But what was it like for a commoner - like you or me? How did it feel to cook with coal and wash with tea leaves? Drink beer for breakfast and clean your teeth with cuttlefish? Catch the omnibus to work and do the laundry in your corset?How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman is a radical new approach to history; a journey back in time more personal than anything before. Moving through the rhythm of the day, this astonishing guide illuminates the overlapping worlds of health, sex, fashion, food, school, work and play.

Surviving everyday life came down to the gritty details, the small necessities and tricks of living and Ruth will show you how. If you liked A Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England or 1000 Years of Annoying the French, you will love this book.