Hope and Glory: Britain in the Twentieth Century (Hist of Britain) [Paperback]

Peter Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hist of Britain | Publication Date: December 1, 1997

At the close of the twentieth century, shaken by two world wars, the erosion of empire, and the decline of the gold standard, Britain's place in the world is constantly debated and redefined. Hope and Glory traces not only the milestones of the nation's twentieth-century decline but also the subtler threads of a cultural and social history: the end of the Victorian boom and the first social reforms; the postwar welfare state; and the consumer culture of the late fifties and sixties, whose response to the electoral slogan "You've never had it so good" led to the eighties economy and its bleak underside. In this broad yet incisive perspective, portraits of giants such as David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher mingle with sketches of ordinary Britons who lived through three generations of unprecedented change.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is the ninth volume in the series, which effectively replaces the Pelican "History of England." The new series takes greater account of "the British problem" rather than focusing exclusively on English history, though Clarke (The Engish Nobility Under Edward the Confessor, Oxford Univ., 1994) acknowledges giving less attention to Scotland, Wales, and (especially) Ireland than to England. Clarke shifts away from the emphasis on decline that he says results from concentrating on the dissolution of the British Empire, arguing that the 20th century has brought many improvements for Britons. He attempts to balance coverage of political, diplomatic, and military history?the traditional focus?with economic, social, and cultural history. Clarke assumes some background knowledge on the part of his readers, some of whom may complain that there is too little narrative (e.g., on the world wars) and too much fiscal analysis. Still, both the well-informed lay reader and the specialist will find his fresh perspective stimulating.?William B. Robison, Southeastern Louisiana Univ., Hammond
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

A readable volume in the new Penguin History of Britain series (see also Mark Kishlansky, A Monarchy Transformed: Britain 16031714, p. 200) that not only brings British history up to date by incorporating the results of recent scholarship, but brings it up to the present as well. Recent history is a problem for historians because the passions of modern political and religious conflict have yet to subside. Yet Clarke (Modern British History/Cambridge Univ.) succeeds in handling the highly controversial regime of Margaret Thatcher with the same detached, judicious tone that he uses to explain complicated debates over tariff policy in the early years of the century. Clarke has mastered the art of the survey, covering as many topics as possible without losing track of the central story. High politics provides the basic narrative, but the reader is often reminded of the importance to the average person of diet, religion, death, literature, alcohol, sports, television, and the division of labor within the household. One might wish for a little more passion in the narrative, and a little more attention to the views of outsiders: working-class victims of mass unemployment or government means-testing, for instance, or lower-middle-class victims of selective education or snobbery. But Clarke's moderate tone complements his centrist political views and reinforces his view of 20th-century British history as a success story. There's no hand-wringing here about the empire's decline. The people of Britain, in his view, are now better off in nearly every respect than they were in 1900. With a higher standard of living and longer life expectancy, they are now free of the moral taint of holding an empire and prepared to join a prosperous and peaceful Europe. If all of Britain's wars were not ``good'' wars like WW II, their record is nonetheless more defensible than that of most other countries. If there is an air of self-satisfaction in this volume, Clarke provides ample justification for it. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140148302
• ISBN-13: 978-0140148305
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,811,520 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than my class at UCL, Wonderfully clear, September 16, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Allston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope and Glory: Britain in the Twentieth Century (Hist of Britain) (Paperback)

Clarke seems to incorporate almost all the major points of British history and in a simple detail that puts many a history professor to shame. He includes the Irish, and talks honestly about the Scottish, as well as the Welsh. he does not leave out what is ugly about this nation, which former authors have done repeatedly. He does not apologize but lays it out there for everyone to think upon for themselves. The American Anglo connection is stressed as he works his way through the parliament and its evolution in the last 90 years. When I lived in Britain and studied I only found out about the history Clarke writes about from cabby's.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Survey of British History, July 10, 2011

By 

JSmalls - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope and Glory: Britain in the Twentieth Century (Hist of Britain) (Paperback)

This is one of the best surveys of British history. There is not as much as one would hope on social history, but the political and military history is first rate and well-informed.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Prior knowledge of British history is required to grasp this, July 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Hope and Glory: Britain 1900-1990 (Hist of Britain) (Hardcover)

The sentences are complex. I found myself re-reading section after section. This was frustrating and I lost interest in the content sometimes. Also, the author makes an assumption that the reader has prior knowledge about British history and terms. I am glad the history professor is available to answer questions about Hope and Glory.