The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852

This is history from the inside. Charles Greville served as Clerk of the Council, meaning he was present at meetings of the Privy Council, witnessed audiences with the monarch, and moved through the highest circles of Victorian power. His journal isn't official history, it's something far more valuable: the unfiltered observations of a man who saw it all and wrote it down. This volume covers the first fifteen years of Victoria's reign, from the death of William IV through the early days of the young queen's rule. Greville captures the political machinations, the backroom deals, the personalities and pettiness of those who wielded power. He offers waspish character sketches of the great figures of the age, politicians, aristocrats, royalty, revealing the human drama behind the history books. This is primary source material at its most intimate, the private record of someone who was there when decisions were made. For readers who want to understand not just what happened in Victorian England, but how it felt to those living through it, this is indispensable.