A kaleidoscopic picture of British society in the year of the battle of Waterloo; evoking the sights; sounds; and smells of a defining moment in modern British history1815 was the year of Waterloo; the British victory that ended Napoleon's European ambitions and ushered in a century largely of peace for Britain. But what sort of country were Wellington's troops fighting for? And what kind of society did they return to? Stephen Bates paints a vivid portrait of every aspect of Britain in 1815. Overseas; the bounds of Empire were expanding; at home; the Thames froze over; and the population endured the chill of economic recession. As Jane Austen busied herself with the writing of Emma; John Nash designed Regent Street; Humphrey Davy patented his safety lamp for miners; and Lord's cricket ground held its first match in St John's Wood; a nervous government infiltrated dissident political movements and resorted to repressive legislation to curb free speech. This book offers a richly engrossing picture of a year that resonates to a surprising degree with the Britain of today.
#3837532 in Books 2013-05-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.05 x 1.04 x 5.74l; .95 #File Name: 1780761643256 pages
Review
