Gambling in Britain in the Long Eighteenth Century

ISBN-13: 9781316512449 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 320 str.

Bob Harris (University of Oxford)

Opis

English society in the eighteenth century was allegedly marked by a 'gambling mania', such was the prevalence and intensity of different forms of 'gaming'. Gambling in Britain in the Long Eighteenth Century subjects this notion to systematic scrutiny, exploring the growth and prevalence of different forms of gambling across Britain and throughout British society in this period, as well as attitudes towards it. Drawing on a vast range of new, empirical evidence, Bob Harris seeks to understand gambling, its growth, and significance within the context of wider trends and impulses in society. This book asks what light gambling practices and habits shed back onto society and the values, hopes, and expectations that informed the lives of those involved. This is a book, therefore, as much about the character of British society in the long eighteenth century as it is about gambling itself.

Recenzje

'This is a beautifully detailed book, full of rich examples and provocations that have the power to reshape thinking on the nature of gambling during the long eighteenth century. … Covering the period from the 1680s to 1830 this book offers a fascinating insight into the various worlds of gambling in Britain during the long eighteenth century.' Anne L. Murphy, Cultural and Social History

Spis treści

Introduction; 1. Gambling for high stakes or 'deep play'; 2. In search of popular gambling; 3. The rise of the lottery; 4. Lottery adventures and adventurers; 5. Gamblers and the law; Conclusion.