Empireland
How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain
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Empireland
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Narrated by:
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Homer Todiwala
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By:
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Sathnam Sanghera
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2021.
A Sunday Times best seller.
In his brilliantly illuminating new book Sathnam Sanghera demonstrates how so much of what we consider to be modern Britain is actually rooted in our imperial past. In prose that is, at once, both clear-eyed and full of acerbic wit, Sanghera shows how our past is everywhere: from how we live to how we think, from the foundation of the NHS to the nature of our racism, from our distrust of intellectuals in public life to the exceptionalism that imbued the campaign for Brexit and the government's early response to the COVID crisis. And yet empire is a subject weirdly hidden from view.
The British Empire ran for centuries and covered vast swathes of the world. It is, as Sanghera reveals, fundamental to understanding Britain. However, even among those who celebrate the empire there seems to be a desire not to look at it too closely - not to include the subject in our school history books, not to emphasise it too much in our favourite museums.
At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Sanghera's book urges us to address this bewildering contradiction. For it is only by stepping back and seeing where we really come from that we can begin to understand who we are and what unites us.
©2021 Sathnam Sanghera (P)2021 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"This remarkable book shines the brightest of lights into some of the darkest and most misunderstood corners of our shared history." (James O'Brien)
"Lucid but never simplistic; entertaining but never frivolous; intensely readable while always mindful of nuance and complexity - Empireland takes a perfectly-judged approach to its contentious but necessary subject." (Jonathan Coe)
What listeners say about Empireland
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kazgriki
- 30-04-21
Salutary reminder of Britain's imperial past
Here is a book that every UK citizen should read as a reminder of the appalling atrocities carried out around the world in the advancement of the British Empire. This is a shocking part of Britain's history which sadly lingers on in the racist words and deeds of some British people today.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Brian R Pepper
- 17-05-21
Challenging
I had first heard about this book on Radio 4. Listening to it proved to be the challenge that I expected and whilst it informed the present by enlightening the past it left me with a feeling if helplessness about how the past can help a more positive future
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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- ebg
- 19-03-22
An Interesting Introduction
An interesting introduction to the history of the British Empire and it's impact on society today. Well worth a listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- John
- 25-01-23
Must listen
I think this a valuable resource in discovering one’s feelings about a time which is seldom reported accurately and without sugar coating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- RJ
- 01-06-23
A delightful book
As a young-black Brit, reading this book was a glimpse into the British Empire. The book was balanced and extremely thought provoking.
It is true that British society needs to come together and tackle the true history of the Empire: both good and bad. Furthermore, if we fail to acknowledge our past we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes again.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Adam
- 17-02-24
Stunning
An incredible feat of research by the author. Very well narrated too, it actually felt as if Sanghera was reading his own words, such was the passion at times.
Looking forward to the follow up.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-05-24
Imperial
Some repetition but it helped get the messages home. Excellent narration. I know a fair amount about the subject but learned more. Ironically I’m seeing the author talk at a major public school - dulwich college - tomorrow
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 21-05-24
Learnt so much about my country’s history
He structured the book very well. Very interesting. Very informative. Every Britton should read or listen to this book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 26-02-21
Cannot recommend highly enough
This deserves to be very widely read. It is perfect for this time in our history. It is thoroughly researched and nuanced. The style is very accessible. The audio version is well read, and for me, helped to convey Sathnam Sanghera's text most effectively.
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3 people found this helpful
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- F. Lai
- 22-12-21
Probably should be in school curriculum
History is written by the winner. We can't help but to miss a whole different narrative of what empire was to those colonised and ruled. We are judged by the actions we take when no one's watching. No one can tell how atrociously we act. To learn and understand our past without ignorant preconception of pride may be difficult and shocking just like this book, but essential nonetheless. Thoroughly enjoyed the book and finished in a week. Super glad to find the TV doco by the author on the same topic. Worth a watch and defo worth the read.
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