Liberty's Dawn

A People's History of the Industrial Revolution

Griffin Emma

This remarkable book looks at hundreds of autobiographies penned between 1760 and 1900 to offer an intimate firsthand account of how the Industrial Revolution was experienced by the working class. "The Industrial Revolution" brought not simply misery and poverty. On the contrary, Griffin shows how it raised incomes, improved literacy and offered exciting opportunities for political action.

About the Author

Emma Griffin is senior lecturer in history at the University of East Anglia. She is the author of three previous books, including "A Short History of the British Industrial Revolution" and "Blood Sport: A History of Hunting in Britain" (published by Yale).

Reviews

"Through the 'messy tales' of more than 350 working-class lives, Emma Griffin arrives at an upbeat interpretation of the Industrial Revolution most of us would hardly recognise. It is quite enthralling" – Elizabeth Grice, Oldie Magazine

"This is a brave book that challenges accepted wisdom by offering a decidedly optimistic view of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the opportunities, freedoms and choices available to the working class" – Pat Hudson, Times Higher Education Supplement

"'Liberty's Dawn' is a triumph, achieved in fewer than 250 gracefully written pages. They persuasively purvey Griffin's historical conviction. She is intimate with her audience, wooing it and teasing it along the way" – Anthony Fletcher, Times Literary Supplement

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