After the Victorians: The Decline of Britain in the World

by A.N. Wilson

The distinguished historian A.N. Wilson has charted, in vivid detail, Britain's rise to world dominance, a tale of how one small island nation came to be the mightiest, richest country on earth, reigning over much of the globe. Now in his much anticipated sequel to the classic The Victorians, he describes how in little more than a generation Britain's power and influence in the world would virtually dissolve.

In After the Victorians , Wilson presents a panoramic view of an era, stretching from the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 to the dawn of the cold war in the early 1950s. He offers riveting accounts of the savagery of World War I and the world-altering upheaval of the Communist Revolution. He explains Britain's role in shaping the destiny of the Middle East. And he casts a bright new light on the World War II Britain played a central role in defeating Germany but at a severe cost. The nation would emerge from the war bankrupt and fatally weakened, sidelined from world politics, while America would assume the mantle of dominant world power, facing off against the Soviet Union in the cold war. Wilson's perspective is not confined to the trenches of the battlefield and the halls of he also examines the parallel story of the beginnings of Modernism-he visits the novelists, philosophers, poets, and painters to see what they reveal about the activities of the politicians, scientists, and generals.

Blending military, political, social, and cultural history of the most dramatic kind, A.N. Wilson offers an absorbing portrait of the decline of one of the world's great powers. The result is a fresh account of the birth pangs of the modern world, as well as a timely analysis of imperialism and its discontents.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Politics, 20th Century, 19th Century, Research

624 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2005

About the author

Andrew Norman Wilson is an English writer and newspaper columnist, known for his critical biographies, novels, works of popular history and religious views. He is an occasional columnist for the Daily Mail and former columnist for the London Evening Standard, and has been an occasional contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, New Statesman, The Spectator and The Observer.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Victorians is a wonderfully entertaining book. Wilson is an excellent writer and is able to bring to life the myriad figures and dramatic events of British history in the first part of the 21st century.

That being said the book does have it's flaws. It's fairly unforgivable that Wilson refers to President Harry Truman as lawyer, when in fact he was the only 20th century President NOT to earn a college degree. Missing this detail could be seen as a minor mistake, but it belies the general lack of research Wilson appears to have undertaken on the other great powers of World War Two. He admits that he basis his entire account of the decision to drop the atomic bomb on just one source, and casually condemns the act as a war crime. While doing this he glosses over the very complex issue of whether an ultimatum was really given to the Japanese, or whether their was any reason to believe that Hirohito would have surrendered under any other circumstances other than the ones he surrendered under

I'm not trying to argue for or against the argument he is making, it just seems that he could have put more research into these areas, and given credence to other viewpoints. That being said this is a book about Britain, and the issue of the atomic bomb is peripheral to his subject.

This is an excellent read and I recommend it to anyone interested in British or 20th century history.

[Lynne Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was generally pretty good, although not as compelling as some other history books I've read. It was still interesting enough, though.

[Cornelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the writer on some issues has opinions which I don’t support (King Edward VIII being very qualified for his job, Lord Louis Mountbatten being vilified, the dislike of leftist politics), I still much enjoyed reading this book. The many historical events put into a smoothly readable narrative that explains much of how and why the world after Queen Victoria changed in the way it did.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at the history of Britain from the turn of the 20th century until the 1950s through the eyes of famous people who lived through this period. The book is well-written, and well-researched, and covers periods of time not usually looked at in the same publication. However, the author never makes a persuasive case as to why he has covered this period. He says in the subtitle that he will be looking at Britain's decline and loss of empire, but this story doesn't seem integral to the book. His most interesting conclusion is that while empires embraced diversity, always imperfectly, but they found ways to accommodate it, nationalist nation-states usually ended up denying basic rights to people who were not part of the majority population. While this is interesting and probably true, Britain isn't the most stunning example of this phenomenon, so I was a little confused as to where he was going with the argument.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A. N. Wilson is a very popular historian and novelist; this is the first book I've read by him. While his style is charming, his research and history are not to my taste. He tends to interject comments (if only the Germans had bombed the ugly building rather than the attractive one), including gossip (did both the Mountbattens sleep with Nehru?), which is rather besides the point. He also assumes that the reader is familiar with all the details. Indeed if the reader were British, this might be the case, but not me.

I'm sure he's very smart and charming and I would love to sit next to him at a dinner party, but not read another one of is books.

