Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress [Paperback]

James Morris (Author)

Book Description

Series: Harvest/HBJ Book | Publication Date: May 19, 1980

The opening volume of Morris’s “Pax Britannica Trilogy,” this richly detailed work traces the rise of the British Empire, from the accession of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837 to the celebration of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Index. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jan Morris served as an intelligence officer with the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, studied at Oxford University, and was a reporter for the Times and the Guardian before launching into a successful career as a novelist, history author, and travel writer. Her other books include Last Letters from Hav, Fifty Years of Europe, Conundrum, Hong Kong, Oxford, The World of Venice, and Farewell the Trumpets.

Product Details

• Paperback: 564 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (May 19, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156400065
• ISBN-13: 978-0156400060
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #517,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Trilogy is a wonderful account of the British Empire, May 26, 2002

By 

David W. Nicholas (Van Nuys, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress (Paperback)

Jan Morris is a fascinating personality. She originally was a he, and he was a guardsman in the British army, an officer from a good family. He left the service, became a historian, and then went to Denmark or wherever, and came back a she. She now writes unusual, affecting, eccentric, entertaining books that are terribly British and a bit disorganized. The Pax Brittanica trilogy is her life's work, near enough, though she's done other books that are very good. This one, however, is three volumes long, quite involved and very detailed. The series includes Heaven's Command, Pax Britannica, and Farewell the Trumpets. The first generally deals with the Empire in the 1840s on, the second follows things through the thirties, and the third follows the empire through its disbandment.

As I said, Morris is eccentric. This means that though the books are sort of chronological, they aren't exactly sorted the way you would expect, and this isn't really a history of the empire or the era. Instead, it's an anecdotal collection of tales, incidents, and sketches, marvelously told. Sort of like the difference between going through a cafeteria once and a sumptuous buffet where you go back and forth, taking time with what you enjoy. I thoroughly enjoyed the books, though I would hesitate to recommend them to someone who wasn't clear on either geography, or at least some basic history of the British Empire. Since this isn't either of those, you need them to understand what she's talking about occasionally.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great writing. Vivid portraits. Magnificient narratives., March 21, 1999

By 

Kersi Von Zerububbel "Kersi" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress (Paperback)

I just finished this magnificient volume. Morris has surely written a masterpiece. Many a time I have felt transfigured to 19th century India or sensed the wind on the African veld. The writing is stupendous. The portraits of characters just stunning. Alas! My only quibble is no pictures. NO PICTURES!!!! I have the Harcourt Brace publication and there are no pictures. Oh how I would like to see what Sleeman looked like! Nonetheless well worth the price.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful. Best kind of history book for general readers., November 22, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress (Paperback)

The slightest curiosity about history, along with love of good writing will be satisfied/overjoyed by this series. Morris has a way of illuminting and adding texture through his tangents and grasp of time, place and the incidental. Morris knows how to make history the story that it is, without compromising the factual. Requiring this book in studies would make more people less wary of history. And, the best part is there are three volumes, all equally wonderful.