Victorious Century
The United Kingdom, 1800-1906
New York, New York : Viking, [2018]
Format: Book
Description: xxi, 601 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm.
A sweeping history of nineteenth-century Britain by one of the world's most respected historians.
"An evocative account . . .[Cannadine] tells his own story persuasively and exceedingly well. " --The Wall Street Journal
To live in nineteenth-century Britain was to experience an astonishing and unprecedented series of changes. Cities grew vast; there were revolutions in transportation, communication, science, and work--all while a growing religious skepticism rendered the intellectual landscape increasingly unrecognizable. It was an exhilarating time, and as a result, most of the countries in the world that experienced these changes were racked by political and social unrest. Britain, however, maintained a stable polity at home, and as a result it quickly found itself in a position of global leadership.
In this major new work, leading historian David Cannadine has created a bold, fascinating new interpretation of nineteenth-century Britain. Britain was a country that saw itself at the summit of the world and, by some measures, this was indeed true. It had become the largest empire in history: its political stability positioned it as the leader of the new global economy and allowed it to construct the largest navy ever built. And yet it was also a society permeated with doubt, fear, and introspection. Repeatedly, politicians and writers felt themselves to be staring into the abyss and what is seen as an era of irritating self-belief was in fact obsessed with its own fragility, whether as a great power or as a moral force. Victorious Century is a comprehensive and extraordinarily stimulating history--its author catches the relish, humor and staginess of the age, but also the dilemmas faced by Britain's citizens, ones we remain familiar with today.
"An evocative account . . .[Cannadine] tells his own story persuasively and exceedingly well. " --The Wall Street Journal
To live in nineteenth-century Britain was to experience an astonishing and unprecedented series of changes. Cities grew vast; there were revolutions in transportation, communication, science, and work--all while a growing religious skepticism rendered the intellectual landscape increasingly unrecognizable. It was an exhilarating time, and as a result, most of the countries in the world that experienced these changes were racked by political and social unrest. Britain, however, maintained a stable polity at home, and as a result it quickly found itself in a position of global leadership.
In this major new work, leading historian David Cannadine has created a bold, fascinating new interpretation of nineteenth-century Britain. Britain was a country that saw itself at the summit of the world and, by some measures, this was indeed true. It had become the largest empire in history: its political stability positioned it as the leader of the new global economy and allowed it to construct the largest navy ever built. And yet it was also a society permeated with doubt, fear, and introspection. Repeatedly, politicians and writers felt themselves to be staring into the abyss and what is seen as an era of irritating self-belief was in fact obsessed with its own fragility, whether as a great power or as a moral force. Victorious Century is a comprehensive and extraordinarily stimulating history--its author catches the relish, humor and staginess of the age, but also the dilemmas faced by Britain's citizens, ones we remain familiar with today.
Series: Penguin history of Britain ; 8.
Subjects:
Great Britain -- History -- 19th century.
Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century.
Great Britain -- Intellectual life -- 19th century.
Great Britain -- History -- 19th century.
Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century.
Great Britain -- Intellectual life -- 19th century.
ISBN:
9780525557890
Availability | |||
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Call Number | Location | Shelf Location | Status |
HISTORY Europe England Can | Main (Downtown) | Third Level, Nonfiction | In |
Includes bibliographical references and index.