The Victorian Age officially began on June 20, 1837, when King William IV's eighteen-year-old niece was informed of his death... and prepared to ascend the throne as England's first female monarch in more than a century. Over the course of her sixty-three-year reign, Queen Victoria would preside over astonishing advancements in engineering, technology, healthcare, and criminal justice, not to mention major shifts in the arts, fashion, and daily lives of her people. This slim volume offers an insightful glimpse into that pivotal era in British - and global - history and industry, complete with fascinating snippets of trivia about the queen, her family, and the rapidly transforming nation they called home. The Victorian Treasury is a must for Anglophiles, history buffs, and anyone else transfixed by this remarkable period of history. (KG)