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Loading... Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empireby Saul David
None.  CSL | Mar 25, 2008 |  no reviews | add a review
No descriptions found. "During the period known as the 'Dual Monarchy', from Queen Victoria's accession in 1837 to the death of her husband, Albert, in 1861, the British Empire almost quintupled in size. Its cities, canals, railways and telegraphs were changing the face of continents. It was well on the way to becoming the greatest empire in the world had ever seen." "This is the story of that extraordinary quarter-century of imperial conquest and the people who made it happen: the politicians, colonial administrators, businessmen, generals and ordinary soldiers." "In this narrative that ranges from the ministries and royal residences of London to the harsh terrain of India, Russia and the Far East, Saul David shows how Britain ruthlessly exploited her position as the world's only superpower to expand her empire. Yet little of this territorial acquisition was planned or sanctioned by the home government. Instead it was largely the work of the men on the ground, and to those at home it really did seem that the empire was acquired in a 'fit of absence of mind'."--BOOK JACKET.… (more) |
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Wikipedia in English (2)
1
Victoria's War: The Rise of Empire is a pretty self explanatory book. Written by Saul David, a somewhat noted historian of Victorian era imperialistic adventures its a chronicle of the first twenty or so years of Victoria's reign when Prince Albert was still alive. David looks at several conflicts including Afghanistan, the Sikh Wars, the Crimea, the Indian Mutiny, and the Opium Wars. They are relatively well written and get the main standard chronicles in which is all I was really looking for when I grabbed this in London.
Probably the best part of the book comes early on when David discusses the First Afghan War, which due to the countries current importance, I found really interesting. Moreover, throughout the interest personalities of the various military commanders keeps things more interesting than they might have been otherwise - such as Lord Raglan, Lord Elgin, and a few others. My only major gripe in this instance is the comparative lack of analysis from the opposing side. It comes across well enough in the Afghan and Indian Mutiny chapters, but otherwise isn't done as well as it should probably be.
Last little worry I had was again, a lack of maps. David does include some good ones, but their quality varies highly - some of the maps are clearly lifted from older accounts and generally decrease in quantity as the book goes on.
**** out of ***** (