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A History of Britain in Thirty-six Postage Stamps
Stamps tell a story―and Chris West's book is the unique, fascinating tale of Great Britain told through its stamps.
Hailed by The Times of London as "a splendid reminder of the philatelic glories of the past," A History of Britain in 36 Postage Stamps tells the rich, layered, and breathtaking history of England through thirty-six of its fascinating, often beautiful, and sometimes eccentric postage stamps. West shows that stamps have always mirrored the events, attitudes, and styles of their time. Through them, one can glimpse the whole epic tale of an empire unfolding. From the famous Penny Black, printed soon after Queen Victoria's coronation, to the Victory! stamp of 1946, anticipating the struggle of postwar reconstruction― A History of Britain in 36 Postage Stamps is a hugely entertaining and idiosyncratic romp, told in Chris West's lively prose. On their own, stamps can be curiosities, even artistic marvels; in this book, stamps become a window into the larger sweep of history.
Hailed by The Times of London as "a splendid reminder of the philatelic glories of the past," A History of Britain in 36 Postage Stamps tells the rich, layered, and breathtaking history of England through thirty-six of its fascinating, often beautiful, and sometimes eccentric postage stamps. West shows that stamps have always mirrored the events, attitudes, and styles of their time. Through them, one can glimpse the whole epic tale of an empire unfolding. From the famous Penny Black, printed soon after Queen Victoria's coronation, to the Victory! stamp of 1946, anticipating the struggle of postwar reconstruction― A History of Britain in 36 Postage Stamps is a hugely entertaining and idiosyncratic romp, told in Chris West's lively prose. On their own, stamps can be curiosities, even artistic marvels; in this book, stamps become a window into the larger sweep of history.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2012
16 people are currently reading
887 people want to read
About the author
Chris West
61 books24 followersI grew up in a country village north of London. As a boy I filled endless notebooks with stories - not all of them finished! As a young man I played in various (unsuccessful) bands, then worked in the City of London. I studied philosophy and economics as a 'mature' student (though I wasn't very mature). After leaving uni I went backpacking in China, and wrote a book about that adventure which came out in 1991. Since then, writing has (along with family) been at the heart of my life, though I've had other jobs, too, largely in Marketing and PR, working with small businesses. In 2008, I found an old stamp album in the attic of my parents' old house, and became fascinated by the contents and the way they seemed to mirror history. Each stamp was a tiny, rectangular time machine! In the end, I had to write a book along these lines: A History of Britain in 36 Postage Stamps was the result. I have now done the same for the USA - a fascinating journey into American history (and a great pleasure to collect the nation's stamps). I live in North Hertfordshire with my wife and daughter.
a.k.a Christopher West|6453491].
a.k.a Christopher West|6453491].
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 8, 2013
This was precisely the kind of non fiction I enjoy. Informative and educational without being boring or pedantic. Chris West does a phenomenal job of capturing the history of Britain from the time stamps were invented to present. I loved his writing style, very acessible with occasional dash of wry british humor. I read an advance reading copy of the book won on GR giveaway, I can imagine when the book actually comes out, it'll be even more awesome, since all this arc was missing were some photographs. You don't have to be a history buff or a stamp collector to enjoy this book, but reading it just might make one or both out of you. Chris West ends his last chapter with the following...First Class? For sure. He is, of course, refering to England here, his deep patriotism is evident throughout the book, but it also works to describe his work, perfectly and succinctly. Highly recommended.
November 18, 2012
This is a super book. The idea of presenting a history of the United Kingdom through its stamp issues, beginning with the Penny Black, is certainly quirky but it works well. Mr West knows his stamps and he knows his history. The Penny Black stamp issue occurred at the very beginning of Queen Victoria's reign. It was a postal, and social, revolution and thus makes a great starting point for a discussion of the huge social, economic and political advances that occurred during Victoria's long reign.
In presenting a history of the UK's last 200 years Mr West is clearly going over well-trodden ground. There was much here that I already knew. However his postal-themed approach is interesting, entertaining and often illuminating. I learnt a lot about the history of the Post Office - an institution which Mr West views as embodying all that is best in Victorian values ( and rightly so).
There are two stand-out chapters. Mr West's exposition of the UK's troubled and diffident relationship with the European Union is superb. Equally good is his account of the banking crisis of 2008/9 - it's causes, effects and possible future solutions. I have not seen a better, clearer, more succinct synopsis of this sorry episode of recent history anywhere.
Throughout Mr West wears his heart on his sleeve. He has his heroes - Rowland Hill, Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes and also Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche and John Lennon! He has his villains too.
Ultimately this is a book charting progress. The UK is now a prosperous, democratic, liberal, tolerant nation. When the Penny Black was issued the UK was prosperous.
In presenting a history of the UK's last 200 years Mr West is clearly going over well-trodden ground. There was much here that I already knew. However his postal-themed approach is interesting, entertaining and often illuminating. I learnt a lot about the history of the Post Office - an institution which Mr West views as embodying all that is best in Victorian values ( and rightly so).
