Eminent Victorians

Eminent Victorians is a groundbreaking biography by Lytton Strachey, first published in 1918. The book is a collection of biographical sketches of four influential figures from the Victorian era: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Thomas Arnold, and Dr. Samuel Smiles. Strachey's approach to biography was revolutionary for its time, as he employed a sharp, ironic style, blending wit with deep insight to provide a critical perspective on his subjects, rather than the conventional, hagiographical treatment that was common in biographies of the era.