History of Britain The Fate of Empire 1776-2002

"The book is a companion volume to Schama's widely broadcast television series and is structured as a collection of episodes (told through individuals) that span the years 1776 to 2000. Schama is unashamedly idiosyncratic, pointing out that his book is a history of Britain, not the history of Britain. Still, it might seem odd that this volume barely mentions the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Crimean War or the Boer War. And it is sometimes too breezy in structure and tone, assuming readers will know the basic facts about, say, the repeal of the Corn Laws. But while one might quibble with the lack of emphasis on this figure or that event--I, for one, did want more on Peel, one of Britain's most important prime ministers--on the whole Schama pulls it off. He writes wonderfully, in an easygoing yet elegant manner, with an eye for the telling aesthetic detail, and throughout brimming with intelligence and passion. In addition, most of the biographical essays do end up serving to highlight, in one way or another, his central theme -- the push and pull between Britain's liberal hopes and its imperial realities.Schama, Simon is the author of 'History of Britain The Fate of Empire 1776-2002', published 2002 under ISBN 9780786868995 and ISBN 0786868996.