The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
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Narrated by:
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Patrick N. Allitt
About this listen
What were the forces that thrust the British Empire to its extraordinary position of greatness and then just as powerfully drove it into decline? And why is nearly every nation on earth, in one way or another, the consequence of the British Empire?
In these 36 lectures, Professor Allitt leads you through four centuries of British power, innovation, influence, and, ultimately, diminishment - four profound centuries that literally remade the world and bequeathed the complex global legacy that continues to shape your everyday life. This is a remarkable lecture series; one that will give you fresh insights into world history in a wide range of areas - political, economic, technological, social, and more. And it will also give you a comprehensive overview you won't find offered anywhere else - a context into which you can integrate new knowledge about this country, as well as understand the background of current events in so many other countries that were once part of Britain's empire, from Ireland to China, and in Africa and the Caribbean. Indeed, it seems fair to say that one cannot truly understand the most important aspects of world history without a firm grasp of the history of the British Empire. In giving you that grasp, these lectures draw on a vast range of critical events, riveting personalities, revealing anecdotes, and eloquent quotations.
Compelling, comprehensive, and astonishing in the force of its narrative power, each lecture will give you a refreshing new understanding of what made the British Empire both great in its achievements and vulnerable to its eventual downfall.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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Christmas is the single biggest annual event on the planet, a time for merry-making, over-indulgence, peace, goodwill, and the occasional family row. It’s as comfortable and familiar as a pair of old shoes and yet still glittery and exciting. But what do you really know about it? It’s stuffed full of traditions and rituals that most of us have been observing all our lives without having the slightest idea of where they come from.
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Fascinating and Entertaining
- By Laura Carrington on 11-23-22
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World War 2 in the Pacific Collection: Across Wake Island, Bataan, Guadalcanal, Corregidor, and Iwo Jima
- Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific, The Saga of Pappy Gunn, On Valor's Side, The Coastwatchers, They Call it Pacific, Joe Foss Flying Marine, South from Corregidor, The Story of Wake Island, & Mission Beyond Darkness
- By: Robert Lackie, General George C. Kenney, T. Grady Gallant, and others
- Narrated by: Museum Audiobooks Cast
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This is a nine-book bundle on the Pacific War, the theatre of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Oceania. The Pacific War saw the Allies pitted against Japan, aided by Thailand and its Axis allies, Germany and Italy. Fighting included some of the largest naval battles in history, and the war culminated in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Black Elk Speaks
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- By: John G. Neihardt
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Widely hailed as a spiritual classic, this inspirational and unfailingly powerful story reveals the life and visions of the Lakota healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950) and the tragic history of his Sioux people during the epic closing decades of the Old West. In 1930, the aging Black Elk met a kindred spirit, the famed poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881–1973) on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
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Tale of tears
- By William Sanders on 01-25-15
By: John G. Neihardt
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What listeners say about The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- SAMA
- 04-13-14
A real history
This is a course that explores the history of the British Empire without glorification or condemnation, giving a balanced look at both the good and the bad. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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5 people found this helpful
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- John S.
- 06-14-16
Usual great job from the author
I know it's trite, but Allitt really does make history "come alive"! Rather than just a list of names, places and dates, he incorporates British society and culture.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Monte
- 06-22-17
Great presenter
This is very great lecture series and I believe the professor tried to present a very unbiased opinion of the material. I enjoyed listening to these lectures. Everything presented was from the perspective of that period and not by looking back and judging by today's standards, which is a mistake people often make. I probably listen to this again in the future.
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- Kjartan
- 08-09-16
Chock full of great information and stories
The lecturer does a great job of covering an enormously complex theme. In addition to the basic history, he includes information from various complementary subjects, ranging from Victorian literature to sports (cricket). The numerous dates, names, places and stories make it a little hard to digest all at once, but at the same time, they are what make the whole book all the more interesting. I'm sure I'll read it at least once or twice more, and probably more after that too.
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- Michael
- 06-02-15
A Fascinating account of the Colonial British Empire
Professor Allitt gives a broad, detailed account of the rise and decline of the British Empire. Though not strictly chronological, his lectures encompass the history backgrounds of many of the colonial lands, people's, and outstanding individuals and their contributions to the Empire.
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- Johanna
- 06-19-15
It's a lot to get through--but it's worth it!
It took me an embarrassingly long time to finish this audio course, but I found Professor Allitt's lectures to be both engaging and clear. To be fair, I probably only remember about 1% of the material covered, but I sure enjoyed the ride along the way!
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- Shivaji
- 09-11-18
Comprehensive history. Nicely structured.
The author has a bias towards the British empire. If you discount that, it is a very good book. The book kept me engaged. Covered many (all) aspects of the empire.
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- Dale Sarver
- 10-05-19
great history of the British empire.
I enjoyed these lectures. they ere very information and very interesting. it tells a great story.
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- Aaron
- 04-27-22
Gotta love the great courses
For a faux intellectual like myself these are very good for sounding smart, and as we all know that's all that matters
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- Shannon Clay
- 07-28-24
History
What a wonderful course. Amazing learning just how much British have influenced the world. Incredible learning how British handled self rule of their colonies after learning from the American revolution. Great course!
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