Top 18th-Century History Books for 2012

History has always been a passion of mine, especially 18th century history. I’m always looking for new 18th century books, and I’ve decided to share three of (in my opinion!) the most interesting 2012-release books about the 18th century. All of these books should be easily available from a variety of online retailers.

Studies on the history of disability are sparse at best, particularly before the 19th century. However, a new work from Routledge is dedicated to the treatment of disability in 18th century England, and is sure to be an enlightening read for anyone interested in the history of the disabled before the 1800s.

Title: Disability in Eighteenth-Century England: Imagining Physical Impairment (Routledge Studies in Modern British History)

Author: David M. Turner

Publisher: Routledge

Publication Date: April 27, 2012

ISBN: 978-0415886444

Summary: The first book length work published on physical disability in 18th century England, which discusses the context of physical disabilities in England during the 18th century by exploring exactly what kinds of impairments were considered “disabilities,” how class and gender affected the role of a disabled individual, and how society and the disabled perceived themselves.

The Haitian Revolution was an incredibly important revolution, but little has been published in the way of general histories about this remarkable event. A new book published by Wiley-Blackwell promises to deliver a concise general history of the Haitian Revolution, and will provide a springboard for more intricate, detailed study of this chaotic time.

Title: A Concise History of the Haitian Revolution

Author: Jeremy D. Popkin

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Publication Date: February 14, 2012

ISBN-13: 978-1405198219

Summary: A concise study on the Haitian Revolution, which was the first revolution of its kind in Europe. This work uses the latest scholarship on the Haitian Revolution, combined with original research, to provide a succinct and clear overview of the events, figures, and aftermath of this unique 18th century revolution.

If you’re living outside of Canada, you might not have even heard of the Acadians, their forced removal from their home, and how they dealt with this harsh blow to their regular lives. However, this detailed history from Oxford University Press is sure to appease anyone interested in 18th century Canadian history.

Title: The Acadian Diaspora: An Eighteenth-Century History

Author: Christopher Hodson

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Publication Date: June 1, 2012

ISBN-13: 978-0199739776

Summary: The forced migration of thousands of French-speaking Acadians from Nova Scotia by the British army in 1755 is vividly explored in this work which reconstructs the brutal way the Acadians were expelled from their lands and the hardship, suffering and strengthening they experienced as they attempted to resettle in new lands.

Who doesn’t love a good jog? This fun new work from Lutterworth press places us back in 18th century England and explores the role of exercise and sport in England during this time period. Although it doesn’t come out until September, maybe it will be a unique motivator for those of us striving to get healthy and lose weight this year!

Title: Swimming with Dr Johnson and Mrs Thrale: Sport and exercise in eighteenth-century England

Author: Julia Allen

Publisher: Lutterworth Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2012

ISBN-13: 978-0718892760

Summary: A unique study of exercise in 18th century England, as viewed through two English characters, which discusses the unique role that medical theory played in the rise of sport and exercise in England during this period. Frequent quotations from physician’s studies, newspapers, journals and other manuals bring out the entertainment in this lively study of sport and exercise in 18th century England.

Sources

The information in this article has been acquired from Amazon.com. Publication dates are subject to change.


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