Last month I was looking for an audiobook I could listen to while wrapping Christmas presents and writing Christmas cards and selected The Stuff of History: A Curated Compendium of Curious Objects and Forgotten People by Steven Moore.
Steven Moore is probably best known for being a TV presenter on Antiques Roadshow and Antiques Roadtrip and has been an antiques dealer, auctioneer, museum curator, author and journalist. What he offers in The Stuff of History is a compilation of topics and subjects from across different periods in history and from all around the world; sometimes focussing on a person and other times on an object.
One of my favourite chapters was the story of the 14 year old boy who broke into Buckingham Palace between 1838-1841 and allegedly lived there in secret by hiding in rooms and chimneys. He was eventually caught but not before he stole a pair of Queen Victoria's underwear and it was quite the scandal at the time.
The blurb prepares the reader for a carefully curated miscellany and the publishers couldn't have described the contents more accurately. The author clearly chose subjects he was was fond of, but the selection didn't seem to contain any unifying theme or overarching common thread. The history of the Resolute Desk in the White House sits comfortably alongside the rise of Chinese porcelain and the evolution of the fork. The frequent format of introduction: ('It is the 26th July and we're in London, it's 1935' and 'It is the 20th of June 1952 and we're in Long Beach California') became repetitive very quickly and in response I began to mentally prepare a list of alternatives to 'it is this and we are here'.
The audiobook is narrated by the author himself and readers will enjoy his voice and accent which is perfect for the subject matter being presented. However, the book doesn't seem to reach a logical conclusion, the last object is presented and that's it. This format could have gone on for another 20 chapters but I was hoping for a concluding chapter summarising the book and perhaps providing the reader with a glimpse into the world of antiques, how the author began his career or resources for those looking to learn more about antiques and history in general.
Instead, we're given a quiz at the end which I'll admit was an inspired inclusion. I was initially all for it but the author chose obscure facts from each chapter instead of asking questions that would help cement an important historical fact in the memory of the reader which was a lost opportunity in my opinion.
The Stuff of History by Steven Moore will appeal to readers with an obscure interest in history who want to feel as though they're dipping into a range of books covering art, collectibles, antiques and social history.
