A journey though Queen Victoria's former Empire
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It's hard to believe now but back in the late 1800's and though to the late 1990's Queen Victoria had an empire expanding most of the globe.
From Hong Kong to Australia via most of Africa Britannia literally ruled the waves, as the famous song goes.
Courtesy of the BBC Victoria Wood, Britain's favourite comedienne was given the opportunity to take a trip around the World to take a look some of these former colonial countries and see how much they had changed since Queen Victoria ruled over them
Victoria does not take in every former colonial country but does get to visit places such as Ghana, Zambia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, India and Australia
Britain's colonial past is not covered as much as it should be in schools these days but this book certainly goes a little way to help any one who wants to understand how the empire worked and how it helped shaped the Britain we know today.
Victoria finds out some heartbreaking stories, most notably about the slave trade that toady we find hard to accept but seeing as there are so little books written about the empire today it's clear it's part of Britain's history that everyone would like to forget.
The book and TV series don't quite grab you spiritually like I would say Long Way Round/Down do but it's still a enjoyable book and worth reading if you enjoy books about travel.
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Excellent overview of the British Empire
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Victoria Wood to the main parts of the British Empire including Australia, New Zealand and India to name a few. Her mission is to find out what the British Empire was all about, how it had come about and what the people thought about their country being part of the British Empire; with particular interest in Queen Victoria as they both share the same first name.
The book only covers nine colonies, which is a shame, however they are taken into much detail as the book is almost three hundred pages long. Everything is explained simply without much jargon as Victoria herself is learning most of the information herself! As a comedienne, she has made the book quite witty and it is a pleasure to read.
This book is one of the few modern ones you will be able to find on the subject of Empire, as our country dares not talk about it's imperial past, embarrased of it. It would go well with the DVD which is an added bonus.
I would recommend this book to anyone with some form of interest in the British Empire or commonwealth or how modern life is shaped around the British ways. Five stars.
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