Overview

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 183638, 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?

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9781526176417

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Reviews

'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 -- .

Author Information

Jill Liddington is the author of Female Fortune: The Anne Lister Diaries 183336 (MUP 2022), and Vanishing for the Vote: Suffrage, Citizenship and the Battle for the Census (MUP 2014). She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Leeds.

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