Class Description
Although remembered for its elegance of manners and Palladian architectural style, Georgian London was also characterized by an underside of considerable brutality, violence, and filth.
This class will explore the contrasts between a glittering high society and the difficult circumstances of the impoverished, the beautiful squares of the West End and the city’s overcrowded slums in the East End, and the verbal wit of Dr. Johnson’s circle and the physical violence often encountered on the streets.
Frank Biletz received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in modern British and Irish history. He is currently Adjunct Instructor in History at Loyola University Chicago and has been teaching seminars at the Newberry since 1994.
Materials List
Required:
- Liza Picard, Dr. Johnson’s London. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2002. ISBN: 978-0312291532
First Reading:
- For the first meeting, participants are advised to read chapters 1, 2, and 3 of Liza Picard’s Dr. Johnson’s London.
Cost and Registration
Eight sessions, $305 ($274.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
RegisterSupport the Newberry
Your generosity is vital in keeping the library’s programs, exhibitions, and reading rooms free and accessible to everyone.
Make A Gift