Routledge
Britain, Europe and the World 1850-1986: Delusions of Grandeur
Key Metrics
- Bernard Porter
- Routledge
- Hardcover
- 9781032552941
- -
- -
- History > Europe - Great Britain - 20th Century
- English
Secure TransactionBook Description
First published in 1983, Britain, Europe and the World 1850-1986 examines the history of Britain's international situation and foreign policy in relation to her domestic circumstances from the middle of the nineteenth century to the late twentieth century to provide answers to the following questions, among others: What did it mean for Britain to be 'a great power' in the nineteenth century? Why is she no longer one? Could anything have been done to prevent her 'decline'? It is an unusual interpretation, undermining many of the most pervasive present-day myths about Britain's past. Some of its conclusions will be unexpected. The reissue contains a new preface in which the author brings the reader up to date with the changes Britain has gone through since the book was first published. It has been written for students of British history and diplomacy at all levels, and for anyone interested in finding out why the British have come to be where they find themselves now.
Author Bio
Academic historian, emeritus prof, author of many books, essayist, reviewer. Loving sambo (partner) of Kajsa Ohrlander, feminist and postmodernist academic. Living in Stockholm, Svartsö (an island in the Stockholm archipelago) and Hull, UK City of Culture 2017. Ex-wife Deirdre; three children, six grandchildren, two bonusbarn, and two bonusbarnbarn.
Born in Hornchurch, Essex, but consider myself a Northerner by adoption; share all their prejudices against the South. Educated Ardleigh Green Primary, Brentwood School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Resigned Fellowship there because of its admissions policy. Taught at the universities of Hull (the best), Newcastle, Yale, Sydney, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Ex-set designer for dramatics. Ex-painter. Ex-lots of things, in fact, but rather worn out now. Academic areas: modern British imperialism, xenophobia and -philia, spooks, Victorian architecture. Politics: ‘Old’ Labour. Religion: agnostic. Favourite philosopher: Karl Marx. Favourite music: Haydn, Berlioz, Elgar, Billie Holliday, Duke Ellington, Brenda Lee, the Housemartins, Ray Charles. Literature: Shakespeare, Ursula le Guin. Favourite painters: Turner, Klee, Botticelli, Frank Hampson. Other heroes: Jesus Christ (the ‘echt’ one, shorn of the ‘Christianity’); Barbara Castle; Bobby Moore; Graham Gooch; Desmond Tutu.
Other enthusiasms: architecture, especially old churches; travel (in comfort). Favourite foods: too many to name. Hence paunchy. Supporter of West Ham United and Essex County Cricket Club for 60+ years. Usually much more modestly bearded than in the pic. But just as depressed-looking.
Source: bernardjporter.com
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