Political history of Great Britain during its long 19th century, starting with the disruptions arising from the increased surplus rural population (both cause and consequence of the shift to industrial manufacturing instead of agriculture) and continuing through the shambolic acquisition of an Empire, often against the wishes of politicians in London. Although it’s quite long, it also assumes a fair amount of knowledge about British society, such as how and why one would become a peer. ( )

5620. Victorious Century The United Kingdom, 1800-1906, by David Cannadine (read 21 Apr 2019) This is a carefully done history of Britain in the period named in its title and since it was published in 2017 has the advantage of having perspective on the period of Britain's most victorious years. But there were many doleful events and happenings and sometimes it seems as if it was luck, rather than statesmanship which enabled Britain to be the leading force during the century. The story is told well, from the triumph over Napoleon through the the Great Reform bill of 1832, through the tumults related to the "Hungry Forties", and the long Victorian Age to the great Liberal election triumph of 1906. The book, appropriately, ends with Kipling's haunting words: "Far-called, our navies melt away; On dune and headland sinks the fire: Lo, all our pomp of yesterday Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget - lest we forget." As I read the note on further reading I was surprised, though I have read much in recent British history, practically none of the books mentioned have I read. I am not going to get all read that I would like to read, but I am glad I read this thoughtful and perceptive study. ( )

Victorious Century – A Masterpiece of 19th Century British History

Professor David Cannadine has written one of the best overviews of the nineteenth century history from the British perspective. The nineteenth century saw such astonishing changes, at that time had no precedent, this was an exciting time to be alive juxtaposed by also being awful if you were not one of the successful people.

Victorious Century is not the only history published recently on the nineteenth century, and many more will be published in years to come. What we get as the prologue tells us is something different, from the other histories that are available. The scholarship in this book shows why Professor Cannadine is one of the world’s top academics on this period of history. This book tells us Britain’s history in comprehensive detail and that is what makes it so good.

What Cannadine does do it look at different dates to help define the century rather than the age-old chronology that other books deliver. Starting and ending with domestic history and while the Napoleonic Wars are there they are not a detailed study as he begins his intensive detailed explanation of the events from 1815. There are plenty of facts in this book, so much I learnt or reinforced facts I had forgotten, but they are dealt with in such a way that the general reader will enjoy this book. For students, this is an excellent background reading for ideas and questions for further study on nineteenth century British history.

This book reminds you that historical events do not happen in glorious isolation, and those effects sometimes can still be felt today. Beginning with the Act of Union with Ireland through to the General Election of 1906 we see some of the massive changes Britain underwent. It must also be remembered that after 1945 when, correctly, the dismantling of the Empire began, but the nationalist movements started in the later nineteenth century, when those agitators were denounced or simply disregarded.

It is without doubt that between 1800 and the 1900 Britain was witness to so many extraordinary and traumatic changes, and these were expressed in many different ways, through art, poetry and prose. Cannadine takes the reader through this in a fascinating and illuminating way, this book has been written with passion and knowledge. Cannadine has brought out how extraordinary the British were, how industrious, creative and vigorous, while at the same time flawed and fallible.

This really is a masterpiece of nineteenth century British history. ( )