Timothy H. Parsons is professor of African history at Washington University.

Parsons offers fascinating insights into the last decades of British colonial rule and, especially, its long-lasting effects both abroad and at home. In interesting and nuanced ways, the author demonstrates the ways in which imperial rule altered the attitudes, culture, music, and cuisine of colonial peoples and British society. By examining the inherent contractions of empire in the 20th century, Parsons not only demonstrates the complex nature of empire but also provides a better template for judging who benefited and who lost in the development of European empires. He argues that a two-way dialogue existed within the British Empire and that colonized people did 'speak back,' but too often, the British muted or ignored their voices. Parsons’s broad approach allows him to usefully analyze the influence of empire on the processes of globalization. A welcome addition to a growing body of work that examines the final decades of the British Empire for specialists and students alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.

• Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: The Empire at High TideChapter 3: The Empire between the Wars, 1918 to 1939Chapter 4: The 1940s: A New Kind of Empire?Chapter 5: The Final Retreat from Empire, 1950 to 1970Chapter 6: Global Legacies of the British EmpireChapter 7: EpilogueBritish Empire Timeline

Timothy H. Parsons is professor of African history at Washington University.

Parsons offers fascinating insights into the last decades of British colonial rule and, especially, its long-lasting effects both abroad and at home. In interesting and nuanced ways, the author demonstrates the ways in which imperial rule altered the attitudes, culture, music, and cuisine of colonial peoples and British society. By examining the inherent contractions of empire in the 20th century, Parsons not only demonstrates the complex nature of empire but also provides a better template for judging who benefited and who lost in the development of European empires. He argues that a two-way dialogue existed within the British Empire and that colonized people did 'speak back,' but too often, the British muted or ignored their voices. Parsons’s broad approach allows him to usefully analyze the influence of empire on the processes of globalization. A welcome addition to a growing body of work that examines the final decades of the British Empire for specialists and students alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.

• Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: The Empire at High TideChapter 3: The Empire between the Wars, 1918 to 1939Chapter 4: The 1940s: A New Kind of Empire?Chapter 5: The Final Retreat from Empire, 1950 to 1970Chapter 6: Global Legacies of the British EmpireChapter 7: EpilogueBritish Empire Timeline

Timothy H. Parsons is professor of African history at Washington University.

Parsons offers fascinating insights into the last decades of British colonial rule and, especially, its long-lasting effects both abroad and at home. In interesting and nuanced ways, the author demonstrates the ways in which imperial rule altered the attitudes, culture, music, and cuisine of colonial peoples and British society. By examining the inherent contractions of empire in the 20th century, Parsons not only demonstrates the complex nature of empire but also provides a better template for judging who benefited and who lost in the development of European empires. He argues that a two-way dialogue existed within the British Empire and that colonized people did 'speak back,' but too often, the British muted or ignored their voices. Parsons’s broad approach allows him to usefully analyze the influence of empire on the processes of globalization. A welcome addition to a growing body of work that examines the final decades of the British Empire for specialists and students alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.

• Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: The Empire at High TideChapter 3: The Empire between the Wars, 1918 to 1939Chapter 4: The 1940s: A New Kind of Empire?Chapter 5: The Final Retreat from Empire, 1950 to 1970Chapter 6: Global Legacies of the British EmpireChapter 7: EpilogueBritish Empire Timeline