An Unofficial 'The MeatEater Podcast' Reading List

607. Nelson’s Lover: The Scandalous Lady Hamilton

October 08, 2025

Description

Who was Emma Hamilton, Horatio Nelson’s strikingly beautiful, and famously fashionable mistress? How did she raise herself up from dire poverty, to become a model, actress, dancer, and even an...
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Books Referenced

England's Mistress: The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton

Author: Kate Williams

Context:

Tom explicitly references this biography of Emma Hamilton multiple times, calling it 'fantastic' and noting that Kate Williams wrote her PhD on Emma Hamilton. The book is quoted to describe Emma's birthplace, her childhood, and various aspects of her life.

The Life of George Romney

Author: William Hayley

Context:

Referenced as 'the poet William Haley, who wrote a biography of Romney in 1809' - this is a biography of the painter George Romney, quoted to describe Emma's expressive abilities.

The First Bohemians: Life and Art in London's Golden Age

Author: Vic Gattrell

Context:

Described as 'the great historian of Georgian culture' and quoted regarding Covent Garden being 'the world's first creative bohemia.' This appears to be from one of his works on Georgian England.

Women, Sociability and Theatre in Georgian London

Author: Gillian Russell

Context:

Referenced as 'the historian Gillian Russell' and quoted on Emma Hamilton's influence on the cultural movement that became romanticism.

Nelson: A Dream of Glory

Author: John Sugden

Context:

Quoted as describing King Ferdinand IV as 'a boisterous, big featured buffoon' - likely from one of his historical works, possibly his Nelson biography.