[Guy Cranswick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The decline of Britain and loss of empire is a well covered topic - in Britain at least. This outing might have a desultory or depressive air, but again Wilson brings an acute perception to a range of political and social issues and opens up new ways to interpret the record. The social dynamic is particularly well done and should make the book more available to readers who could be uninterested in major political or strategic histories.

[LOL_BOOKS]

IF YOU LOVE THE INTERWAR YEARS, I RECOMMEND CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD'S CHRISTOPHER AND HIS KIND, RICHARD OVERY'S THE MORBID AGE, JULIET GARDINER'S THE THIRTIES, ROBERT GRAVES'S THE LONG WEEKEND, THE SISTERS BY MARY S. LOVELL, AFTER THE VICTORIANS BY A. N. WILSON, AND VIRGINIA NICHOLSON'S AMONG THE BOHEMIANS. IT'S ACTUALLY MY PERIOD OF RESEARCH IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MORE SPECIFIC OR ACADEMIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE INTERWAR PERIOD.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an epic read...but it gets high marks for being a massive work of history that manages to also be a fantastic and enjoyable read. I'm keeping it from 5 stars because there are times when A. N. Wilson's interpretation of history drive me insane, whether it be throwaway comments (Woodrow Wilson was the most racist President of the 20th century, and doesn't deserve the accolades of a nice liberal man), head-scratching apologist tracts (a very surprising defense of Edward VIII), or a slightly disturbing defense of the actions of Franco. I also found the conclusion to be a bit abrupt compared to the introduction -- there was much more I was hoping would be discussed and ruminated upon at the very end.

[Aaron Eames · Rating 4 out of 5]

A companion piece as well as a continuation of The Victorians whose frock-coated figures and peculiar philosophies haunt its pages until we close the book on an elderly Churchill in parade brocade at Elizabeth II’s coronation. The amount covered means Wilson’s précis are sharp but too short, leaving one wishing less had happened since 1901. Curiously, he’s rather harsh on Bertrand Russell, and also the population of Austria, most of whom, he observes, ‘idolized Hitler then (1938), just as most of them still do’. If Wilson is correct in his comments on the Anschluss, Brexit suddenly seems an appealing proposition.

[Ivor Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A welcome history of the first 50 years of the 20th century

A bit of an eye opener for me, born in 1944 of the years that I actually lived through. At the time you just observe without questioning the things going on round you. So this book gives the background and context of why things happened as they did. At times it wanders down literary themes to gain evidence or context to public 'mood' or perception which can be distracting when you just want the bones of the history. A good read and perhaps keeping as a reference.

[Rex Brampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could have been called The Decline and Fall of the British Empire and it must have been tempting to do so.
Wilson provides a very detailed, sometimes surprising and often wry telling of the history of the first half of the twentieth century. It's a familiar story, but this books fills a lot of gaps.

[NCHS Library]

From the Publisher:
A. N. Wilson, a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is the author of many critically acclaimed books, including The Victorians, Paul, and My Name is Legion.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very long, but interesting insights into the last century of British history by a British historian. Many interesting revelations, though I admit, I didn’t understand all of the references to British popular literature and citizens.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully detailed history of the era, tying together historical events, the arts and social climate. Beautifully written.

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

a standard history of Britain from 1901 to 1945 was well written even if too far to the right for me.

[Greg Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.N. Wilson is an outstanding writer. I have enjoyed immensely his series on the Victorians. Hope to read his biography of John Milton soon.

[Christopher Sutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this sequel to _The Victorians_ not quite as good as its predecessor. This is perhaps because I'm bothered by Wilson's political stance and willingness to overlook established facts (or to get them wrong) in the greater service of his allegiance to a constitutional monarchy as the best form of government. The areas where this is most clear for me (because I am a specialist in these areas of history) is Wilson's acceptance of Younghusband's figures for the number of Tibetans massacred by his troops in 1904 (severely underestimated, if not deliberately misleading); his assertion that Younghusband was "hurt" by the encounter (perhaps this is stated in his official correspondence, but anyone reading his numerous later works would come to a far different conclusion); and his interpretation of Tenzing's and Hillary's co-ascent of Everest (Wilson's reading is very traditional and ignores the anti-imperial, radical message attempted by these two--at least at first--when they refused to say which man, the white Commonwealth climber or his Sherpa climbing partner, reached the summit first). Wilson also several times states a belief that "communism" as performed in the Soviet Union was Marxist and a fundamentally different economic system that Britian's or the the United States's, a personal pet peeve of mine: the USSR in its early days was certainly Leninist, but was not socialist in any way. Lenin quashed true worker's soviets early on and the country's economic system was capitalist after 1920 (and perhaps as early as 1918); it had to be in order to continue trade with the world for food and needed supplies. It was a totalitarian capitalism, in which the state owned the means of production, but it was capitalist not Marxian socialist. All in all I'm a little disappointed in this book, but perhaps it's just an example of how difficult it is to write histories of the more recent past.

[Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I generally dislike discursive writing, but that is because it is so hard to pull off. Sliding from this topic to that usually leads to flab, unclear argumentation and getting lost in sidebars. But when it works! Wilson wonderfully blends high and low culture, politics and economics into a narrative of Britain's decline from the death of Victoria to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Not many authors could use the Laurel and Hardy films as a mirror of the Anglo-American Special Relationship nor the decline of the British novelist and the rise of the crossword as reflections of Imperial weariness.

The book benefits from Wilson's strong point of view and willingness to tell it like he sees it. His asides will alternatively delight and dismay, perhaps on the same page, but they create a rollicking read.

I've been wary of nonfiction after putting this down. This is among my favorite approaches to historical writing. Much else will pale by comparison.

[Woolfhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely interesting book - history as anecdote, told personally and with opinions. I know enough about British history to know when I was reading opinion, which was gratifying. Wilson's first rate mind and wide range of knowledge is apparent, but not over-bearing. Reading his take on English history in the 20th century was very much like listening to a professor emeritus hold forth over a long, boozy dinner. I found his views on the atrocities committed by the Allies during WW2 interesting. Also found the parallelshe drew between now and then - eroding civil liberties, right wing radio, etc. - alternately heartening and disheartening. It's true that history repeats itself, but one wishes that humankind occasionally learned something from our history.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely biased, but an interesting and informative read. Few books on English history during this period would include a chapter on the birth of the Times crossword puzzle. An example of his bias: I found his accusations of homosexuality distasteful. I understand many in that period did cover up their sexual preference, but to accuse someone of being gay with no evidence and then go on to decribe the long, happy, faithful and consumate marriage he had with his wife is extremely strange. It gets to the point where he describes Dietrich Bonhoeffer as heterosexual with a tone of surprise. Although I understand his motive in correcting individual histories, A.N Wilson overcorrects in this regard.

[Gobasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps this book should be titled "The Last of the Victorians" since it ends with Winston Churchill. Describing the downfall of the British Empire through the two World Wars and the Great Depression this book shows how history and culture in the fading empire interacted. Much was muddled and America has inherited many of the fudges of diplomacy and border making that troubles today's world. However, most of the time the leaders were trying to do the right thing even if it ran against England's own self preservation. Really a fine history.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on the end of the British empire. Sadly, the parallels between the USA empire and the British are there to be seen. Especially when you think in terms of culture such as art, music, literature etc which under the influence of both the media and social media have dropped to an all time low in the West. I didn't agree with a lot that was said about the British but agree that they frankly got 'too big for their britches' and felt they could do
not wrong.

[Grania · Rating 4 out of 5]

AN Wilson makes me feel I didn't waste my adolescence reading the complete Henry James, Thomas Hardy and DH Lawrence, as here I was able to nod sagely and chortle wisely I DO know what you mean. After the Victorians made me feel my A levels worthwhile, with accessible writing and Social and literary history given as much time as political history.

[Michael Heath-Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good comprehensive book on Britain and the Empire from 1900 to 1952. Above title says 'Decline of Britain in the World' which I did not see on the book? Empire had to make a run for it before the Loony Left could get their hands on it. Rather a warts and all type history which is quite interesting.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasing to read, despite an irritating handful of instances where Wilson reads history by means of the contemporary situation. A nice, accessible introduction to Britain from 1900 to the early 1950s.

[Anne Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting social history, some dodgy remarks on Ireland, (Partition did not come as a result of the Civil War it was demanded by the British during the Treaty negotiations!!), and at times a bit smug but very readable history.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting.

[Fishsanwitt]

catalogued

[Tammy]

941.0843 Wil

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very entertaining, apart from the times he takes a rather cavalier attitude to the facts and lets his own personal bias hold sway.