There are two stand-out chapters. Mr West's exposition of the UK's troubled and diffident relationship with the European Union is superb. Equally good is his account of the banking crisis of 2008/9 - it's causes, effects and possible future solutions. I have not seen a better, clearer, more succinct synopsis of this sorry episode of recent history anywhere.
Throughout Mr West wears his heart on his sleeve. He has his heroes - Rowland Hill, Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes and also Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche and John Lennon! He has his villains too.
Ultimately this is a book charting progress. The UK is now a prosperous, democratic, liberal, tolerant nation. When the Penny Black was issued the UK was prosperous.
September 2, 2013
This is a very unique look at British history through the stamps that represent historical events and/or individuals. Although not that familiar with most of Britain's history, especially its storied monarchy, this book provided an enjoyable historical backstory to each of the 36 stamps. One memorable line from Chapter 32: "This is the world as understood by postmodernist philosophers, where there is no reality, only constructs, and where politics (and everything else) is about who can create the best illusion, not actually do anything better." No matter what nation's history you would be discussing, this statement sums up every politician in today's society.
January 2, 2018
Using selected stamps as a starting point, West gave a history of Britain from the time of Victoria to the early twenty-first century. It was very interesting and well done, and inspired me to pull out my old Junior Stamp Album that includes stamps from the earliest days up through the late 1920s. I really enjoyed it.
July 29, 2016
It was Rowland Hall who initialed post office reform. Instead of the recipient paying to receive mail, Hill held that postage should be replaced by a single rate by the sender. A competition was thus held for the design of the new penny postage. Over 2,600 entries arrived, and most were for envelopes and letter sheets, but the winner for the stamp entry was from William Wyon which portrayed a profile of Queen Victoria. Other artists and engravers would improve upon the design and the finished product was approved by the Queen and issued on May 1, 1840, which became known as the Penny Black, the first postage stamp. Cancelling the Penny Black effectively turned out to be a challenge, so the Penny Red was issued the following year.
By 1846, the post office was booming. In 1856, Rowland Hill requested that individuals wishing to work for the post office take entry exams. The work provided good pay, job security, and good working conditions. By 1865, uniforms were in place.
When Hill retired in 1864, John Tilley took over postal matters. Then Henry Fawcett took over in 1880. During this time, the Penny Lilac was introduced to replace the Penny Red stamp. 33 Billion of these stamps were issued. During the Victorian period, the British wrote letters as readily as emails or texts are sent today, and such was the need for postage stamps.
By 1887, definitive stamps called “Jubilees” were issued in ten denominations and what made them unique was each stamp was produced in two colors which was the first time the British Post Office issued stamps in two colors.
After his mother passed away, Edward VIII became King in 1901, and this became the Edwardian era. There were many radical movements during this era. Postmaster General Fawcett’s wife, Millicent Fawcett, argued for women’s suffrage. Protests came about, some peaceful and some not, with individuals going on hunger strikes or destroying the property of politicians. A British stamp honored Ms. Fawcett in 2008.
King Edward VIII passed away from a heart attack on May 6, 1910. Coincidently, a portrait of the King appeared on the 7d Purple stamps two days prior to his death.
During WWI, many families of soldiers received notification of the soldier's death by letter, by way of Army Form B104-8, wherein the soldier’s name, rank, and other information would be filled in. Following this would be Army Form B104-121, letting the family know where the soldier was buried.
During the war, almost half of the postal employees were women. After the war, some of the women were urged to leave their employment so the veterans of the war could have jobs. Some of the women volunteered to leave now that their husbands, brothers and/or fathers returned.
On Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, the Stock Market crashed. The London Stock Market Exchange was not hit as badly as Wall Street in New York, but it still caused the British economy to take a dive. When WWII broke out in 1939, mail communication was very important for the soldiers to keep in touch with their family and friends, but it was highly censored. About ten thousand people were employed at the twenty censor offices in the United Kingdom, wherein employees opened mail from service men checking that their letters did not give out information which could be received by enemy spies.
After the War, Britain still suffered economically. Rationing continued. Emphasis was now on reconstruction. Stamps commemorating the first anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) emphasized the themes of housing, trade, agriculture and housing. A big help to the economy was England’s sponsoring of the 1948 Olympic Games also known as the Austerity Games, because of post-war rationing and frugal spending on the part of England. No new venues were built to hold the games. The games helped in uplifting the spirits, and giving pride to the people of London after a long war.
In 1964, New Postmaster General Tony Benn wanted to have more attractive stamps issued to the public. The postal policy was to issue British stamps only to commemorate national and international events and Royal and postal anniversaries. Benn saw how limiting this was, so he notified leading stamp designers for other ideas. Benn also requested that they design a smaller cameo of Queen Elizabeth to be put on stamps, instead of the large portrait her, which was presently on postage stamps. He even tried to get her head removed altogether, but of course, the Queen disapproved of this suggestion. The 1960s were a time of change in the world and it was also time for postage stamps to reflect this change as well.
