The British Imagination
A History of Ideas from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II
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The British Imagination
Narrated by:
David Holt
Buy Now for £18.89
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Narrated by:
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David Holt
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By:
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Peter Watson
About this listen
The reign of Queen Elizabeth I ushered in an unprecedented age of exploration and discovery. Over 500 years that saw ‘the greatest expansion of ideas and knowledge the world has ever seen’, a small island nation, for centuries a cultural backwater, asserted itself as a world power.
Breathtaking in scope, embracing literature, science, art, religion, philosophy and politics, The British Imagination brings to life those centuries between Elizabeth I and II, and asks the provocative question – are we still living in a British 'metaphysical empire'?
From the acclaimed author of The German Genius and The French Mind, this is a lively and deeply researched history of the most influential personalities and ideas that made modern Britain.
‘Intriguing insights about the contemporary Anglosphere . . . nuanced and appreciative’ Financial Times
‘Peter Watson has form when it comes to probing a nation’s psyche . . . Ambitious and stimulating’ Country Life
Critic reviews
‘The “imagination” of Watson’s title is not merely the creative artistic imagination, but also that of scientists and inventors . . . he is right to conclude that the historic significance of Britain in these fields is immense . . . nuanced . . . intelligent’ (Simon Heffer)
'This book is a grand endeavour in every sense . . . Watson offers a kaleidoscopic, often provocative insight into British intellectual and social development over the centuries' (Alexander Larman)
‘This is a book with much to offer – Watson highlights the role of scientific innovation in shaping British identity, gives intriguing insights about the contemporary Anglosphere and delivers a nuanced and appreciative account of the post-imperial and migrant contribution to modern English writing’ (Rowan Williams)
‘Peter Watson has form when it comes to probing a nation’s psyche . . . It is an ambitious and often stimulating book’
'The book has an easy style and an often compelling and not unimpressive narrative'
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