Piers Brendon Knihy

The 1930s were perhaps the seminal decade in twentieth-century history, a dark time of global depression that displaced millions, paralyzed the liberal democracies, gave rise to totalitarian regimes, and, ultimately, led to the Second World War. In this sweeping history, Piers Brendon brings the tragic, dismal days of the 1930s to life.From Stalinist pogroms to New Deal programs, Brendon re-creates the full scope of a slow international descent towards war. Offering perfect sketches of the players, riveting descriptions of major events and crises, and telling details from everyday life, he offers both a grand, rousing narrative and an intimate portrait of an era that make sense out of the fascinating, complicated, and profoundly influential years of the 1930s.

No empire has been larger or more diverse than the British Empire. At its peak in the 1930s, 42 million Britons governed 500 million foreign subjects, with a quarter of the earth’s surface marked in red on maps. While Britain's direct control was often limited, its influence, bolstered by unmatched industrial and commercial power, was significant. However, this vast empire, except for the Russian one, vanished rapidly. Within a generation, it left behind only a few dependencies and the remnants of the British Commonwealth. Despite its decline, Britain imparted economic foundations, cultural legacies, a sporting spirit, a legal code, and a language that surpassed even Latin in its reach. In a work of exceptional scholarship, Piers Brendon chronicles the decline of British power, a pivotal historical event at the end of the second millennium. The narrative is rich with vivid details, brief biographies, anecdotes, comic moments, and symbolic vignettes, bringing to life both distant places and times. Covering events from the American War of Independence to the end of the Raj, the retreat from Africa, and the ongoing issues in the Falklands and Hong Kong, this account provides a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the British Empire's legacy and its transformation into a new, 'informal' empire under the United States.