In 1982, Britain became a participant in the annual issuance of “Europa” stamps, wherein each European county would produce its own stamp based on a shared theme. The idea came about in the early 1950s, as the European countries were trying to establish better relations with each other after the devastation of two world wars. Europa is the Latin world for Europe.
By 2000, the post office’s letter business was declining. The internet affected postal mail. However, the author of this book writes that the real enemy of letter writing was the invention of the telephone. However, he states, there would always be a need for postal mail. Birthday cards and Christmas cards need to be sent by mail. Invitations to weddings and Bar Mitzvahs would be sent by mail. Personally, I still have a need to write letters to my pen pals, and I still pay most of my bills by mail.
Stamps continue to be collectibles, and the post office encourages this with the production of attractive stamps such as the British mini sheet issued in 2011, celebrating the marriage of Princess William and Catherine Middleton. Some collectors might purchase a First Day Cover of this sheet as well. Stamp collecting can be an enjoyable learning experience.
I enjoyed this book a great deal and learned a lot.
By 1846, the post office was booming. In 1856, Rowland Hill requested that individuals wishing to work for the post office take entry exams. The work provided good pay, job security, and good working conditions. By 1865, uniforms were in place.
When Hill retired in 1864, John Tilley took over postal matters. Then Henry Fawcett took over in 1880. During this time, the Penny Lilac was introduced to replace the Penny Red stamp. 33 Billion of these stamps were issued. During the Victorian period, the British wrote letters as readily as emails or texts are sent today, and such was the need for postage stamps.
By 1887, definitive stamps called “Jubilees” were issued in ten denominations and what made them unique was each stamp was produced in two colors which was the first time the British Post Office issued stamps in two colors.
After his mother passed away, Edward VIII became King in 1901, and this became the Edwardian era. There were many radical movements during this era. Postmaster General Fawcett’s wife, Millicent Fawcett, argued for women’s suffrage. Protests came about, some peaceful and some not, with individuals going on hunger strikes or destroying the property of politicians. A British stamp honored Ms. Fawcett in 2008.
King Edward VIII passed away from a heart attack on May 6, 1910. Coincidently, a portrait of the King appeared on the 7d Purple stamps two days prior to his death.
During WWI, many families of soldiers received notification of the soldier's death by letter, by way of Army Form B104-8, wherein the soldier’s name, rank, and other information would be filled in. Following this would be Army Form B104-121, letting the family know where the soldier was buried.
During the war, almost half of the postal employees were women. After the war, some of the women were urged to leave their employment so the veterans of the war could have jobs. Some of the women volunteered to leave now that their husbands, brothers and/or fathers returned.
On Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, the Stock Market crashed. The London Stock Market Exchange was not hit as badly as Wall Street in New York, but it still caused the British economy to take a dive. When WWII broke out in 1939, mail communication was very important for the soldiers to keep in touch with their family and friends, but it was highly censored. About ten thousand people were employed at the twenty censor offices in the United Kingdom, wherein employees opened mail from service men checking that their letters did not give out information which could be received by enemy spies.
After the War, Britain still suffered economically. Rationing continued. Emphasis was now on reconstruction. Stamps commemorating the first anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) emphasized the themes of housing, trade, agriculture and housing. A big help to the economy was England’s sponsoring of the 1948 Olympic Games also known as the Austerity Games, because of post-war rationing and frugal spending on the part of England. No new venues were built to hold the games. The games helped in uplifting the spirits, and giving pride to the people of London after a long war.
In 1964, New Postmaster General Tony Benn wanted to have more attractive stamps issued to the public. The postal policy was to issue British stamps only to commemorate national and international events and Royal and postal anniversaries. Benn saw how limiting this was, so he notified leading stamp designers for other ideas. Benn also requested that they design a smaller cameo of Queen Elizabeth to be put on stamps, instead of the large portrait her, which was presently on postage stamps. He even tried to get her head removed altogether, but of course, the Queen disapproved of this suggestion. The 1960s were a time of change in the world and it was also time for postage stamps to reflect this change as well.
In 1982, Britain became a participant in the annual issuance of “Europa” stamps, wherein each European county would produce its own stamp based on a shared theme. The idea came about in the early 1950s, as the European countries were trying to establish better relations with each other after the devastation of two world wars. Europa is the Latin world for Europe.
By 2000, the post office’s letter business was declining. The internet affected postal mail. However, the author of this book writes that the real enemy of letter writing was the invention of the telephone. However, he states, there would always be a need for postal mail. Birthday cards and Christmas cards need to be sent by mail. Invitations to weddings and Bar Mitzvahs would be sent by mail. Personally, I still have a need to write letters to my pen pals, and I still pay most of my bills by mail.
