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Rating: 
Summary: The author's love of the subject shines through
Review: Brilliantly written. Victorian hymns become an interesting,enthralling and amusing subject.My copy has been lent out to friends of diverse denominations and they couldn't put it down.Wonderful insight into Victorian social history.
Rating:
Summary: An unexpected surpise...
Review: Having bought this book for research purposes alone, never would I have expected such an enjoyable reading experience. Not only was every line packed with more information than I could wrap my pencil around, but the material was intriguing, the anecdotes well-researched and very accessible, and the references relatable for even the least learned student of the Georgian and Victorian eras (both of which are covered in the book). The author succeeded well at a difficult task by educating his readers, and making a seemingly bland topic enticing - I had no idea hymns could be so political, controversial and liberating. Last week they were staid, measured and over-used songs I was forced to sing as a child in church; today, they are tales of conflict, humility, celebration and seeking, and even more, a complex, inspiring art-form of which I was not fully aware. Author Ian Bradley's own enthusiasm and intrigue for the topic are wonderfully contagious.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly interesting!
Review: I purchased this book as a supplement to round out research I'm doing on the experience of an Anglican minister in Georgian and Victorian England. I had no idea I would be distracted by a tangent so unexpectedly worthy of my time. What a delightfully detailed and well-written book, interesting subject matter with great references. The author is passionate and extremely thorough. Not only does he cover the more famous hymn selections, authors and styles, but he educates the reader about other popular forms of praise - choral, instrumental and otherwise - practiced throughout the Georgian and Victorian eras. I was particluarly surprised and intrigued that the author as well as addressed issues of prejudice and political manipulation in certain denominations concerning the utilization of music. I was so taken with the topic, I've had to resist the urge to purchase even more books on it and direct my own writing in another direction to incorporate what I learned. The history of hymns - who would have known it would prove such a tantalizing topic?
Rating:
Summary: Warmly recommended
Review: This book is thorough, scholarly, entertaining, and very readable. It reveals the immense significance of hymns to the Victorian world and should appeal to readers from diverse backgrounds.
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