocritically moralistic leanings of the Victorian era in contrast to the excess, scandal and innuendo of the Georgian era, and of satire as a misunderstood art form that “bridge[d] the gap between high and low art and culture.” I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed the journey from start to finish!
June 20, 2024
Please note the stars aren’t accurate as I didn’t finish the book*
My main issue was the lack of research on my part. I am a huge fan of Alice Loxton; I discovered her on Instagram, mainly throught her fun historical videos that give a glimpse into peculiar British locations and historical events.
Somehow I thought this book would be similar in terms of delivering curious historical facts about the satire, scandal and printmakers of Georgian London. It is a very niche book, in my opinion, and as someone who is not familiar with this particular period, I couldn’t quite follow on the jokes and intrigue detailed in the text. I also, personally, do not care much about politics, but that’s besides the point.
A problem I had with the book itself was the constant switch between the three artists, our main protagonists. I found it very hard to follow who’s who, and could hardly distinguish between them or remember their names (oops). In a way I feel that if you didn’t study detailed British history, you’d be missing out on all the fun this book can offer.
As someone with a degree in Illustration and Visual Communication, I could appreciate the momentous part these artists played in the honest reflection of politics and life during the late 18th century. I almost felt envious of their power. It’s also quite obvious where comics came from, taking a closer look at all the illustrations featured throughout “Uproar!”. I’m sure many with the right mindset will pick up “Uproar!” and see it for what it is - a detailed, well-researched and down-to-earth deep dive into an exciting historical era. I just personally couldn’t follow along.
My main issue was the lack of research on my part. I am a huge fan of Alice Loxton; I discovered her on Instagram, mainly throught her fun historical videos that give a glimpse into peculiar British locations and historical events.
Somehow I thought this book would be similar in terms of delivering curious historical facts about the satire, scandal and printmakers of Georgian London. It is a very niche book, in my opinion, and as someone who is not familiar with this particular period, I couldn’t quite follow on the jokes and intrigue detailed in the text. I also, personally, do not care much about politics, but that’s besides the point.
A problem I had with the book itself was the constant switch between the three artists, our main protagonists. I found it very hard to follow who’s who, and could hardly distinguish between them or remember their names (oops). In a way I feel that if you didn’t study detailed British history, you’d be missing out on all the fun this book can offer.
As someone with a degree in Illustration and Visual Communication, I could appreciate the momentous part these artists played in the honest reflection of politics and life during the late 18th century. I almost felt envious of their power. It’s also quite obvious where comics came from, taking a closer look at all the illustrations featured throughout “Uproar!”. I’m sure many with the right mindset will pick up “Uproar!” and see it for what it is - a detailed, well-researched and down-to-earth deep dive into an exciting historical era. I just personally couldn’t follow along.
July 31, 2024
“Uproar!: Satire, Scandal & Printmakers in Georgian London” by Alice Loxton ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Uproar” brings you front and center into the second half of the Georgian period by diving head first into its London society and the rambunctious reputation it well deserves.
Loxton brings readers into the heart of Georgian society through the use of political cartoonists. If you ever wanted to know what Jane Austen’s Georgian England was really like, read this book and tell me you can’t read her novels the same.
Loxton highlights the works of classically trained artists turned satirists James Gillray (my personal favorite), Thomas Rowlandson, Isaac Cruikshank and William Hogarth as they brought about a new age of political commentary of which the likes we have not seen in 200 centuries. Loxton even brings women, like Hannah Humphrey, out of the forgotten shadows and puts them back into their own narrative.
What I love most about this book is its chronology. Part one covers the introduction to all of our satirists in 1772, part two follows their rise commenting on London society and part three follows their turn towards propaganda during the Napoleonic Wars and their eventual fall into obscurity. Loxton brilliantly tells their story and dismissing the role in which these cartoonist played within the late Georgian period does a disservice, not only to their memory, but to the history of the Georgian period as a whole.
“Uproar” brings you front and center into the second half of the Georgian period by diving head first into its London society and the rambunctious reputation it well deserves.
Loxton brings readers into the heart of Georgian society through the use of political cartoonists. If you ever wanted to know what Jane Austen’s Georgian England was really like, read this book and tell me you can’t read her novels the same.
Loxton highlights the works of classically trained artists turned satirists James Gillray (my personal favorite), Thomas Rowlandson, Isaac Cruikshank and William Hogarth as they brought about a new age of political commentary of which the likes we have not seen in 200 centuries. Loxton even brings women, like Hannah Humphrey, out of the forgotten shadows and puts them back into their own narrative.
What I love most about this book is its chronology. Part one covers the introduction to all of our satirists in 1772, part two follows their rise commenting on London society and part three follows their turn towards propaganda during the Napoleonic Wars and their eventual fall into obscurity. Loxton brilliantly tells their story and dismissing the role in which these cartoonist played within the late Georgian period does a disservice, not only to their memory, but to the history of the Georgian period as a whole.
March 12, 2023
Alice Loxton’s foray into the Georgian era is a masterpiece. Her writing brings the period to life and she’s taken a very different slant on a discourse about this era. She focuses on political cartoonists of the time. This was the time of acerbic satirical drawings which poked fun at virtually everything. Gillray and Cruickshank took on the Establishment in a new art form and quickly gained recognition and success.
This book is packed with black and white representations of many of the characters and drawings and Loxton uses these cartoons as the backdrop for a rollicking ride through the times. It’s almost like talking history; her writing is vibrant, informed and hugely entertaining. More to the point, it’s meticulously researched, with an extensive notes section referencing sources.