Stamps continue to be collectibles, and the post office encourages this with the production of attractive stamps such as the British mini sheet issued in 2011, celebrating the marriage of Princess William and Catherine Middleton. Some collectors might purchase a First Day Cover of this sheet as well. Stamp collecting can be an enjoyable learning experience.
I enjoyed this book a great deal and learned a lot.
March 6, 2022
I read the scribd.com version on my iphone. The images of the stamps are not satisfactory. I presume the hard copy has better images. But the writing is delightful.
In each chapter, a stamp initiates a historical inquiry of the life and times around the stamp. The stamps provide a unifying thread to the book, but the book is much more than about the postal system. Nevertheless, the history of the British postal system, with its paid stamps, was rightfully presented as a brilliant innovation, a culture changer, and a success that humbled its skeptics.
In each chapter, a stamp initiates a historical inquiry of the life and times around the stamp. The stamps provide a unifying thread to the book, but the book is much more than about the postal system. Nevertheless, the history of the British postal system, with its paid stamps, was rightfully presented as a brilliant innovation, a culture changer, and a success that humbled its skeptics.
July 26, 2018
What fun! West selects 36 stamps from the 1840 Penny Black to a 2012 'first class' stamp and connects those stamps to what was going on in England in all aspects of life. Philatelists, if you can find any these days, will enjoy it, as well as the reader of history.
October 25, 2013
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher through Goodreads First-reads giveaway program.
Each time we've gone to a stamp show my wife and I first head to poster presentations to see what people have put together. Philatelists take a theme, or a bit of postage history and develop one to many panels that explore the concept in a mixture of text and stamp presentation. They can vary from very dry postal minutiae to stunning artistic displays, and all between.
West's work here is basically an expansion of that concept into book form. It doesn't pretend to be an exhaustive history of Britain, not even of that small portion of Britain's history that has coincided with stamp production. Instead it simply presents a series of special stamps to show how that stamp reflects a particular portion or key event between the start of Queen Victoria's reign (and the first use of a stamp) until present day. The history related has both breadth and snippets of depth, covering aspects postal, social, political, and cultural.
Reading this gives you insight into the aesthetics of stamp design - albeit Britain's is a bit more tame and unadventurous compared to some other nations, and a well-balanced, though again, clearly and proudly British, insight into key events both within Britain and the world as a whole. Well written and captivating for anyone that enjoys history or stamps, I'd recommend it.
Personally I found the book to get better as it went along. Perhaps this is because I was more familiar with recent history than that of mid-late 1800s Britain. It may also be that the style and structure of the book, as little snippets of history, took some getting accustomed to.
Each time we've gone to a stamp show my wife and I first head to poster presentations to see what people have put together. Philatelists take a theme, or a bit of postage history and develop one to many panels that explore the concept in a mixture of text and stamp presentation. They can vary from very dry postal minutiae to stunning artistic displays, and all between.
West's work here is basically an expansion of that concept into book form. It doesn't pretend to be an exhaustive history of Britain, not even of that small portion of Britain's history that has coincided with stamp production. Instead it simply presents a series of special stamps to show how that stamp reflects a particular portion or key event between the start of Queen Victoria's reign (and the first use of a stamp) until present day. The history related has both breadth and snippets of depth, covering aspects postal, social, political, and cultural.
Reading this gives you insight into the aesthetics of stamp design - albeit Britain's is a bit more tame and unadventurous compared to some other nations, and a well-balanced, though again, clearly and proudly British, insight into key events both within Britain and the world as a whole. Well written and captivating for anyone that enjoys history or stamps, I'd recommend it.
Personally I found the book to get better as it went along. Perhaps this is because I was more familiar with recent history than that of mid-late 1800s Britain. It may also be that the style and structure of the book, as little snippets of history, took some getting accustomed to.
December 23, 2013
I won A History of Britain in Thirty-Six Postage Stamps by Chris West in a Goodreads giveaway. I received an advanced reader’s copy of trade paperback size, with a handsome glossy cover printed in dark, rich colors. The book is nearly 280 pages with appendix and index, and the book has a defined style to it, with bordered pages and an old-timey family of font faces.
Mary Poppins taught us “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, and in this same way the amiability of thirty-six postage stamps helps lend a face and friendliness to a hundred-and-fifty years of British History. Chris West has worked hard to bring about setting, context and familiarity to his history lessons, and has featured each stepping stone along the way quite nicely with a postage stamp of fitting example for the focus of each era.
With thirty-six stamps and a hundred-and-fifty years, the chapters are dense, but short and quite manageable. The narrative is academic while engaging. Being one who reads most of their history through novelized form I found it easier to break up the book by chapters over many days than to read through long stretches at once.
A History of Britain in Thirty-Six Postage Stamps is well executed in premise and content. I recommend it for history buffs and dedicated readers in pursuit of knowledge.
