This collection investigates how the concepts of memory and memorialization were constructed, contested, and transformed within British culture between the French Revolution and the outbreak of the First World War. The editors, Matthew Campbell, Jacqueline M. Labbe, and Sally Shuttleworth, assemble a multidisciplinary group of scholars to examine the intersection of historical consciousness and literary production. By analyzing a wide array of texts and cultural artifacts, the contributors argue that the nineteenth century was defined by a persistent anxiety regarding the preservation of the past in an era of rapid modernization.

Scholars in the field of nineteenth-century studies frequently cite this volume as a significant contribution to the understanding of how historical consciousness evolved during the Victorian period. The text is noted for its academic rigor and its ability to synthesize diverse disciplinary approaches to the study of cultural memory.