SKU: 8664388331

A Thing in Disguise

Sale price$9.17 Regular price$10.19
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $2.55 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 16 - Jul 21

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

A Thing in DisguiseA brilliantly conceived biography of Joseph Paxton, horticulturist to the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth, architect of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Victorian Age In the nineteenth century, which witnessed a revolution in horticulture and urban planning and architecture, Joseph Paxton, a man with no formal education, strode like a colossus. Head gardener at Chatsworth by the

A brilliantly conceived biography of Joseph Paxton, horticulturist to the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth, architect of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Victorian Age

In the nineteenth century, which witnessed a revolution in horticulture and urban planning and architecture, Joseph Paxton, a man with no formal education, strode like a colossus. Head gardener at Chatsworth by the age of twenty-three, and encouraged by the sixth Duke of Devonshire whose patronage soon flourished into the defining friendship of his life, Paxton set about transforming this Derbyshire estate into the greatest garden in England. Visitors there were astonished by the enormous glasshouses and ambitious waterworks he built, the collection of orchids, the largest in all England, the dwarf bananas and the gargantuan lily, the trees and plants brought back from all over the world. Queen Victoria came to marvel and, increasingly, with the development of the railway in which Paxton was also involved, daytrippers from all over the country.

It was the Crystal Palace, home of the Great Exhibition in 1851, that secured Paxton's fame. His design, initially doodled on a piece of blotting paper, was the architectural triumph of its time. Two thousand men worked for eight months to complete it. It was six times the size of St Paul's Cathedral, enclosed a space of 18 acres, and entertained six million visitors. By the time of his death fourteen years later, 'the busiest man in England' according to Dickens, was friends with Brunel and Stevenson and in constant demand to design public parks and gardens. His last, seemingly most eccentric project was for a Great Boulevard under glass, a crystal arcade that would connect all the main railway termini in London.

Drawing on exclusive access to Paxton's personal letters, Kate Colquhouns's remarkable biography is a compelling story of a man who typifies the Victorian ideal of self-improvement and a touching portrait of one of that era's great heroes.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: 09/11/2009
ISBN: 9780007143542
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.81lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.76d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 8664388331

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.2 ★★★★★
Based on 24 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
K
Verified Purchase
Kristi Nicole
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
Beautiful!
Size: One Size, Color: B4/Dark Leopard
Love the size and quality of this bag! It fits in well with my style and with the rest of the girls!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2026
L
Verified Purchase
Linda Arndt
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice, versatile and comfy shirt
Size: Large, Color: Dark Blue
Ordered the dark charcoal for our son-in-law and he liked it so much that I ordered the teal and gray for my husband. He’s worn them both many times and they still look great. They can be worn casually with jeans or dressed up with nicer slacks. Very soft and comfy. Nice quarter zip style.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2026
C
Verified Purchase
Candi
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Great quality and look
Size: Large, Color: Khaki
My husband loved the quality, comfort and feel of this pullover. Fits him great!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2025
B
Verified Purchase
Brady Lucas
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Great fit and comfortable.
Size: X-Large, Color: Chestnut Brown
Great fit and pairs well with jeans or dress pants. Quality material that is soft and comfy. Worth the price!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2025
C
Verified Purchase
carolyn Lindstrom
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
True to size
Size: Medium, Color: Light Blue
True to size very good material. The quality is excellent. It’s lightweight and it says that the color I love very much in style.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2026

recommand products