Mary Poppins taught us “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, and in this same way the amiability of thirty-six postage stamps helps lend a face and friendliness to a hundred-and-fifty years of British History. Chris West has worked hard to bring about setting, context and familiarity to his history lessons, and has featured each stepping stone along the way quite nicely with a postage stamp of fitting example for the focus of each era.
With thirty-six stamps and a hundred-and-fifty years, the chapters are dense, but short and quite manageable. The narrative is academic while engaging. Being one who reads most of their history through novelized form I found it easier to break up the book by chapters over many days than to read through long stretches at once.
A History of Britain in Thirty-Six Postage Stamps is well executed in premise and content. I recommend it for history buffs and dedicated readers in pursuit of knowledge.
September 24, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Being a history buff and doing genealogy in my free time, I was very excited to receive this book. Whenever I can trace a family root to a new country, I try to research it and find out about its history. This book was able to spare the usual boring high school-like lecture on history. It was also neat that you could learn so much based on their postage stamps... I'm pretty sure the US couldn't do the same. LOL
The author, Chris West was able to tell a stamps history in a way that was interesting and makes you want to keep reading (whereas most books on history do the opposite). This book was a very fun read I can see where stamp collectors would especially love this book. As a mommy, it's going to be great to be able to spout out some awesome fact I learned from this book when one of my daughters has an assignment or report on the United Kingdom!
The author, Chris West was able to tell a stamps history in a way that was interesting and makes you want to keep reading (whereas most books on history do the opposite). This book was a very fun read I can see where stamp collectors would especially love this book. As a mommy, it's going to be great to be able to spout out some awesome fact I learned from this book when one of my daughters has an assignment or report on the United Kingdom!
July 16, 2013
Excellent hook for an informative nonfiction work. Stamps and history are inextricably intertwined, on both the superficial (those people and events that are chosen for depiction) and deep levels (the long history of postage allows us a consistent basis by which to view history at large). West chooses well and weaves a seamless narrative.
October 12, 2017
I took time to get into and get through this book and it certainly grasped my attention better when it was dealing with modern times.
The approach was good and the prose wryly humorous. There was a thread of leaning slightly to the left which sat comfortably with me.
The approach was good and the prose wryly humorous. There was a thread of leaning slightly to the left which sat comfortably with me.
August 8, 2013
I really liked this book. It was a very interesting way to follow the track of modern British history, which in many ways corresponds with that of the USA.
February 21, 2015
Love this book!
Review coming tomorrow.
Review coming tomorrow.
April 9, 2018
If you want to learn about stamps this is not necessarily the best book to choose. However if you want an excellent history of the last 180 Years this is the book to choose.
October 8, 2020
A History of Britain in Thirty-Six Postage Stamps by Chris West is a unique take on looking at history. West is a graduate of the London School of Economics where he studied economics and philosophy. He wrote his first book Journey into the Middle Kingdom after the traveling to China. His fiction includes the China Quartet four crime novels based in the the People's Republic of China. West's other non-fiction include books on business and entrepreneurship.
Stamps are history. I remember having stamp albums as a child and going trough the pages studying the stamps from different countries. There was almost as much to learn from stamps as there was from books. I had nearly forgotten that old hobby until I saw West's book.
West starts with the 1840 Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp, and ends with the 2012 1st Class stamp featuring a young Queen Elizabeth. Most stamps feature the current monarch's profile with the exception of 1996-2012 when a small silhouette of the queen was used and other subjects where the main art of the stamp. Through time most of the stamps in the book displayed current events or anniversaries. There is a shift in the art work too reflecting the times. All of the stamps used are British except for a single German stamp from the interwar period. A 200 Mark stamp over printed 2 Million Marks reflecting the hyperinflation in Germany.
West writes a clear and easy to follow history of Britain. Each chapter starts with a stamp and a story connecting the stamp to a piece of history. Whether it is a new king, a royal wedding, or marking the death of the former Princess of Wales there is a piece of contemporary history connected to the stamp. Some history is less obvious, like an odd looking Christmas stamp, or a misplaced “46th” on a stamp, or even a minority occupying the center spot on a stamp. It is not only the history of the stamps but the history the British Post Office. At one time mail was delivered twelve times a day in London. The price of a stamp was cheap enough so that, as the author says, people posted letters then like people text today. The Post Office was one place where everyone was equal. Post office brought a standard rate for all letters, provided decent jobs, and operated a bank. The bank, unlike others at the time, was for the common people. Also mentioned several times in the book is Britain's most famous postal employee (and author) Anthony Trollope.
Thirty-Six Postage Stamps is a fun and rather light historical read. It is a history book for those who really don't like getting bogged done in dates and such. A single stamps followed by a story makes makes for a nice and informative read. For those who like history or stamp collecting it is still an excellent read. From early in Victoria's rule until the present the reader will get a taste of British culture and history. An excellent read.
Stamps are history. I remember having stamp albums as a child and going trough the pages studying the stamps from different countries. There was almost as much to learn from stamps as there was from books. I had nearly forgotten that old hobby until I saw West's book.