The scope is diverse; royal madness, political shenanigans, the French Revolution and American Independence, high society and much more. These were the seeds for the likes of Private Eye and Spitting Images and they remain as fresh and vibrant some three hundred years on as they were at the time. This is the way to deliver history and I’ll go back to many of these drawings time and time again. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!
This book is packed with black and white representations of many of the characters and drawings and Loxton uses these cartoons as the backdrop for a rollicking ride through the times. It’s almost like talking history; her writing is vibrant, informed and hugely entertaining. More to the point, it’s meticulously researched, with an extensive notes section referencing sources.
The scope is diverse; royal madness, political shenanigans, the French Revolution and American Independence, high society and much more. These were the seeds for the likes of Private Eye and Spitting Images and they remain as fresh and vibrant some three hundred years on as they were at the time. This is the way to deliver history and I’ll go back to many of these drawings time and time again. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!
February 28, 2023
Thank you to #Netgalley and #Iconbooks for giving me access to this ARC of #Uproar
This book has been an absolute delight to read and review. Alice Loxton has given us an insightful, witty and marvelous history of Georgian Britain never seen before. This is an incredible debut and it's so exciting to see a new female historian of such calibre.
We follow three young men, Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray and Issac Cruickshank from their enrolment at the Royal Academies to their established careers as satirists. This time period yields an unending source of serious issues for their comment on the social, political and ethical events. There was war, Napoleonic and American Independence, Royal scandal: the madness of King George III and the outrageous behaviour of the Prince Regent and political drama. All of these were portrayed with savage wit and acumen. They were the memes of their time, with people crowding to see the new illustrations in the windows of the publishers.
I enjoyed this so much, Loxton's writing is engaging, fun and astute. This will be on my books of the year list.
This book has been an absolute delight to read and review. Alice Loxton has given us an insightful, witty and marvelous history of Georgian Britain never seen before. This is an incredible debut and it's so exciting to see a new female historian of such calibre.
We follow three young men, Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray and Issac Cruickshank from their enrolment at the Royal Academies to their established careers as satirists. This time period yields an unending source of serious issues for their comment on the social, political and ethical events. There was war, Napoleonic and American Independence, Royal scandal: the madness of King George III and the outrageous behaviour of the Prince Regent and political drama. All of these were portrayed with savage wit and acumen. They were the memes of their time, with people crowding to see the new illustrations in the windows of the publishers.
I enjoyed this so much, Loxton's writing is engaging, fun and astute. This will be on my books of the year list.
March 13, 2023
An absolutely spectacular history book that will draw anyone in, even if you don’t normally read history . Alice Loxton, a familiar face on History Hit TV, the History Hit You Tube channel, and her own Instagram page has done a commendable job on her first book, detailing the satirists from Georgian England, the fathers of modern political cartoonists.
Alice’s casual, comfortable style in her videos translates smoothly into text, with a joyous ride through the streets of London, tracing the lives of James Gilroy, Isaac Cruikshank, Thomas Rowlandson, and others as they proved political and social commentary via illustrated prints posted in shop windows which drew crowds of Londoners the way modern celebrities do today.
This book totally turns around the stereotype of dry history books loaded with dates and events. It’s a fun read, laced with Loxton’s wit and enthusiasm for the subject, often seeming like a novel in her vivid descriptions. She deftly describes events and compares them to modern equivalents in a totally entertaining way.
I honestly cannot say enough about this book, one of the best historical reads I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning.
Alice’s casual, comfortable style in her videos translates smoothly into text, with a joyous ride through the streets of London, tracing the lives of James Gilroy, Isaac Cruikshank, Thomas Rowlandson, and others as they proved political and social commentary via illustrated prints posted in shop windows which drew crowds of Londoners the way modern celebrities do today.
This book totally turns around the stereotype of dry history books loaded with dates and events. It’s a fun read, laced with Loxton’s wit and enthusiasm for the subject, often seeming like a novel in her vivid descriptions. She deftly describes events and compares them to modern equivalents in a totally entertaining way.
I honestly cannot say enough about this book, one of the best historical reads I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning.
March 26, 2023
While Loxton's Uproar has an interesting premise I couldn't get past the childish prose that permeated the entire book. Some examples of this prose include "Maybe, dear reader, you are lying in bed, an awkward crick in your neck as you strive to read this book,", "we're just spectres you see, invisible" and "This was Canning's 'Look, Mum, I'm on TV' moment". Clearly the author tried very hard to be quirky and relatable but the whole exercise felt distracting, forced and contrived.
Further, for a history book, the bibliography and notes sections were remarkably thin, leaving me wondering if this book was properly researched. The lack of references forces me to take the author's word on every detail, which given her writing style I am hesitant to do.
In conclusion, I cannot recommend this book. While it may be forgivable for a book to be unserious if it is at least entertaining, this book was neither. The childish prose and lack of depth made it impossible for me to take it seriously, and I found myself struggling to get through it. If you're looking for a history read, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Further, for a history book, the bibliography and notes sections were remarkably thin, leaving me wondering if this book was properly researched. The lack of references forces me to take the author's word on every detail, which given her writing style I am hesitant to do.
In conclusion, I cannot recommend this book. While it may be forgivable for a book to be unserious if it is at least entertaining, this book was neither. The childish prose and lack of depth made it impossible for me to take it seriously, and I found myself struggling to get through it. If you're looking for a history read, I suggest you look elsewhere.
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