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Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World
 
 
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Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World (Hardcover)

by Niall Ferguson (Author) "In December 1663 a Welshman called Henry Morgan sailed five hundred miles across the Caribbean to mount a spectacular raid on a Spanish outpost called..." (more)
4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (51 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Allen Lane (6 Nov 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0713996153
  • ISBN-13: 978-0713996159
  • Product Dimensions: 24.8 x 19.6 x 3.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 224,105 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Niall Ferguson's compelling tour de force, Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World is published to coincide with a Channel 4 TV series. Ferguson, author of The Pity of War and The Cash Nexus, does not so much provide a synoptic survey of the British empire since the 17th century, as an arresting argument about why it arose, and how it fell. Ferguson's emphasis throughout is on the pursuit of economic profit and military might.

Piracy overseas and a taste for sugar and spice at home, combined with an unerring ability to vanquish rival European powers such as the Dutch and French in the dash for stash and status across the globe. But Ferguson is also alive to the peculiarities of British dominion: the manly and Christian civil service--less than a thousand strong--who ruled India, missionaries such as Livingstone, who explored and mapped as they preached and the barons of empire--Rhodes, Curzon, and Kitchener--who found in empire an outlet for their homoeroticism.

The book is brilliant and persuasive on trade and buccaneering before 1750, on India, on the late Victorian imperial mentalité, and on the two world wars, but less convincing on the empire of white settlement, and strangely silent on the most difficult colony of all, Ireland. In the end, Ferguson's penchant for polemic gets the upper-hand--the book closes with a controversial balance-sheet of the gains and losses of the British imperial experience--but he provides a riveting read nonetheless. --Miles Taylor

The Times, January 8, 2003
Ferguson is the most brilliant British historian of his generation ... he writes with splendid panache...the Errol Flynn of British historians

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In December 1663 a Welshman called Henry Morgan sailed five hundred miles across the Caribbean to mount a spectacular raid on a Spanish outpost called Gran Grenada, to the north of Lago de Nicaragua. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

51 Reviews
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Short, original and readable but no references!, 30 Aug 2004
This review is from: Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World (Paperback)
This book is only about 400 pages long but manages to cover the whole history of the British Empire in depth. There is a startling fact on almost every page. Loads to think about, since Ferguson has some original ideas. Readable prose - I would even call this book a page-turner. And the book is well organised, with each chapter having its own theme, and the conclusion being that whatever suffering the Empire caused, viewed in the light of the plausible historical alternatives (for example, French, Russian, German or Japanese hegemony) it was a Good Thing.

This doesn't mean that Ferguson glosses over or excuses the bad points of the Empire. There is a lot in here that is shocking.

I have only one criticism of this book. Ferguson loves to quote people or texts but he never gives references! This is unforgivable in a history book, even a "popular" one.

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43 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Controversial but persuasive, 22 Jul 2004
By "ian17577" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World (Paperback)
You may not agree with Mr. Ferguson's conclusions (although his arguments are compelling), but this is one of the most thought-provoking history books that I have ever read. Interestingly enough, much of the material in this book is also covered in Simon Schama's third volume of his History of Britain, yet this book demonstrates Ferguson to be unquestionably the better historian. Whilst Schama is content to trot out the old, hackneyed liberal view that the British Empire gave little to the world, Ferguson is prepared to challenge this , equally giving weight to the benefits bestowed to other countries and the problems as well as comparing the fortunes of those nations ruled by less well-intentioned leaders. In a few words, this is a very balanced view and the author must be applauded for the convincing manner with which he supports his (currently) unfashionable arguments.
The book concludes that the world needs dominant powers to counter-act the malevolent actions of the world's less scrupulous leaders. As Ferguson says, the greatest contribution to the world by the British Empire was the fact that it sacrificed itself to prevent the world being ruled by the two evil empires of Nazi Germany and Japan. With the demise of the British Empire, more through economics than the quest for independence, Ferguson argues that the USA must now take on the role vacated by Britain.
To conclude, this is a brave piece of historic writing made even better by the fact that it is so enjoyable to read. This is an essential purchase for history lovers and deserves to be read by every Briton. So strong are his arguments, this book could lead to a sea change in way in which we view our past. Niall Ferguson's "Empire" is the most relevant history book I am aware of in today's troubled times. Thoroughly recommended.
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47 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World, 1 Jun 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World (Paperback)
As a non-specialist, this book was a delightful introduction to 'The Empire'. It contained sufficient detail to retain my interest throughout, described in very compelling prose.

It gallops through history and across the globe, from the pirates in the Caribbean, to emigration and settlement in America, Australia and New Zealand. The American War Of Independence, African Imperialism and the history of the East India Company are well covered. The book shows you just how simplistic taking a polarised view of whether the Empire was 'good' or 'bad' really is. However, Ferguson's argument that the benefits of industrialisation meant the English might not have been as bad as the other options on the table for some countries was not completely convincing, although it was argued honestly.

The excitement Ferguson feels for his topic bursts out of the book, and I would definately recommend it.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, engaging from start to finish
If you want a balanced, superbly written analysis of the British Empire, then this is it. My knowledge of history is pretty weak, after reading this book, it was like a door had... Read more
Published 1 month ago by G-man

5.0 out of 5 stars A rather interesting story
Niall Ferguson does a rather good job of telling how Britain's Empire came about and how it unraveled during the 20th century. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Thomas Koetzsch

1.0 out of 5 stars Ferguson the idiot
Supposedly an emminent historian, Ferguson just re-affirms the pervasive racist legacy of the British Empire by giving a one-sided view of the process, completely ignoring the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. M. A. Hall

5.0 out of 5 stars the most readable historian of our time
Ferguson makes the subject very digestible without any dumbing down. I found it a thoughtful page turner that challenged received wisdom on the British Empire very eloquently.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. Jacqueline Clarke

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and very readable
This is a book that was suggested reading before embarking on the Open University course A326, Empire. Read more
Published 4 months ago by S. L. Downes

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and informative read
Provides some little known information about some very well known people and events. Ferguson writes in a very readable style that it a pleasure to read.
Published 5 months ago by Ian

4.0 out of 5 stars Empire and imperialists
There are two accepted theories on the British Empire. The first, during its heyday, was that the Empire was a force for good and represented all that was right in the world. Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. DARBY

2.0 out of 5 stars A Gallop Round the Globe
The rise and fall of the British Empire could be the greatest story ever told but not the way Ferguson tells it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by John Fitzpatrick

5.0 out of 5 stars what can i say with a tag name like mine?
Read this, it certainly sets the record straight, never let an extream leftie ever say the empire was pure evil and is to be amshamed of, this book gives an excellent balanced... Read more
Published 9 months ago by A. D. Taylor

3.0 out of 5 stars highly entertaining, though seriously flawed
There are, however, some serious factual errors. The British empire allowed famines in India that killed millions of people even while food was exported from that country... Read more
Published 12 months ago by another reader

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