West starts with the 1840 Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp, and ends with the 2012 1st Class stamp featuring a young Queen Elizabeth. Most stamps feature the current monarch's profile with the exception of 1996-2012 when a small silhouette of the queen was used and other subjects where the main art of the stamp. Through time most of the stamps in the book displayed current events or anniversaries. There is a shift in the art work too reflecting the times. All of the stamps used are British except for a single German stamp from the interwar period. A 200 Mark stamp over printed 2 Million Marks reflecting the hyperinflation in Germany.
West writes a clear and easy to follow history of Britain. Each chapter starts with a stamp and a story connecting the stamp to a piece of history. Whether it is a new king, a royal wedding, or marking the death of the former Princess of Wales there is a piece of contemporary history connected to the stamp. Some history is less obvious, like an odd looking Christmas stamp, or a misplaced “46th” on a stamp, or even a minority occupying the center spot on a stamp. It is not only the history of the stamps but the history the British Post Office. At one time mail was delivered twelve times a day in London. The price of a stamp was cheap enough so that, as the author says, people posted letters then like people text today. The Post Office was one place where everyone was equal. Post office brought a standard rate for all letters, provided decent jobs, and operated a bank. The bank, unlike others at the time, was for the common people. Also mentioned several times in the book is Britain's most famous postal employee (and author) Anthony Trollope.
Thirty-Six Postage Stamps is a fun and rather light historical read. It is a history book for those who really don't like getting bogged done in dates and such. A single stamps followed by a story makes makes for a nice and informative read. For those who like history or stamp collecting it is still an excellent read. From early in Victoria's rule until the present the reader will get a taste of British culture and history. An excellent read.
October 13, 2022
The history of Britain since 1840 is probably as jam packed as the thousand years before then. It saw its maximum extent as an empire and its degradation in size and importance since 1840. The ruling of India, Australia, and other lands, with its navy, made it master of the world. Then India started to revolt, it saw competition with the growing United States and the utter catastrophes of the world wars. World War I was when it especially became weaker in manpower and riches. Since the wars, it lost virtually all its empire though still a major player in the world.
This book is a very good introduction to all this. Its use of postal stamps is an original way of viewing Britain’s history in this period. The brief snippets are informative as it tells stories of the times surrounding the stamps. Americans are ignorant of much of this since it touches mainly on internal affairs but nevertheless interesting to compare with American themes and events. Some of the stories take off on rather extended tangents but are interesting, nevertheless. Among others, it contains a good short history of the Troubles as well as the impact of Princess Diana. So, there are English euphemisms and words that may confuse Americans. At the end are details of the stamps’ statistics and collectible data.
This book is a very good introduction to all this. Its use of postal stamps is an original way of viewing Britain’s history in this period. The brief snippets are informative as it tells stories of the times surrounding the stamps. Americans are ignorant of much of this since it touches mainly on internal affairs but nevertheless interesting to compare with American themes and events. Some of the stories take off on rather extended tangents but are interesting, nevertheless. Among others, it contains a good short history of the Troubles as well as the impact of Princess Diana. So, there are English euphemisms and words that may confuse Americans. At the end are details of the stamps’ statistics and collectible data.
October 13, 2022
The history of Britain since 1840 is probably as jam packed as the thousand years before then. It saw its maximum extent as an empire and its degradation in size and importance since 1840. The ruling of India, Australia, and other lands, with its navy, made it master of the world. Then India started to revolt, it saw competition with the growing United States and the utter catastrophes of the world wars. World War I was when it especially became weaker in manpower and riches. Since the wars, it lost virtually all its empire though still a major player in the world.
This book is a very good introduction to all this. Its use of postal stamps is an original way of viewing Britain’s history in this period. The brief snippets are informative as it tells stories of the times surrounding the stamps. Americans are ignorant of much of this since it touches mainly on internal affairs but nevertheless interesting to compare with American themes and events. Some of the stories take off on rather extended tangents but are interesting, nevertheless. Among others, it contains a good short history of the Troubles as well as the impact of Princess Diana. So, there are English euphemisms and words that may confuse Americans. At the end are details of the stamps’ statistics and collectible data.
This book is a very good introduction to all this. Its use of postal stamps is an original way of viewing Britain’s history in this period. The brief snippets are informative as it tells stories of the times surrounding the stamps. Americans are ignorant of much of this since it touches mainly on internal affairs but nevertheless interesting to compare with American themes and events. Some of the stories take off on rather extended tangents but are interesting, nevertheless. Among others, it contains a good short history of the Troubles as well as the impact of Princess Diana. So, there are English euphemisms and words that may confuse Americans. At the end are details of the stamps’ statistics and collectible data.
