Imperial Boredom

Monotony and the British Empire

Nonfiction, History, World History, British
Cover of the book Imperial Boredom by Jeffrey A. Auerbach, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jeffrey A. Auerbach ISBN: 9780192562319
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: October 4, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Jeffrey A. Auerbach
ISBN: 9780192562319
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: October 4, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

Imperial Boredom offers a radical reconsideration of the British Empire during its heyday in the nineteenth century. Challenging the long-established view that the empire was about adventure and excitement, with heroic men and intrepid women eagerly spreading commerce and civilization around the globe, this thoroughly researched, engagingly written, and lavishly illustrated account suggests instead that boredom was central to the experience of empire. Combining individual stories of pain and perseverance with broader analysis, Professor Auerbach considers what it was actually like to sail to Australia, to serve as a soldier in South Africa, or to accompany a colonial official to the hill stations of India. He reveals that for numerous men and women, from explorers to governors, tourists to settlers, the Victorian Empire was dull and disappointing. Drawing on diaries, letters, memoirs, and travelogues, Imperial Boredom demonstrates that all across the empire, men and women found the landscapes monotonous, the physical and psychological distance from home debilitating, the routines of everyday life wearisome, and their work tedious and unfulfilling. The empires early years may have been about wonder and marvel, but the Victorian Empire was a far less exciting project. Many books about the British Empire focus on what happened; this book concentrates on how people felt.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Imperial Boredom offers a radical reconsideration of the British Empire during its heyday in the nineteenth century. Challenging the long-established view that the empire was about adventure and excitement, with heroic men and intrepid women eagerly spreading commerce and civilization around the globe, this thoroughly researched, engagingly written, and lavishly illustrated account suggests instead that boredom was central to the experience of empire. Combining individual stories of pain and perseverance with broader analysis, Professor Auerbach considers what it was actually like to sail to Australia, to serve as a soldier in South Africa, or to accompany a colonial official to the hill stations of India. He reveals that for numerous men and women, from explorers to governors, tourists to settlers, the Victorian Empire was dull and disappointing. Drawing on diaries, letters, memoirs, and travelogues, Imperial Boredom demonstrates that all across the empire, men and women found the landscapes monotonous, the physical and psychological distance from home debilitating, the routines of everyday life wearisome, and their work tedious and unfulfilling. The empires early years may have been about wonder and marvel, but the Victorian Empire was a far less exciting project. Many books about the British Empire focus on what happened; this book concentrates on how people felt.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Metaphysics: A Very Short Introduction by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Theory of the Growth of the Firm by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Creation of States in International Law by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Cosmos of Duty by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Lectures on Inductive Logic by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Greek Drama in the Americas by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Aristocracy and its Enemies in the Age of Revolution by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Management Consulting by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Human Anatomy: A Very Short Introduction by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Islamic Legal Revival by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Creative Industries by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Sham Transactions by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Blackstone's Handbook for Policing Students 2019 by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book The Story of Pain by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
Cover of the book Judgment and Strategy by Jeffrey A. Auerbach
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy