Mr. Selfridge is one of those period dramas that seems to have been left behind, but I really enjoyed it. Selfridges is still one of the most popular stores in London, and the man behind it was an enigma. I have rewatched this series a few times, it is incredibly entertaining. (It also takes place at the same time as Downton Abbey and The Pursuit of Love, which is an added bonus.) So, today’s Book Bite is one of favourite biographies, Shopping, Seduction, and Mr. Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead!
Shopping, Seduction, and Mr. Selfridge, Lindy Woodhead
Harry Gordon Selfridge was a charismatic American who, in twenty-five years working at Marshall Field’s in Chicago, rose from lowly stockboy to a partner in the business which his visionary skills had helped to create. At the turn of the twentieth century he brought his own American dream to London’s Oxford Street where, in 1909, with a massive burst of publicity, Harry opened Selfridge’s, England’s first truly modern built-for-purpose department store. Designed to promote shopping as a sensual and pleasurable experience, six acres of floor space offered what he called “everything that enters into the affairs of daily life,” as well as thrilling new luxuries—from ice-cream soda to signature perfumes. This magical emporium also featured Otis elevators, a bank, a rooftop garden with an ice-skating rink, and a restaurant complete with orchestra—all catering to customers from Anna Pavlova to Noel Coward. The store was “a theatre, with the curtain going up at nine o’clock.” Yet the real drama happened off the shop floor, where Mr. Selfridge navigated an extravagant world of mistresses, opulent mansions, racehorses, and an insatiable addiction to gambling. While his gloriously iconic store still stands, the man himself would ultimately come crashing down.
Why You Should Read This…
If you are talking to anyone about visiting London, there is a good chance that they will recommend visiting a department store. Depending on the person, it might be Harrods, it might be Liberty, it might be Selfridges. While all three are worth a visit, I think that Harry Selfridge is the most interesting of the founders.
Woodhead’s biography is easy to read, and entertaining, and pulls this larger-than-life man out of the shadows. I think that Selfridge himself was long ignored because of his less-than-luxurious end to life. However, I don’t think that those circumstances mean he is any less fascinating. While I love getting into longer length biographies, sometimes it is lovely to have a shorter read!
Have you read Shopping, Seduction, and Mr. Selfridge?
Cheers,
The Historian
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