THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE covers the history of British expansion overseas from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. Narrative and analysis are interwoven with revealing eyewitness quotation to provide keen insight into the minds of those involved in conquering, settling and ruling the greatest Empire the world has seen. Throughout, there are consistant themes; the search for profit and the moral misgivings it generated; domestic developments which made imperial expansion desirable; and the sense of national and personal destiny felt by the empire-builders. Spanning four centuries and six continents, James' magnificent survey examines the imperial experience and its legacy with tremendous verve. Informed, comprehensive and perceptive, it is the essential summary of the era. 'James' epic is not only a first-rate narrative, but also a penetrating portrait of the British...Having largely, if often inadvertently, selfishly or ham-fistedly, engineered the world we live in, we need the courage now to face up to our record as coolly and intelligently as Lawrence James has done' - John Spurling, TLS
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A masterpiece (A N Wilson )
...with this superb history of a mammoth subject his writing career has reached its apogee. (Andrew Roberts, THE TIMES )
James never loses sight of his grand design, yet he still finds room for the telling detail which illuminates and enriches a narrative" Philip Ziegler, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ('A stimulating book… intelligent and making no concessions to current cliché.’ )
IRISH TIMES ('With dispassion and erudition James restores it to us mixing a pacy, lucid narrative with enlivening detail taken from political, cultural and populist sources.’ )
...with this superb history of a mammoth subject his writing career has reached its apogee. (Andrew Roberts, THE TIMES )
James never loses sight of his grand design, yet he still finds room for the telling detail which illuminates and enriches a narrative" Philip Ziegler, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ('A stimulating book… intelligent and making no concessions to current cliché.’ )
IRISH TIMES ('With dispassion and erudition James restores it to us mixing a pacy, lucid narrative with enlivening detail taken from political, cultural and populist sources.’ )
Book Description
* Uniquely complete account of the British Empire - Jan Morris' great Penguin trilogy PAX BRITANNICA only starts from 1837, rather than the 16th Century.
* A modern classic of narrative history, updated to include the 1997 handover of Hong Kong.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
100 of 105 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
James' reading of History and English shows throughout this book. He has chronologically portrayed the rise and fall of the British Empire with snippets of poems and literature - relevant to the time. The book gives the ignorant a good introduction to the empire and the underlying reasons for it's creation and fall. James never leaves the 'beaten track' in this narrative, but provides almost infinite ideas for further reading within this vast subject. Excellent!!!!
98 of 106 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. Robert Kelly
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
In these post imperial days it seems that we are too guilt ridden to view the history of the British Empire in context. Mr. James sets out to bring us the history of the empire in terms which though perhaps not totally impartial (he appears to believe on balance it was a good thing)are not jaundiced by dogma.
The British were never completely comfortable with the concept of empire. Driven by the two goals of trade and settlement, the British Empire almost came about by accident. Mr. James is excellent at showing how British attitudes towards empire changed throughout the imperial period. Starting from almost indifference at the beginning, to national obession by the end of the 19th century. The story of the British Empire is one which has touched the lives of almost a 1/4 of the worlds population. Mr. James makes the point that the empire might have died, but that it's influence will linger for a long while yet. A worthwhile read
The British were never completely comfortable with the concept of empire. Driven by the two goals of trade and settlement, the British Empire almost came about by accident. Mr. James is excellent at showing how British attitudes towards empire changed throughout the imperial period. Starting from almost indifference at the beginning, to national obession by the end of the 19th century. The story of the British Empire is one which has touched the lives of almost a 1/4 of the worlds population. Mr. James makes the point that the empire might have died, but that it's influence will linger for a long while yet. A worthwhile read
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The British Empire is a vast and complex historical subject. However, Lawrence James manages easily to detail its growth and decline in a manner that is not only highly informative, but thourghly enjoyable to read. His writing style is laid back and the sheer volume of historical detail he packs into every chapter is breathtaking. His selective use of seemingly insignificant anecdotes draws the reader into the book, even provoking the occasional snigger (something not always associated with history!). "The Rise and Fall of the British Empire" is a fantastic study that anybody with even a fleeting interest in Britain's Imperial history and legacy should read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad
One ripped page and the book was dented. Came in 5 days so standard delivery. Overall pleased with this product
Published 19 months ago by Steven
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good but blinkered
This is a very well written and detailed account of the empire. The writer keeps you interested and covers most of the main events very well. Read more
Published on 22 April 2006 by Book Reviewer 76
3.0 out of 5 stars
not much of a navel gaze
Anyone looking for some deep understanding of the 'fall' of the BritishEmpire will be disappointed. Some introspective view would have been anice addition. Read more
Published on 25 April 2004
3.0 out of 5 stars
not much of a navel gaze
Anyone looking for some deep understanding of the 'fall' of the BritishEmpire will be disappointed. Some introspective view would have been anice addition. Read more
Published on 25 April 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
Serious scholarship brought to life
I was lucky enough to be taught by Mr James, a wit and gentlemen of a rare order. It was a real treat reading this survey of the British Empire. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2002 by Neil Ford
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful read that leaves the reader gasping for more
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire is a majestic sweep through four hundred years of Imperial history. Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2000
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely magnificent!
The history of the British Empire has always been somewhat controversial: some of it good, some of it bad. Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2000
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