UPROAR!: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London

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enterprise.” In this work, Steinke gives a concise overview of the core aspects of the theory as well A brilliant new history of Georgian Britain through the eyes of the artists who immortalised it, by one of the UK's most exciting young historians** I’m on a personal mission to improve heritage and history for young people. I have worked with the National Trust, as well as being asked to speak at 10 Downing Street, the Hay Festival, Oxford Literary Festival and many other places. 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. 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.

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. As wittily subversive and deeply entertaining as the material it details, Alice Loxton's Uproar is a delightful romp through the colourful and controversial eighteenth century. Loxton has built a time-machine in a book, and invited us all along for a ride. I would suggest you hop in! -- Joanne Paul, author of THE HOUSE OF DUDLEYVivid, pacey and endlessly engaging, this brilliant debut brings the late Georgian period dazzlingly to life. Irresistible stuff -- Tracy Borman, author of CROWN AND SCEPTRE

For writing work I’m represented by Hardman and Swainson, and my publisher is Icon Books (UPROAR!) and Macmillan (for the next one!). My writing has featured in The Telegraph, The Times, The Spectator, Tatler, The Critic, Country Life Magazine and BBC Music Magazine. An irreverent gallop through the scandalous streets of Georgian London... Alice Loxton's vivacious prose brings to life the competitive, combative climate... the historian and are swept along by the breaking stories of the day -- Charlotte Mullins ― Country Life 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. Vivid, pacey and endlessly engaging, this brilliant debut brings the late Georgian period dazzlingly to life. Irresistible stuff' TRACY BORMAN If “these are the times that test men’s souls,” never more than for the leader’s ability to think clearly, to be present calmly, and to challenge effectively. It’s a time when leaders cannot be as anxious as those they serve; otherwise, the system is leaderless. Anxiety flows down like water from a leaky pipe. To lead effectively we must understand the impact of powerful emotional forces on people’s behavior, especially in anxious times.

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Alice lives and breathes history - it's almost uncanny. I think she may have come from the past -- Dr Sam Willis, author of THE STRUGGLE FOR SEA POWER 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! Loxton writes with a terrific sense of time and place. She delivers Georgian Britain in a bold modern manner, with plenty of bounce -- Franny Moyle, author of DESPERATE ROMANTICS 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. Alice Loxton's analysis of Georgian England is razor sharp, witty and engaging. An appropriately "laugh out loud" history of the age of satire -- Helen Carr, author of THE RED PRINCE

Lively and engaging... This is a story that always bears retelling, and Loxton does so entertainingly -- Kathryn Hughes ― Mail on Sunday I would always recommend purchasing from your local independent bookshop, but here are some alternatives: massive disturbance. Leaders must learn the critical skills to navigate their roles within communities 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!).

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In March 2023, I published my debut non-fiction history book, UPROAR!, which tells the thrilling story of London’s satirists from the late Georgian period. A brilliant new history of Georgian Britain through the eyes of the artists who immortalised it, by one of the UK's most exciting young historians ** Alice Loxton's UPROAR! is a delight: an energetic and highly enjoyable exploration of the careers and the turmoil of the social and political world of the leading caricaturists of the great age of satire, Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray, and Isaac Cruikshank. So rich is her research and so vivid is her prose that we emerge from reading this book feeling that we have argued, laughed and drunk punch with these men and felt the fierce brilliance of their minds and their art - which shines bright still today -- Jeremy Musson A brilliant new history of Georgian Britain through the eyes of the artists who immortalised it, by one of the UK's most exciting young historians I’ve interviewed many historians and individuals about their work including Dan Jones, Sir Don McCullin, Saul David, Philippa Langley and Peter Frankopan.