A Companion to Nineteenth Century Britain

RR 2005/62 A Companion to Nineteenth Century Britain Chris Williams Blackwell Oxford and Maiden, MA 2004 xvii + 624 pp. ISBN 0 631 22579 X £85/$148.95 Blackwell Companion to British History Published in association with The Historical Association

Keywords History, Nineteenth century, Britain

Review DOI 10.1108/09504120510574016

This book comprises 34 concise essays on the state of 19th century Britain by leading international scholars. It focuses upon the major aspects of the political, social, economic and cultural history of Britain during the late Georgian and Victorian eras. The Companion is divided into five sections: Britain and the World, Politics and Government, Economy and Society, Society and Culture and the United Kingdom. All the essays pay attention to the experiences of women as well as of men, and to regional and national variations across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The essays are laid out in a clear and concise manner and are also illustrated with maps and charts where deemed appropriate.

Part one on Britain and the World looks at how Britain was held in the highest esteem in the 19th century. Britain at this time was pivotal to the success of the world economy and the Companion looks at how this affected its relationships...