Georgian England - It's Everywhere You Want To Be

Everyone who knows me knows that I love England in general, but the Georgian period of British history has always fascinated me, if only because of the way it's presented in pop media. It's always bathed in glorious colors of liberty, parties, decadence, manners, love affairs...and corsets.

So I thought I would dedicate this post to anyone who revels in such visual finery and the history of a tumultuous, yet prosperous time in British history (and American, as well!). So let's get started:

• The big news of the moment is the new Keira Knightley film, The Duchess, portraying one of Princess Diana's famously scandalous ancestors, Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire. From the short trailer I saw, it looks moderately well-done. It has Ralph Fiennes, for heaven's sake. Of course, most of the period pieces he does (with the exception, perhaps, of Schindler's List or The English Patient- but I don't consider that "period") end up being gorgeous, eye-candy films but critically lousy (The White Countess, Onegin, for example). I won't mention the early 90's version of Wuthering Heights here because...well...I really like that one!) Go here for more "Duchess" info with video and pics and the whole shebang.

• If you truly want a vast (vaaaaasssttt - I warn you) cornucopia/Encyclopedia of Georgian history, you must look no further than The Georgian Index. This is a very detailed (and image laden) website that covers everything from the royal gossip of the day, food, daily life, politics, money, underwear, where to shop and eat and be scene in London in 1795...I mean, it's all there. Certainly for Jane Austen fans, aside from their official watering hole, The Republic of Pemberley, this is where it's at if you want to immerse yourself in a forgotten world (especially if you want to get away from the present one, which Austenites like me often do).

So there's a start! Next week: Imperial Russia...oh yeah, get ready...