Listen to a sample
Queer Georgians
- Author
- Anthony Delaney
- Narrator
- Anthony Delaney
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Publish Date
- 4 September 2025
- Run Time
- 9 hours 44 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Rating
- 5.0 (1 review)
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
History Hit podcast presenter Dr Anthony Delaney reveals the real people that inspired Gentleman Jack and the gay romances in Bridgerton, long written out of the nation's story and now lovingly restored.
Mother Clap's Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tip-off leads to a midnight raid.
Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets.
The celebrated Chevalier d'Éon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman.
In this dazzling work of restorative history, Dr Anthony Delaney has traced the stories of people daring to challenge society's expectations, unearthing archives and court records to reveal the tragedies and the joys of queer life three centuries ago. Breathing new life into the forgotten and offering radical new interpretations of celebrated figures such as Anne Lister, Queer Georgians is an invitation to view our shared history in a whole new light.
'In this moving and revelatory book, Anthony Delaney gives a voice to women and men whose lives have been written out of history' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five and Story of a Murder
'Reading this hitherto hidden history was a revelation. I was utterly enthralled from the first page to the last.' Tracy Borman, Chief Historian, Historic Royal Palaces and author of The Private Lives of the Tudors
'Anthony Delaney has opened the closet door of Jane Austen’s England and found people of every style - criminalised in their own time, ignored by ours, heroically finding their own ways.' Philippa Gregory, author of Normal Women
© Anthony Delaney 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Critics Review
-
Serious, but immensely readable . . . I wish this book had been available ten years ago!
Lucy Worsley, bestselling author, presenter and former Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces
-
Delaney writes with great precision... It's impossible not to feel invested in the drama and well-being of his most cherished characters... A hugely immersive read... Throughout the book, Delaney applies his rigorous academic discipline with a deft, joyous touch and occasional zeal. Here is a page turner one could as easily read on a beach as in a library. Queer Georgians is utterly riveting.
Irish Independent
-
If you’ve been intrigued by the gay romances that featured in Bridgerton, or the legend of Anne Lister, the inspiration behind Sally Wainwright’s 2019 TV drama Gentleman Jack, then Queer Georgians brings both – and more – vividly to life.
i paper
-
Anthony Delaney has opened the closet door of Jane Austen’s England and found people of every style - criminalised in their own time, ignored by ours, heroically finding their own ways to make individual lives, families and even communities.
Philippa Gregory, author of Normal Women
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
In this moving and revelatory book, Anthony Delaney gives a voice to women and men whose lives have been written out of history. At heart, Queer Georgians is about the triumph of love in adversity.
Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five and Story of a Murder
-
Fascinating, exciting, vivid with stories, and scrupulously researched, the brilliant Queer Georgians tells us so much about the period and so many lives. Anthony Delaney has combed the archives, explored the sources and created a superb book that brings the Georgian world to life and all its secret lives. Wonderful.
Professor Kate Williams, author of Rival Queens
-
Anthony Delaney is a superb public historian, words drop off his tongue and flow from his pen with a fluency that is the envy of us all.
Dan Snow, broadcaster and author of Death or Victory
-
A rare combination of bold ideas, rigorous archival research, and a personal voice, Queer Georgians introduces us to a fascinating range of characters.
Emma Donoghue, author of Room and Passions Between Women
-
Anthony Delaney's research is sharp, his prose so elegant, and the result is a deeply thoughtful reimagining of the Georgian world... Flawless.
Dr Owen Emmerson, Historical Consultant on Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light (BBC)
-
An illuminating, deeply researched and deeply felt account of many remarkable lives. Anthony Delaney writes of love in every part of Georgian society - from royal residences to red-light districts - with sensitivity, wit, and learning. This is a fascinating book.
Gareth Russell, author of Queen James and The Palace
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
- No written reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Anthony Delaney
- Narrator
- Anthony Delaney
- Duration
- 9 hours 44 minutes
- Release Date
- 4 September 2025
- ISBN
- 9781529946345
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Genre
- Social and cultural history, European history
- Rating
- 5.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin. History Hit podcast presenter Dr Anthony Delaney reveals the real people that inspired Gentleman Jack and the gay romances in Bridgerton, long written out of the nation's story and now lovingly restored.Mother Clap's Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tip-off leads to a midnight raid.Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets.The celebrated Chevalier d'Éon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman.In this dazzling work of restorative history, Dr Anthony Delaney has traced the stories of people daring to challenge society's expectations, unearthing archives and court records to reveal the tragedies and the joys of queer life three centuries ago. Breathing new life into the forgotten and offering radical new interpretations of celebrated figures such as Anne Lister, Queer Georgians is an invitation to view our shared history in a whole new light.'In this moving and revelatory book, Anthony Delaney gives a voice to women and men whose lives have been written out of history' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five and Story of a Murder'Reading this hitherto hidden history was a revelation. I was utterly enthralled from the first page to the last.' Tracy Borman, Chief Historian, Historic Royal Palaces and author of The Private Lives of the Tudors'Anthony Delaney has opened the closet door of Jane Austen’s England and found people of every style - criminalised in their own time, ignored by ours, heroically finding their own ways.' Philippa Gregory, author of Normal Women© Anthony Delaney 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.