Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners

by Therese Oneill

Have you ever wished you could live in an earlier, more romantic era? Ladies, welcome to the 19thcentury, where arsenic is a face cream, opium is a medicine, and all of your underwear is crotchless. (I'll get back to that in a minute.)

In the spirit of Texts from Jane Eyre and Schott's Miscellany, UNMENTIONABLE is your guide to the secrets of life as a Victorian lady, giving you detailed advice on how to maintain your youth (if you see a wrinkle, just rub lead on it!), how to please your husband (stop talking), how to manage your monthly "unwellness," and more.

Learn how much laughter is permitted a lady on the street (none). Find out what's underneath those elegant ball gowns (whalebone corsets, crinoline cages, and crotchless pantalettes - for quick bathroom access under all that hardware). And most importantly, come away with a new appreciation of the fortitude of our great-grandmothers.

Irresistibly charming, laugh-out-loud funny, and featuring dozens of images from 19th century publications, UNMENTIONABLE will be beloved by Jane Austen fans and is the perfect gift for women of all ages.

• ISBN10: 031635791X
• ISBN13: 9780316357913
• Publish Date: 24 November 2016 (first published 25 October 2016)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 27 January 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Little, Brown & Company
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[MurderByDeath]

This one gets a lot of mixed reviews and I think I've figured out why, perhaps.  If you've already read about or studied the reality of the Victorian era, not only might you find the information repetitive, but I think the tone absolutely isn't going to work for you.     But if you aren't a history buff, find yourself reading a lot of historical fiction about the Victorian age, and would like a highly entertaining, factual, but very tongue-in-cheek introduction, this is the book for you.   As I knew very little beyond a general impression of "filthy dirty" and "no indoor plumbing", I found this book both informative and hilarious, although I do admit it starts off feeling very condescending until you sort of figure out what she's doing and just go with it.  I found myself reading several sections out loud to MT for both their appalling factual nature and the hilariousness of her prose.   Definitely recommended for those that are new to the historical realities of the period as well as those that prefer their history served up in the most entertaining way possible.  Those looking for a more in-depth study should steer clear, although there is a solid list of citations and additional reading at the end.