After having been quoting shamelessly from this book for the last ten days, it must be obvious that I loved every word of it. :-}.

As the author herself states in the preface, the scope is largely confined to that tiny, but influential section of the population which was known at the time as the "beau mondè" or "the ton". These were the men and women who created the image of the Regency, and upon whose reminiscences I have based my research. [...]The aim of this book was to convey the mood of the Regency, to entertain my readers and perhaps, to enlighten a few.

IMHO, this book is a perfect complement for "Our Tempestous Day"; it deals more or less with the same group of people, but it focuses mainly on the social aspect and leaves politics aside. It gives you the main facts about famous characters, places and archetypes: dandies (Brummell, Petersham, Alvanley and the like), blue-stockings, mistresses, courtesans (Harriette Wilson and her sisters) and adulterous lovers; London and country seats, Brighton and Bath, Carlton House, Almacks, Gunter's, Hyde Park, the clubs, French chefs and Prinny's menus and parties, as well as fashion and manners, the cost of living (including a budget draw by Mary Berry) and taxation. What I particularly liked was "subchapter" on regency cant and the frequent references to the vernacular for certain words (such as debs and bucks and cits).

The book quotes lavishly from diaries and letters and it includes 28 coloured plates (mainly by Cruikshank and Rolawson) and several black and white.

There were only two things that I found dissatisfying: that Murray includes French quotations without a translation and that there are so many Lambs and Cavendishes that I got somewhat lost; I wished she had gone into detail as regards the relationship among them all(other than the odd reference).

I don't know if the book has been published in the US; I got it from a British internet bookstore; however, I've checked with Amazon.uk, and it is available there (IBSN 0-670-85758-0).

PS - I have a very limited knowledge of the Regency period, so perhaps this is a book that may not appeal to experts.