This Month in History (1848): Vanity Fair published

First posted 11/11/2025.

Vanity Fair William Makepeace Thackery

First Publication: July 1848 Category: novel/satire on classism Sales: 1 million

Accolades (click on badges to see full lists):

About the Book: “Filled with hilarious dialogue and superb characterizations, Vanity Fair” BN deconstructs “the notions of literary heroism of his era” AZ amidst “a wonderfully satirical panorama of upper-middle-class life and manners in London at the beginning of the nineteenth century.” BN It “is a richly entertaining comedy that asks the reader, ‘Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?’” BN The story centers around Becky and Amelia, who “have just completed their studies at Miss Pinkerton’s Academy for Young Ladies and are beginning to embark upon the world. The simple-minded nature of Amelia, who comes from a wealthy family, is contrasted with the strong-willed nature of Becky, who will stop at nothing to climb the social ranks of English society.” AZ “Becky must use all her wit, charm and considerable sex appeal to escape her drab destiny as a governess. From London’s ballrooms to the battlefields of Waterloo, the bewitching Becky works her wiles on a gallery of memorable characters.” BN “The novel takes its name from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress…in which a town called Vanity is depicted to represent man’s sinful attachment to worldly things. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, Vanity Fair is Thackeray’s classic satire of the societal trappings of Victorian England, self described as a novel without a hero.” AZ Resources and Related Links: AZ Amazon BN Barnes & Noble TG Telegraph: The Perfect Library