February 28, 2022
I had previously read the author's History of America in 36 Postage Stamps, so I knew what to expect structure-wise for the British version. This book wasn't quite as relevant for me as I'm not as familiar with British history so I lacked context for several events & individuals referenced. After completing the book, I went back to my stamp collection and was surprised to find I had more of the featured stamps than I remembered: Penny Black, Penny Red, Penny Lilac, George V Penny Red, 2 1/2D Victory Commemorative, 8 1/2P 1977 Silver Jubilee Commemorative, 12P Liverpool & Manchester Railway 150th Anniversary Commemorative, 78P Celebrating Northern Ireland, and the 2011 Royal Wedding Minisheet, as well as other denominations of the 1935 Silver Jubilee Commemorative, Edward VIII, George VI, 1948 Olympic Games Commemorative, and plenty of Machin definitives. Recommended read for any philatelist.
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April 29, 2021This book took me much longer than expected for was, but I think this was the wise choice. Had I actually consumed this book in 2 days, I would’ve missed much of the information that is given on Britain’s history and the related stamps.
Much of the history, although I have never learned of it, was very familiar. Not surprising since Canada’s history is very closely linked and dependent on Britain’s choices.
I will say that reading a book like this depicting a country’s history is really eye opening in the sense that many of society’s injustices have been around for so long that trying to root them out today seems nearly impossible. And maybe it is.
Although this book wasn’t one that I enjoyed as I would’ve a fictional story, it was nice to read something different that taught me a lot about the world, Britain and just humans.
Much of the history, although I have never learned of it, was very familiar. Not surprising since Canada’s history is very closely linked and dependent on Britain’s choices.
I will say that reading a book like this depicting a country’s history is really eye opening in the sense that many of society’s injustices have been around for so long that trying to root them out today seems nearly impossible. And maybe it is.
Although this book wasn’t one that I enjoyed as I would’ve a fictional story, it was nice to read something different that taught me a lot about the world, Britain and just humans.
August 28, 2018
I never thought I'd say this but I wish it had been a bit more about stamps and how the formalisation of the postal services changed Britain rather than 'this was the stamp when this happened'. It's a clever way to mark the progress of British history from Victoria onwards but it was less philately, more economic history. Which given the author's previous career doesn't surprise. Not uninteresting by any means, just not so stamp-y as I would have liked. Solid 3 stars.
October 16, 2023
An extremely interesting read that is not about stamps so much as the eras in which they appear and the cultural, political and economical circumstances of the time. The book's title is a bit misleading since Chris West examines Victorian England onward only, but his analyses of those decades, though brief, are informative.
February 27, 2020
Very good! Some great wee quips and quotes. Very engaging explanations of German hyperinflation and the reasons for the 2008 crash.
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February 28, 2023A History of Britain in Thirty-six Postage Stamps by Chris West (2013)
October 8, 2013
This is a fascinating look at the history of Britan reflected in the tiny scraps we call stamps. Stamps are interesting. Even I have collected a few in my life. They are windows into what is important at that time. West's pretense is that in Britan, they have been used to bloster flagging spririts, defend the monarchy, present a united front, and as the 21st century begins, project hope in the people.
British stanps always remind us that "someone is watching" from the very first one. Most stanps here do have at least a sillouette of the monarch du jour that unifies them as it unifies a divergent people. From the first stamp in the world, the "Penny Black" to the most recent, the Jubilee First Class, most present the idea of a people working together. The most fascinaring thing about this book is it's "peeking behind the curtain" where that might be a little kess than the total truth.
West's book is inspired in part by his own philatelic fascination with history. His personal understandings drive the book. His fascinations are highly contageous. I feel that as an American, I gained great knowledge about Britan from this wirk and recommend it to teachers who want to teach history in small managible bites.
[FTC disclosure: I received this Advanced Readers' Copy through GoodReads FirstReads. I thank them and Picador for the book. In no way did this effect my opinions, they are 100% mine]
British stanps always remind us that "someone is watching" from the very first one. Most stanps here do have at least a sillouette of the monarch du jour that unifies them as it unifies a divergent people. From the first stamp in the world, the "Penny Black" to the most recent, the Jubilee First Class, most present the idea of a people working together. The most fascinaring thing about this book is it's "peeking behind the curtain" where that might be a little kess than the total truth.
West's book is inspired in part by his own philatelic fascination with history. His personal understandings drive the book. His fascinations are highly contageous. I feel that as an American, I gained great knowledge about Britan from this wirk and recommend it to teachers who want to teach history in small managible bites.
[FTC disclosure: I received this Advanced Readers' Copy through GoodReads FirstReads. I thank them and Picador for the book. In no way did this effect my opinions, they are 100% mine]
October 27, 2013
Chris West has managed to hang the meaty history of Britain from 1840 to today on the armature of 36 postage stamps and the result is impressive. Like Bill Bryson before him, West has taken what would normally be thought of as a relatively tame concept (talking about stamps) and exploded it into a thoroughly fascinating and delightful read. Using the story of the stamp as a starting point, he manages to take the reader on a fun romp though the doughty and sometime overwhelming history of what had once been the most prosperous, widespread and downright interesting of nations.
