Andrew Porter – författare

The Oxford History of the British Empire is a major new assessment of the Empire in the light of recent scholarship and the progressive opening of historical records. From the founding of colonies in North America and the West Indies in the seventeenth century to the reversion of Hong Kong to China at the end of the twentieth, British imperialism was a catalyst for far-reaching change. The Oxford History of the British Empire as a comprehensive study helps us to understand the end of Empire in relation to its beginning, the meaning of British imperialism for the ruled as well as for the rulers, and the significance of the British Empire as a theme in world history. Volume III of The Oxford History of the British Empire covers the long nineteenth century, from the achievement of American independence in the 1780s to the eve of world war in 1914. This was the period of Britain's greatest expansion as both empire-builder and dominant world power. The volume is divided into two parts. The first contains thematic chapters, some focusing on Britain, others on areas at the imperial periphery, exploring those fundamental dynamics of British expansion whcih made imperial influence and rule possible. They also examine the economic, cultural, and institutional frameworks whcih gave shape to Britain's overseas empire. Part 2 is devoted to the principal areas of imperial activity overseas, including both white settler and tropical colonies. Chapters examine how British interests and imperial rule shaped individual regions' nineteenth-century political and socio-economic history. Themes dealt with include the economics of empire, imperial institutions, defence, technology, imperial and colonial cultures, science and exploration. Attention is given not only to the formal empire, from Australasia and the West Indies to India and the African colonies, but also to China and Latin America, often regarded as central components of a British `informal empire'.

Volume III of The Oxford History of the British Empire covers the long nineteenth century, from the achievement of American independence in the 1780s to the eve of world war in 1914. This was the period of Britain's greatest expansion as both empire-builder and dominant world power. The volume is divided into two parts. The first contains thematic chapters, some focusing on Britain, others on areas at the imperial periphery, exploring those fundamental dynamics of British expansion which made imperial influence and rule possible. They also examine the economic, cultural, and institutional frameworks which gave shape to Britain's overseas empire. Part 2 is devoted to the principal areas of imperial activity overseas, including both white settler and tropical colonies. Chapters examine how British interests and imperial rule shaped individual regions' nineteenth-century political and social-economic history. Themes dealt with include the economics of empire, imperial institutions, defence, technology, imperial and colonial cultures, science and exploration. Attention is given not only to the formal empire, from Australasia and the West Indies to India and the African colonies, but also to China and Latin America, often regarded as central components of a British `informal empire'.Series BlurbThe Oxford History of the British Empire is a major new assessment of the Empire in the light of recent scholarship and the progressive opening of historical records. From the founding of colonies in North America and the West Indies in the seventeenth century to the reversion of Hong Kong to China at the end of the twentieth, British imperialism was a catalyst for far-reaching change. The Oxford History of the British Empire as a comprehensive study allows us to understand the end of Empire in relation to its beginnings, the meaning of British imperialism for the ruled as well as the rulers, and the significance of the British Empire as a theme in world history

The twentieth century witnessed an unprecedented growth of research and publication on the history of Britain's empire, the Commonwealth, and British expansion overseas. Historical work by area specialists has transformed the state of knowledge concerning colonial North America, India, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia, the Pacific, and Australasia. Much has been written about Britain's interests and presence in areas and societies never formally subjected to British rule, such as Latin America, and the Middle and Far East. Most recently, a preoccupation with the reciprocal impact of overseas expansion and colonial possessions on Britain itself has produced a rapidly growing historiography. Publication on this scale has made it virtually impossible for anyone either to keep track of the results or to follow up particular interests. Britain's overseas history has never been well supplied with comprehensive bibliographical aids, and, despite extensive public interest in the subject, the position has steadily worsened. Following the recent Oxford History of the British Empire, this volume is therefore designed to provide a general source of reference and bibliographical guidance, at once wide-ranging, up-to-date, and accessible.

Current interest in Britain's imperial past and the loss of her formal empire since World War II is substantial.

This study surveys the growth of European intervention outside Europe between 1860 and 1914. It treats its subject, 'imperialism', as a process of increasing contact, influence and control, rather than as the nature and consequences of colonial rule. The problems of defining 'imperialism' are considered alongside various analytical approaches to the term. In examining the controversial historiographical literature surrounding this subject, the book criticises particular explanations, and introduces readers to some of the new directions in research and inquiry currently being explored by historians.

Agamemnon led a ten-year-long struggle at Troy only to return home and die a pathetic death at his wife’s hands. Yet while Agamemnon’s story exerts an outsize influence—rivalled by few epic personalities—on the poetic narratives of the Iliad and Odyssey, scholars have not adequately considered his full portrait. What was Agamemnon like as a character for Homer and his audience? More fundamentally, how should we approach the topic of characterization itself, following the discoveries of Milman Parry, Albert Lord, and their successors?Andrew Porter explains the expression of characterization in Homer’s works, from an oral-traditional point of view, and through the resonance of words, themes, and “back stories” from both the past and future. He analyzes Agamemnon’s character traits in the Iliad, including his qualities as a leader, against events such as his tragic homecoming narrative in the Odyssey. Porter’s findings demonstrate that there is a traditional depth of characterization embedded in the written pages of these once-oral epics, providing a shared connection between the ancient singer and his listeners.

