History in Our Time - Softcover

Cannadine, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140249559 ISBN 13: 9780140249552

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2001

Synopsis

Why did the royal family become dysfunctional? How did the House of Windsor amass so much wealth? In this entertaining and thought-provoking collection David Cannadine answers these questions and more, offering dazzling brief overviews of topics ranging from class to divorce, privacy to patriotism, the rise and fall of Empire, and the absurd cult of Victorian Values. Brilliantly dissecting the continuing crises of the British monarchy, he reveals how even the most exceptional figures-Churchill and Mosely, Thatcher and Princess Diana-can only be understood in their full historical context. Cannadine skillfully brings the past to life, using it to illuminate the present.

About this title

Review:

Historian and essayist David Cannadine promises, in his introduction to History in Our Time, a "festive and high-spirited" book--and he delivers. This collection of 30 essays focusing on 19th- and 20th-century England is not only supported by the Oxford-educated Cannadine's authoritative grasp of historical fact, but graced with a sharp sense of humor that at times makes one think of H.L. Mencken crossed with P.G. Wodehouse. Cannadine serves up serious history, yet it's never solemn. "If George III had died younger or gone mad sooner," Cannadine reflects, "his sons would have had much greater opportunities to enjoy and consolidate their debauched and self-indulgent idea of monarchy." The essays deal with three main themes: the monarchy, sketches of notable Britons (including Churchill, Thatcher, MacMillan, and writer John Buchan), and, in a section titled "Hindsight's Insights," examinations of how the English regard such matters as divorce, privacy, class, and morals. These essays were written between 1988 and 1997, and Cannadine is often at his best when examining (and skewering) what he regards as the pompous follies of the Thatcher years. One of the most recent essays in the book, written in the days following the death of Princess Diana, is remarkable for its analysis of her life, the mass reaction to her death, and what it all means for the future of her sons and for England itself. --Robert McNamara

About the Author:

David Cannadine is Director at the Institute of the Historical Research, University of London. His acclaimed books include Aspects of Aristocracy, The Pleasures of the Past, and The Decline of the British Aristocracy.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0140249559
• ISBN 13: 9780140249552
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336