What is Britishness? What makes Americans admire the guts, traditions and loyalties of these island Anglo-Saxon and Celtic peoples? This volume brings to life the character and frustrations so carefully studied by allies and enemies for twenty-one centuries - from Romans to al-Qaeda. Following the thought-provoking style of the original This Sceptred
Isle , this new volume brings to life the character and frustrations so
carefully studied by allies and enemies for twenty-one centuries - from
Romans to al-Qaeda. Here Lee makes all the connections with institutions
and changing industrial and social characteristics that even show us
that Britishness is not exclusively British. At a time when a major
section of the British, the English, appear to be less and less sure who
they are and who they are meant to be, This Sceptred Isle confirms
who it is we really are.
What allowed one small island group to rule a quarter of the world and, even today, to have the most spoken language after Chinese? What makes Americans admire the guts, traditions and loyalties of these island Anglo-Saxon and Celtic people? What is it that makes cynical Europeans and once-dominated Asians look to the British for opinion, literature, social norms and justice? The answers lie within the creation of British institutions, both Commoner and Aristocracy, during the past 2000 years.
Christopher Lee is a writer, historian and broadcaster, best-known for writing the radio documentary series 'This Sceptred Isle' for the BBC. Lee was the first Quatercentenary Fellow in Contemporary History and Gomes Lecturer in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He has written nearly 30 books and more than 70 radio plays.
