The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851

The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851 - Hardcover

$45.00
$45.00
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The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851
  • The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851
The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851 - Hardcover

The Wise and Their Works: The Legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851 - Hardcover

by A. N. Wilson
$45.00
$45.00

Book Overview

by A. N. Wilson (Author)

The Wise and Their Works celebrates the 175th anniversary of the Great Exhibition in 2026.

The men who inspired the Great Exhibition of 1851 - Henry Cole, Sir Robert Peel and above all Prince Albert himself - were at the centre of an extraordinary combination of manufacturing, commercial skill and political vision which made Victorian Britain an unparalleled success story.

In this celebratory book, A. N. Wilson examines the legacy they left behind: their idealistic beliefs about free trade, decency and parliamentary democracy, and their ultimate vision of the human race at peace with prosperity spreading, while poverty and warfare were consigned to history. While their loftier ambitions may not have come to pass, these enterprising men did leave behind a little known but hugely influential organisation, the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, which still supports industry, science and art in the UK.

Skillfully delving into this rich and fascinating history, Wilson takes us on a journey into the heart of the progressive Victorian dream, and where it has left us today.

Author Biography

A. N. Wilson is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is a prolific and award-winning biographer and celebrated novelist, having written biographies of Tolstoy, C. S. Lewis, Milton, Hilaire Belloc and Goethe.

In 2007, Wilson's novel, Winnie and Wolf, was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and in 2020 The Mystery of Charles Dickens was published to great critical acclaim. He lives in North London.
Number of Pages: 304
Dimensions: 1.1 x 9.8 x 7.5 IN
Publication Date: August 18, 2026
ISBN9781399412513
Author A. N. Wilson
PublisherBloomsbury Continuum
GenreHistory and Arts
FormatHardcover
PublishedAugust 2026
LanguageENG- English
Pages304
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceAdults
Print SizeStandard Print

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