Whether detailing the 1840 Penny Black and the start of the modern postal system, or the 1953 Coronation Commemorative featuring the young Queen Elizabeth, West manages to look beyond the imprinted paper of the stamp and reveals to roiling scenes of this ever changing super power and her peoples, as well as the changes in the greater world itself and that impact on this tiny island nation. It doesn’t matter if the conversation centers on Disraeli or Churchill, Bloody Sunday and the Irish or the Woodstock Festival, The Beatles or the Sex-pistols, the stories are always charming, informative and often humorous.
There is a Philatelic appendix for those who wish to add to their knowledge of the stamps in question.
This was a Goodreads win for me.
Whether detailing the 1840 Penny Black and the start of the modern postal system, or the 1953 Coronation Commemorative featuring the young Queen Elizabeth, West manages to look beyond the imprinted paper of the stamp and reveals to roiling scenes of this ever changing super power and her peoples, as well as the changes in the greater world itself and that impact on this tiny island nation. It doesn’t matter if the conversation centers on Disraeli or Churchill, Bloody Sunday and the Irish or the Woodstock Festival, The Beatles or the Sex-pistols, the stories are always charming, informative and often humorous.
There is a Philatelic appendix for those who wish to add to their knowledge of the stamps in question.
This was a Goodreads win for me.
December 19, 2019
An interesting little book where each chapter introduces a stamp and then contextualizes the time in which the stamp first appeared. Sometimes the stamp bears a direct connection to the history (such as commemorative stamps or the post-WW2 stamp), and sometimes the connection to the stamp and the rest of the chapter is kind of tenuous. The book explores Britain's changing role on the global and domestic stage from the 1840s-2012. Interestingly, the final few chapters allude to Britain's resentment of the EU, which is pretty apropos of current events!
From sporting events, to wars, to the Great Potato Famine, this book explores numerous topics so some chapters might not be as interesting as others. Think of it more like a casual reader's digest kind of book, good for bus rides and fun-fact-of-the-day.
From sporting events, to wars, to the Great Potato Famine, this book explores numerous topics so some chapters might not be as interesting as others. Think of it more like a casual reader's digest kind of book, good for bus rides and fun-fact-of-the-day.
October 26, 2013
I like the gimmick of this book that I won through First Reads. It's a good idea to use ever changing postage stamps as a guideline to tell a more modern history of Britain. There were of course times when a chapter's stamp didn't REALLY jive with the story being told, but for the most part, this book is exactly what I needed it to be. It reads a bit like a British History for Dummies guide, but I didn't find it too simple. Probably because I'm American, and in American schools we don't focus so much on the 19th century Victorian Era as we do on the concurrent Civil War. True history buffs of Great Britain and its empire need not read this. But if you're mildly curious about the subject and don't know that much going in, this book is short and sweet and easy to read. I found it interesting to see the change from the 19th century events where Britain was at the center of the world to the more recent events where it seems as if Britain is a bystander to the larger nations rather than having a huge impact of its own.
November 4, 2013
I received a free ARC of this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaways. Using stamps as a jumping off point for a trip through British history from the Victorian era through today, this book was a surprisingly engaging read. Bits of information about the stamps themselves, the printing process, the post office, etc. appeal to the collector and provide a glimpse into British postal culture, particularly for an American reader like me. West's writing style had much more pep than I was expecting for a history of Britain revolving around postage stamps and really brought the topics he discussed into a unique perspective (particularly in the latter part of the book where the author lived through the period/events he is discussing). Prints of the stamps to start each chapter highlighted the imagery and design of the stamps themselves and putting information about each stamp and its collector information at the back of the book allowed the author to include the collecting angle without it overshadowing the history surrounding each time period discussed.
January 3, 2014
Quick review: I am amazed at how much I really enjoyed this book.
Full review: My first thought after reading this book was that it would make a great series. For example I would love to find out the history of other countries though their stamps. This approach was very unique and interesting. The author covered a lot of different historical topics in a unique way. Sometimes books discussing historical events revisit the same topics over and over again in an attempt to show the whole story. The approach taken in this book was able to do an in depth history of several topics without repeating themselves. I found it very interesting.
I also really enjoyed the last section of the book which discussed the various prices of the stamps referenced in this book. It was interesting to see how different stamps can have such a wide range of values.
I received a copy of this book as part of the Goodreads first reads program.
Full review: My first thought after reading this book was that it would make a great series. For example I would love to find out the history of other countries though their stamps. This approach was very unique and interesting. The author covered a lot of different historical topics in a unique way. Sometimes books discussing historical events revisit the same topics over and over again in an attempt to show the whole story. The approach taken in this book was able to do an in depth history of several topics without repeating themselves. I found it very interesting.
I also really enjoyed the last section of the book which discussed the various prices of the stamps referenced in this book. It was interesting to see how different stamps can have such a wide range of values.
I received a copy of this book as part of the Goodreads first reads program.
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