As Good as a Marriage

The Anne Lister Diaries 1836–38

Jill Liddington

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Paperback

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English

Manchester University Press
09 July 2024

Biography: historical, political & military; Diaries, letters & journals; Social & cultural history; Gay & Lesbian studies

The BBC and HBO series Gentleman Jack brought Anne Lister to international attention, awakening tremendous interest in her diaries, which run to nearly five million words and are partly written in her secret code. They record in intimate detail the ways Anne challenged so many of society’s expectations of women at the time.

In As Good as a Marriage, the sequel to Female Fortune, Jill Liddington’s edited transcriptions of the diaries show us Anne from 1836–38, and guide the reader through life at Shibden Hall after Anne’s unconventional ‘marriage’ to wealthy local heiress Ann Walker. The book explores the daily lives of these two women, from convivial evenings together to Anne’s ruthless pursuit of her own business and landowning ambitions.

Yet the diaries’ coded passages also record tensions and quarrels, with Ann Walker often in tears. Was their relationship really as fragile as Anne’s coded writing suggests?

By: Jill Liddington
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781526176417
ISBN 10: 1526176416
Pages: 384
Publication Date: 09 July 2024
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Preface Introduction I. Living married life at Shibden: May-August 1836 II. The last of the generation: September-October 1836 III. Mariana visits Shibden: November-December 1836 IV: maintaining the upper hand: January-May 1837 V: Getting Stuart Wortleys in Parliament: June-December 1837 VI: How to get off ~ & to where? January-May 1838 Epilogue Afterword Index -- .

Jill Liddington is the author of Female Fortune: The Anne Lister Diaries 1833–36 (2022), and Vanishing for the Vote: Suffrage, Citizenship and the Battle for the Census (2014). She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Leeds. -- .

Reviews for As Good as a Marriage: The Anne Lister Diaries 1836–38

'This meticulous study of a key two-year period in the marriage of Anne Lister and Ann Walker is a must-read for scholars and fans alike. Liddington highlights key passages of the diaries and letters while providing invaluable context and commentary.' Jen Manion, author of Female Husbands ‘Jill Liddington delivers a thorough analysis of the critical years following Anne Lister and Ann Walker’s union. Utilising her own transcription of Lister’s famously challenging “crypthand”, Liddington brings us into the room as the couple struggles against challenges from within and without. Whether you’re a fan of the BBC’s Gentleman Jack or an Anne Lister scholar, this book is not to be missed.’ Pat Esgate, organiser of the Anne Lister Birthday Weekend 'As Good as a Marriage continues the amazing Anne Lister/Gentleman Jack story. Jill Liddington’s excellent introduction and careful editing of letters and diaries for the mid-1830s gives access to the personal, business and political life of this powerful lesbian couple.' Catherine Hall, co-author of Family Fortunes: Men and Women of the English Middle Class 1780–1850 -- .