Synopses & Reviews
Offensive language, insolent behavior, slights, brawls, and scandals come alive in Ruth Goodman’s uproarious history for mischievous Anglophiles.
With this "impeccable" (BBC History) chronicle, acclaimed popular historian Ruth Goodman reveals a Renaissance Britain particularly rank with troublemakers. From snooty needlers who took aim with a cutting "thee," to lowbrow drunkards with revolting table manners, Goodman's "gleeful and illuminating" (Booklist, Starred Review) portrait of offenses most foul draws upon advice manuals, court cases, and sermons. Wicked readers will delight in learning why quoting Shakespeare was poor form, and why curses hurled at women were almost always about sex (no surprise there). "Accessible, fun, and historically accurate" (Publishers Weekly, Starred Review), How to Behave Badly is a celebration of one of history's naughtiest periods, when derision was an art form.
Review
"Gleeful and illuminating.... Goodman deftly combines anecdotes and examples that illustrate each topic and clear explanations of why certain behavior matters socially and philosophically in that time and place. Both a highly readable and very funny treatment of a popular historical period and an invitation for readers to think about their own understandings of social etiquette." Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
"The author has a wicked taste for the objectionable and the wit to deliver it in a wholly enjoyable, even educational way.... The book overflows with historical curiosities, interesting asides, and eyebrow-raising aha moments.....Etiquette, it seems, is a complex and involved business, but Goodman helps us navigate the shoals of another era's sensibilities in a way that is also illuminating of our own." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Oh, how I wish Ruth Goodman could be my tutor. But settling in for one of her history lessons is better than second best." New York Times Book Review
About the Author
Ruth Goodman is the author of How to Be a Victorian and How to Be a Tudor. An historian of British life, she has presented a number of BBC television series, including Tudor Monastery Farm. She lives in England.