A Social History of England

by Asa Briggs

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Sociology, Reference

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs was an English historian, best known for his studies on the Victorian era. In particular, his trilogy, Victorian People, Victorian Cities, and Victorian Things made a lasting mark on how historians view the nineteenth century. He was made a life peer in 1976.

Reviews

[Austen to Zafón · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, which I read for a college history class. Sadly, I kept getting failing grades on my papers even though I loved all the lectures and read the books with great enthusiasm. The prof couldn't explain at all why he was giving my papers failing grades. I later took them to an English prof who said she didn't see why either. It will always be a mystery and it was the only class in which I ever got poor marks. It didn't dissuade me from my love of history though, especially from a social and domestic perspective. Spare me the battles and dates and kings and queens. Tell me what people were wearing, eating, how they were raising their children, and how they treated the poor and social inferiors. Explain changes in economics, business practices., and social hierarchy. That's history to me!

[Karen Floyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written in 1983, and covers England from its pre-history (before it was England) through to the beginning of the 1980's. The focus seemed to me to be more on economics and the developments of industry and communications and their effect on England than on how people lived their daily lives, though this is not unreasonable given the scope of the book and its size. And, like it or not, economics does govern all aspects of our lives. It did not leave me feeling very hopeful about England's, or the world's, economic futures. The more we develop and rely on mechanization the fewer jobs there will be for the expanding human population. Readable and informative if a little depressing at the end.

[Joaquim Alvarado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relectura d'un excel·lent treball que dóna a conèixer les vicissituds de la població anglesa, les repercusions sobre la societat dels esdeveniments històrics i dels avenços socials, científics i tècnics. Digne d'elogi les cronologies al final de cada període i els llistats finals de primers ministres i monarques, per a aquells que, simplement, vulguin una consulta més ràpida. Bona mostra que la història és molt més que batalles, llistes de reis i vicissituds de polítics.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really dry, but it's still a fine job of reference — though like any history of this scope it has to skim centuries instead of getting into the details. Briggs looks at how trade, class, economics, farming, invasion, immigration, sex and war have shaped English society over the centuries. It's a good job, only "dated" in the sense that it ends in 1983 (I don't think that invalidates the earlier materials). And I give Briggs points for acknowledging the many interpretations over which sociologists and historians still disagree.

[Artie LeBlanc · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a finely produced book, with good illustrations: but, finally I was disappointed with it. I suppose that is because my interest in social history is to learn how people lived - food, housing, manners, etc. Briggs tackles it with a broader brush, looking at class, economic trends etc. All very worthy, but disappointing to me - and therefore left unfinished having plodded bravely through as far as 1689.

[Bryan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so sorry that I've finished this. I just hope that Asa has in his desk drawers the definitive 1,000+ page social history of England that will emerge to grace his final years and cement his place in .... history.

[Why-why · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated, but still a worthwhile read. The best of it, though, is the quality of print and all the beautifully printed illustrations. The quality of the paper stock alone is something we just don't see too often anymore.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually really interesting, but I think I just got a bit bored and impatient. I don’t usually read such intense history non-fiction, but still it was really intriguing. The last page had some really powerful words.

“All history is unfinished history, and just as we have had more than one yesterday, so we can, if we choose, have more than one future.”

Also the fact this book was written in 1983 but still correctly described the Conservative Party and just the state of the world 40+ years later - “It is not likely that this world will survive for long, or that a Conservative government will be primarily concerned with conserving it.”

[Magen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is honestly too broad and tries to cover too much in about 300 pages. Briggs emphasizes industry and economy, as another reviewer pointed out, and not so much the culture of England. I also didn't like how much there was to read about the 19th and 20th centuries and far less before those periods. I'm guessing his expertise was in those centuries, but I'm more interested in much earlier periods, so I did get pretty bored by this.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently read G M Trevelyan's 800 page History of England written in the 1920s which in comparison is far better then Brigg's 300 page 1980s effort. The latter is too superficial and very parochial. Trevelyan attemps to explore the impact of England on Europe, Ireland and the British Colonies and vice versa and so gives a much more complete and interesting story.

[Susan Grimshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, but very dry. Saved by lots of interesting illustrations.

[Elaf Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Johanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its good for an overview, its a bit dated now. There were no revelatory moments (but to be fair I didn't expect any - I was just looking for a different perspective and some interesting illustration!)
A worthwhile read if you stumble over it in a charity shop