Victoria'S Wars: Rise Of Empire, The

Description:
In the early part of Queen Victoria's reign, the British Empire was well on the way to becoming the greatest empire the world had ever seen. This is the story of how it happened and the people who made it happen. In a fast-moving narrative ranging from London to the harsh terrain of India, Russia and the Far East, Saul David shows how Britain ruthlessly exploited her position as the world's only superpower to expand her empire. Yet little of this territorial acquisition was planned or sanctioned by the home government. Instead, it was largely the work of the men on the ground, and to those at home it really did seem that the empire was acquired in a 'fit of absence of mind'. Saul David creates a vivid portrait of life on the violent fringes of empire, and of the seemingly endless and brutal wars that were fought in the name of trade, civilization and the balance of power.

Review:
Splendid ... a terrific treasure-chest of anecdotes ... a splendidly brisk, cool and judicious narrator Daily Telegraph Incisive and acute ... thorough and occasionally revelatory, [David] always finds a telling phrase, an eye-catching detail or a human story Sunday Times

Author Biography:
Saul David was born in 1966. He is the author of seven previous books, including The Indian Mutiny (shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature) and Zulu. He was the historical consultant for the BBC Timewatch documentary Zulu: The True Story, and presented Sky One's eight-part genealogy series, Royalty R Us, in September 2006.