G.W.M. Reynolds (1814-1879) had a major impact on the mid-Victorian era that until now has been largely unacknowledged. A prolific novelist whose work had a massive circulation, and an influential journalist and editor, he was a man of contradictions in both his life and writing: a middle-class figure who devoted his life to working class issues but seldom missed a chance to profit from the exploitation of current issues; the founder of the radical newspaper Reynolds Weekly, as well as a bestselling author of historical romances, gothic and sensation novels, oriental tales, and domestic fiction; a perennial bankrupt who nevertheless ended his life prosperously. A figure of such diversity requires a collaborative study. Bringing together a distinguished group of scholars, this volume does justice to the full range of Reynolds's achievement and influence. With proper emphasis on new work in the field, the contributors take on Reynolds's involvement with Chartism, serial publication, the mass market periodical, commodity culture, and the introduction of French literature into British consciousness, to name just a few of the topics covered. The Mysteries of London, the century's most widely read serial, receives the extensive treatment this long-running urban gothic work deserves. Adding to the volume's usefulness are comprehensive bibliographies of Reynolds's own writings and secondary criticism relevant to the study of this central figure in mid-nineteenth-century Britain.

About the Author
Anne Humpherys is Professor of English at Lehman College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA, and Professor Louis James is Emeritus Professor in Victorian and Modern Literature at the University of Kent, UK.

Reviews
'Arresting and consistently absorbing, this collection on G.W.M. Reynolds has occasioned original research on this most mysterious of figures by the Reynolds experts alive today. Reynolds's huge part in nineteenth-century literary, political, and media culture is excavated to reveal facets of his diverse production - as editor, novelist, publisher, and proprietor. This largely unknown territory is mapped further by a bibliography of his elusive work and illustrations from it'. Laurel Brake, Birkbeck, University of London, UK 'Reynolds's career has been little surveyed in years past, his reputation eclipsed by his links to sensationalist literature. This collection acts as a timely corrective to commonplace assumptions about his work. It is the first major length survey of Reynolds's legacy in the areas of popular journalism and popular literature...' Sharp News 'The introduction by Anne Humpherys and Louis James explains what is known - and not known - about Reynold's biography and provides an overview of his work and a history of its reception. Conscientious footnotes to the sources and analyses of their contradictory assertions are actually at the foot of the page (for which Ashgate must be praised). In addition, the book has a good index and a single bibliography of secondary sources... . Studying or just sampling the works of G.W.M Reynolds has become much more widely possible, and the essays in this book provide essential adjuncts to research and appreciation.' Journal of British Studies 'This anthology is most welcome for its remarkable breadth, with essays ranging from Reynolds's early life in Paris after his revolt against a military career, through to his reputation as a radical writer in twentieth-century Britain and Bengal. Like any good collection, it both defines current work and suggests new areas in need of further research.' Victorian Studies



Book Information
ISBN 9780367887964
Author Anne Humpherys
Format Paperback
Page Count 316
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 453g