Jacob Rees-Mogg’s new book on the Victorians has sold 734 copies He may be called a man from another time, but it appears Jacob Rees Mogg’s understanding of history has come up rather short

He may be called a man from another time, but it appears Jacob Rees Mogg’s understanding of history has come up rather short.

European Research Group leader and Conservative MP Mr Rees-Mogg penned a book about the Victorian era – but has sold just 734 copies of the text to date.

‘Morally repellent’, ‘abysmal’ and ‘soul-destroying’

The book, named The Victorians: Twelve Titans Who Forged Britain, was snapped up by Penguin Random House in hopes it would be a fascinating money-spinner, but a series of dour reviews of the 500-page non-fiction book do not paint an illustrious picture.

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At best, reviewers described the 12-section biography as “a boring tome” full of “little more than commonplace cliches,” while other less charitable reviews branded the £20 hardback “morally repellent”, “abysmal” and “soul-destroying.”

Critics have lambasted the book for its coverage of exclusively 19th-century male politicians, while excluding the era’s scientists, engineers, artists, writers, feminists and women – apart from Queen Victoria herself – who contributed to the era, according to the Irish Times.

Others have remarked on its short bibliography, detailing just 60 texts used for research in the catalogue at the back of the book.

The Guardian‘s Katherine Hughes wrote in a scathing review: “Who needs up-to-date information when all you have to do is rearrange the old stuff until you get the story you want?”

Rees-Mogg defends depiction of colonial leader

Mr Rees-Mogg has stuck his head above the parapet to acknowledge his poor reviews – but not without taking a swipe at the Tory’s outgoing party leader.

Mentioning the criticism at the start of the interview on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Wednesday, he said: “The only thing that’s been worse reviewed than my book is Mrs May’s speech last night.”

Historian A.N Wilson, who described the book as “staggeringly silly” in a Times review, told him on the programme: “Well, I mean, this isn’t really a history book. This is a political manifesto and Mogg the author of the book is sitting beside me, is a very admirable man in many respects, sees the Victorians and sort of foreshadowing of himself basically.”

He also accused the politician of defending colonial general Sir Charles James Napier in the text.

Rees-Mogg virulently defended the general, who worked for the slave ship traders the East India Company, and massacred thousands of people in what is now Pakistan.

“Mr Wilson mentions Napier in his review and accuses Napier of massacres. This is simply not true,” said Rees-Mogg.

“Napier is a very interesting figure who is against the policy of destroying villages and tries to stop it. He stops infanticide or tries to reach it out.”

The historian retorted: “I’m sorry, but he massacred thousands in the Punjab and he then stole the Kohinoor (diamond), which you say was given, but it wasn’t given to Queen Victoria, it was stolen.”

Even though he has been fired at from all directions for the work of colonial nostalgia, Rees-Mogg will source at least some financial comfort from his attempt in spite of the poor sales, as he struck a £12,500 advance deal from publishers.