The National Book League was a precursor to the current Booktrust, and was set up in 1924 by the Society of Bookmen in order to promote reading, particularly among the young. To that end, the NBL issued Reader's Guides on a variety of subjects, each written by an author with expertise in that field and containing an annotated bibliography of recommended titles on the area. Originally published in 1947, this volume is devoted to Victorian fiction, covering a broad range of genres and subject matter. Illustrative figures and an index of authors are included.