First Published in 1988. These essays have been written to mark the retirement of Ronald Robinson as Beit Professor of the History of the British Commonwealth at the University of Oxford. The contributors have all at various times worked closely with ‘Robbie’ as pupils, colleagues and friends. They offer this volume to him with their thanks and great affection, both in recognition of his immense contribution to the revival and development of imperial or commonwealth history, and in the conviction that he has still much to offer all scholars in the field.

These ten short stories explore loss and sacrifice in American suburbia. In idyllic suburbs across the country, from Philadelphia to San Francisco, narrators struggle to find meaning or value in their lives because of (or in spite of) something that has happened in their pasts. In "Hole," a young man reconstructs the memory of his childhood friend's deadly fall. In "The Theory of Light and Matter," a woman second-guesses her choice between a soul mate and a comfortable one.Memories erode as Porter's characters struggle to determine what has happened to their loved ones and whether they are responsible. Children and teenagers carry heavy burdens in these stories: in "River Dog" the narrator cannot fully remember a drunken party where he suspects his older brother assaulted a classmate; in "Azul" a childless couple, craving the affection of an exchange student, fails to set the boundaries that would keep him safe; and in "Departure" a suburban teenage boy fascinated with the Amish makes a futile attempt to date a girl he can never be close to.Memory often replaces absence in these stories as characters reconstruct the events of their pasts in an attempt to understand what they have chosen to keep. These struggles lead to an array of secretive and escapist behavior as the characters, united by middle-class social pressures, try to maintain a sense of order in their lives. Drawing on the tradition of John Cheever, these stories recall and revisit the landscape of American suburbia through the lens of a new generation.

First Published in 1988. These essays have been written to mark the retirement of Ronald Robinson as Beit Professor of the History of the British Commonwealth at the University of Oxford. The contributors have all at various times worked closely with ‘Robbie’ as pupils, colleagues and friends. They offer this volume to him with their thanks and great affection, both in recognition of his immense contribution to the revival and development of imperial or commonwealth history, and in the conviction that he has still much to offer all scholars in the field.

A taut, elegiac, and engrossing read, The Imagined Life follows Steven Mills, a man in a struggling marriage who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about the father who vanished from his life when he was only twelve.Driving up the coast of California, Steven seeks out his father’s friends, family, and former colleagues, and is transported back to his 1980s childhood: his parents’ legendary pool parties, black-and-white films on the backyard projector, his father’s male friends in the cabana house… With every revelation his father becomes more difficult to recognise, and, with every insight, Steven must confront truths about his own life.In cinematic prose, Andrew Porter explores the full nexus of male relationships: fathers and sons, husbands and lovers—set achingly against the US AIDS epidemic and the homophobia of the 1980s—and masterfully weaves a tale of trauma, generational secrets, forbidden love, and shame.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2025'Fascinating - a great read' - Miriam O'Callaghan'Brilliant, absolutely terrific' - Matt CooperWith a foreword by Richie SadlierFrom the heartbreak of losing his mother to breast cancer at just 12 years old, to battling mental health struggles throughout his teens, Andrew Porter's journey is one of extraordinary resilience. In this deeply personal and inspiring account, the Irish rugby star opens up about the challenges that shaped him - on and off the pitch.With honesty and heart, Andrew shares how rugby became his lifeline, guiding him from the gym floor to the world stage. He reflects on the emotional highs and lows of his career, including earning 75 caps for Ireland, winning three Six Nations titles and becoming one of the sport's most respected figures. This is more than a story of athletic triumph - it's a testament to the power of perseverance, vulnerability, and the human spirit.

WINNER AT THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2025'Fascinating - a great read' - Miriam O'Callaghan'Brilliant, absolutely terrific' - Matt CooperWith a foreword by Richie SadlierFrom the heartbreak of losing his mother to breast cancer at just 12 years old, to battling mental health struggles throughout his teens, Andrew Porter's journey is one of extraordinary resilience. In this deeply personal and inspiring account, the Irish rugby star opens up about the challenges that shaped him - on and off the pitch.With honesty and heart, Andrew shares how rugby became his lifeline, guiding him from the gym floor to the world stage. He reflects on the emotional highs and lows of his career, including earning 75 caps for Ireland, winning three Six Nations titles and becoming one of the sport's most respected figures. This is more than a story of athletic triumph - it's a testament to the power of perseverance, vulnerability, and the human spirit.

How can the ancient relationship between Homer and the Epic Cycle be recovered? Using findings from the most significant research in the field, Andrew Porter questions many ancient and modern assumptions and offers alternative perspectives better aligned with ancient epic performance realities and modern epic studies. Porter’s volume addresses a number of related issues: the misrepresentation of Cyclic (and Homeric) epic by Aristotle and his inheritors; the role of the epic singer, patron/collector, and scribe/poet in the formation of memorialized songs; the relevance of shared patterns and devices and of other traditional connections between ancient epics; and the distinct fates of Homeric and Cyclic epic. Homer and the Epic Cycle: Recovering the Oral Traditional Relationship provides new answers to an age-old problem.