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.
