Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Penguin (1973), Paperback
Description
The Pax Britannica trilogy is Jan Morris' epic story of the British Empire from the accession of Queen Victoria to the death of Winston Churchill. Heaven's Command, the first volume, takes us from the crowning of Queen Victoria in 1837 to the Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The story moves effortlessly across the world, from the English shores to Fiji, Zululand, the Canadian prairies and beyond.
User reviews
LibraryThing member thorold
A bit dated in some ways, but still an entertaining overview of British imperialism during Victoria's reign. The anecdotal style, pepped up by Morris's first-hand knowledge of many of the places involved, makes it a quick, amusing read, with a few serious insights buried here and there as well.
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
This is a flashy and fairly superficial survey of the Empah at the given moment. If you haven't read much in this area, this is a good first survey book. The prose is clear.
LibraryThing member pratalife
Unless you have studied the history of the 19th century in earnest, you are probably like me - you pick up bits and pieces from all manner of sources. For me that includes everything from Kent's Bolitho, to Cornwell's Sharpe, to Fraser's Flashman. This series ties much of it together, providing an
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overall context and basis in fact, allowing you to better judge fact from fiction. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member pratalife
Unless you have studied the history of the 19th century in earnest, you are probably like me - you pick up bits and pieces from all manner of sources. For me that includes everything from Kent's Bolitho, to Cornwell's Sharpe, to Fraser's Flashman. This series ties much of it together, providing an
Show More
overall context and basis in fact, allowing you to better judge fact from fiction. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member jerry-book
ok
Heaven's Command---An Imperial Progress by James Morris
Just finished this first volume of Morris' trilogy on the British Empire. All the characters and incidents are here: Gladstone, Disraeli, Cecil Rhodes, General Gordon, Parnell, Napier, the Zulus, the Sepoy Rebellion, Richard Burton,
Some poetry. First we hear of Irish resentment.
O Paddy dear an' did ye here the news that's go in' round?
The shamrock is by law forbid to grow on Irish ground!
And Kipling said to the USA about how tough it was--ruling an Empire:
Take up the White Man's Burden----
Have done with childish days----
The lightly proffered laurel,
The easy, ungrudged, praise.
Tennyson on the superiority of British culture:
Through the shadow of the globe we sweep into the younger day;
Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay.
In summary, this was a fascinating start to a time when the sun never set on the British Empire.
Heaven's Command---An Imperial Progress by James Morris
Just finished this first volume of Morris' trilogy on the British Empire. All the characters and incidents are here: Gladstone, Disraeli, Cecil Rhodes, General Gordon, Parnell, Napier, the Zulus, the Sepoy Rebellion, Richard Burton,
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Livingston, Stanley, General Wolseley, the discovery of the source of the Nile, the extermination of the native Tasmanians, the Ashanti War, the Orange Free State, the Transvaal, the first Boer War, the Boer Victory at Majuba, Irish Home Rule, Paul Kruger, British Afghan disaster of 1842, the Hudson Bay Company, the Fenians, the Irish Famine, Daniel O'Connell, the Lawrences and the conquest of the Punjab, the Great Exhibition of 1951, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, Lord Palmerston, etc.Some poetry. First we hear of Irish resentment.
O Paddy dear an' did ye here the news that's go in' round?
The shamrock is by law forbid to grow on Irish ground!
And Kipling said to the USA about how tough it was--ruling an Empire:
Take up the White Man's Burden----
Have done with childish days----
The lightly proffered laurel,
The easy, ungrudged, praise.
Tennyson on the superiority of British culture:
Through the shadow of the globe we sweep into the younger day;
Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay.
In summary, this was a fascinating start to a time when the sun never set on the British Empire.
Show Less
LibraryThing member johnwbeha
It is always a pleasure to read a Jan Morris book even if the subject is of limited interest, but in this case, she is covering an era of which I knew relatively little, the British Empire during the reign of Victoria. She populates the book with a cast of memorable characters, some of whom I had
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heard of (Gladstone and Disraeli) but many others I had never come across, mainly military. She brings them to life through the quality of her writing. Fortunately she is a prolific writer so there are many more books for me still to read. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1973
Local notes
GONE