Rule, Nostalgia
A Backwards History of Britain
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Rule, Nostalgia
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Narrated by:
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Hannah Rose Woods
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Britain is an island ruled by nostalgia, but nostalgia today isn't what it used to be....
For hundreds of years, the British have mourned the loss of older national identities and called for a revival of the 'good old days'—from Margaret Thatcher's desire for a return to 'Victorian values' in the 1980s, to William Blake's protest against the 'dark satanic mills' of the Industrial Revolution that were fast transforming England's green and pleasant land, to 16th-century observers looking back wistfully to a 'Merry England' before the upheavals of the Reformation. By the time we reach the 1500s, we find a country nostalgic for a vision of home that looks very different to our own.
Beginning in the present, cultural historian Hannah Rose Woods travels backwards on an eye-opening tour through six centuries of Britain's perennial fixation with its own past, asking why nostalgia has been such an enduring and seductive emotion across hundreds of years of change. Woods separates the history from the fantasy, debunks dangerous and pervasive myths about Britain's past and explores the ways in which nostalgia has historically been mobilised in Britain across the political spectrum, from the radical left to the nationalist right, for both good and for ill.
Rule, Nostalgia is a timely and illuminating interrogation of national character, emotion, identity and myth making that will help us to understand Britain: past, present and future.
©2022 Hannah Rose Woods (P)2022 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Rule, Nostalgia
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Margaret
- 29-03-23
very engaging and enjoyable listen
Really enjoyed this enjoyable look at the role of nostalgia in how we understand history and ourselves. I like books read by the author as this one is. You can hear her taking breaths every now and then. I found this off-putting at the start (hence 4 stars) but got used to it and ended up really enjoying the performance.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sam Tromans
- 01-06-22
Excellent book!
Hannah was one of the first people i followed on twitter when i first joined, as she is very witty and funny. It was great to find out she was writing a book!
I've really enjoyed this, her writing is excellent and very engaging and its clear a great deal of thought has been put into every paragraph. Its an important book, and now more than ever its important that we consider and reflect on our national identity and the slippery concept of nostalgia, and how it can be misused. This is a fantastic read and meticulously researched, as well as championing values of fairness and equality.
The narration is excellent - like many Audible listeners i am a bit wary of authors narrating their own books as sometimes this backfires - but no need to worry here as Hannah does a terrific job with lively narration that adds to the quality of the content.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard Tol
- 11-06-22
Good stuff
This is a compelling book for all those who wonder how England got to where it is now.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Christopher
- 27-06-22
Really enjoyed. A slightly different take on our history.
I get through quite a few history audiobooks so this was a refreshing chance of perspective. I really enjoyed it and always like to hear authors read their own work. Excellent narration.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ambrun
- 29-12-22
Timely and resonant
As a child who read R. J. Unstead and Scott of The Antarctic, this reading of the past is like a rite of passage as it carefully blends narrative history and elements of historiography to a lay reader (like me). A really good exposition of different accounts without undue polemic.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sean NR
- 12-01-23
A wonderful listen
I not only enjoyed the concept and indeed content of this book. But also Hannah’s performance. It was read with a passion that brought the subject to life, and really encouraged me to think about the here and now.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matthew Patterson-Muir
- 24-11-22
Well put together!
Impressive work that had me engaged throughout. The similarities between the arguments of today and yesteryear were startling.
There’s also something special about an author reading their own work. Very enjoyable experience!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 29-10-22
content spoilt by poor narration
I found it difficult to concentrate on the content of the book as the narration, by the author was so monotonous and 'breathy'.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Helen
- 31-05-22
fascinating topic but needed a pro reader
This topic is fascinating and so relevant, I couldn't wait to listen. Unfortunately I just can't finish it as the recording is so poor. There are some amazing readers out there and I don't understand why the publishers let the author read it instead.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- P. Sherry
- 09-09-22
Had to stop listening
I’m not sure what the process was for recording this, but it sounds like she recorded it herself on her phone. Every few words are interspersed with harsh, rasping breaths, making it quite a nauseous experience. Shame, really, because I was looking forward to it.
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