In this impressive researched and always entertaining book, the esteemedBritish historian Denis Judd analyzes the imperial experience from theAmerican Revolution to the present day. He examined the ways in whichthe British Empire affected both rulers and ruled, and the roles ofsignificant personalities--from Queen Victoria to Nelson Mandela, CecilRhodes to Jomo Kenyatta, Joseph Chamberlain to Mahatma Ghandi. Whatwas so special about the "special relationship" between Britain and theUntied States? Did the maintance of the Empire artificially prolongBritain's Great POwer status? Did it encourage chauvinistic, evenracist, attitudes? Were subjects better off under their own elite andleaders than under British rule? In the end, what does the balance sheetof Empire look like? "This book is in many ways theculminating work of [Judd's] career, bringing together immenseerudition, genuine narrative gifts, and a capacity to pick outimportant details from a vast range of materials...Judd's narrativemethod is highly original."

--Mark Falcoff, NationalReview "An encyclopedic bibliography, which will make this bookinvaluable for students as well as the general reader...Judd writes witha freshness and willingness to challenge historical convention thatmake this compelling reading."

--Andrew Roberts, Sunday Times (London) "Written with great thoroughness and keenanalysis...[Empire] will become an indispensable one-volume sourcefor anyone concerned to know about the most important nondomesticinstitution created by the British during their existence as a singlenation."

--John Keegan, Literary Review