The Penguin Historical Atlas of the British Empire

by Nigel Dalziel, John M. MacKenzie (Introduction)

The Penguin Historical Atlas of the British Empire traces the emergence of the world's greatest empire from its earliest beginnings in the British Isles, through its ascendancy in Victorian times, to its ultimate collapse in the mid-20th century. It examines the impact of British dominance in America, India and Africa, and the enormous changes brought by Britain's settlement of Australasia. Coverage of major events - the colonization of Ireland, the American Revolution, the South African wars - is complemented by discussion of themes such as Imperial exploitation and trade, hunting for plants and animals, the Imperial exhibitions and the importance of British naval power. Also assessed are the impact of the Empire on different areas of the world and the legacy it has bestowed. Richly illustrated with photographs and full-colour maps, this is an illuminating and multi-faceted one-volume introduction to the rise and fall of the British Empire.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Reference

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2006

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nigel Dalziel’s contribution to Penguin’s historical atlas series from the mid-2000s provides a useful overview of the history of the empire from its beginnings in the sixteenth century to its demise at the end of the twentieth. Easily the best part of it are its many colorful maps, which provide clear visual presentations of the empire from a variety of aspects. These address topics ranging from the slave trade and investments to migration and independence, providing visual support for the basic facts and figures in a way that underscores their significance. Each of these maps are accompanied by textual descriptions that offer plain summaries of their respective subjects, providing the basic facts with little elaboration or analysis. The latter is reserved for the books listed in the “Further Reading” section which, while dated and not as comprehensive as the book itself still guide readers to useful works elaborating on many of the aspects of empire covered in the text. In all, it’s a handy starting point for anyone new to the subject, while the maps offer informative perspectives for those who are already familiar with it.

[Anglotopia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big map junkie so I really enjoyed peering through this book. There's plenty of background information on the various stages of the British Empire, but if you're familiar with this history already, then you can live without reading most of the text and just focus on the maps. Much of the text has no relation to the maps, which is confusing as it doesn't give the maps proper context. Some of the maps are a little confusing to work out the keys, but as I said it was an enjoyable afternoon sitting down to read this book. Excellent addition to my British Empire reference library. I particularly enjoyed the sections on British expansion in America and Australia.

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is so densely academic to the point that sentences need decoding and additional research to fully comprehend. I'm not sure if this is a trait of more modern compared to ancient histories, but I do not like it.

Sentences are often long and convoluted. Names are dropped that I know nothing about but seem to be expected to. Definitely my least favorite in this penguin atlas collection.

[Barbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a genuinely helpful book for my dissertation. I needed a reputable academic source that discussed the British empire during the Edwardian period, and my subject librarian recommended it. Dalziel's discussion of both the geographic expansion of the empire during this period as well as British society's perception of the empire at the time. It was an excellent support for my discussion of empire and Virginia Woolf's The Voyage Out. So go Dalziel! And go librarians!

[Anscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I was looking for - a detailed but concise summary of the history of the empire, from its inception to dissolution, complete with visually interesting and useful maps and diagrams. It's not a scholarly work, and doesn't exactly give much in-depth analysis, but then that's not its purpose.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly interesting way to look at the history and impact of the British Empire (via maps). Not much new or exciting in this short "atlas" of sorts. Interesting sections on world exhibitions and botany (of all things). Use it as a reference, but not for general reading.

[Xdw · Rating 2 out of 5]

not enough connection between the text and the maps. Maps are not coded well