Seán Lang

What on earth has PG Wodehouse, the creator of the Inimitable Jeeves and the hapless Bertie Wooster, got to do with a serious topic like the decline and fall of the British Empire? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is Quite a Lot. The British Empire depended on splendid show and display, but that made it very vulnerable to ridicule. No-one was better placed to provide it than PG Wodehouse, son of an extensive family of senior Empire servants, but whose life had continually been blighted and his ambitions thwarted by the ups and downs of Britain's Empire story. Jeeves and the British Empire tells the story of how Wodehouse used his comic creations to poke fun at those pompous stinkers who explored places and built Empires and then came home to bore everyone rigid with their tales of how they did it. From Baden-Powell's boy scouts to Sapper's imperial hero Bulldog Drummond - no Empire figure was safe from Wodehouse's leg-pulling. Where Wodehouse led others followed. Film-makers and television producers took the hint and gleefully highlighted the absurdities of Empire. From the Boulting Brothers to Carry On Up the Khyber and the completely misjudged and misunderstood It Ain't Half Hot, Mum, this book shows how comedy took its cue from PG Wodehouse and held Britain's Empire up for laughs. Some Empires end with a bang, some with a whimper; the British Empire ended in irrepressible giggling - and PG Wodehouse can claim much of the credit.

A beautiful, quirky, illustrated edition of Phaidon’s compelling bestseller, celebrating the book's 25th anniversary This concise and fast-paced introduction to English history keeps the reader enthralled through the entire course of the country's political, economic, and cultural landscape, covering the whole sweep of English history from the Stone Age to the present. Its flowing narrative style, character sketches, and lively anecdotes bring the people and places of the past to life. In this newly illustrated edition, John Broadley’s unique tableaux-like illustrations capture the landscape, costumes, and characters of the history that Hibbert's text so vividly evokes.

Parliamentary Reform 1785–1928 surveys the dynamically changing role of the British Parliament from the pre-reformed Parliament through:the 1832 Great Reform ActChartismthe campaign for working class suffrageCatholic emancipationthe long struggle for the granting of female suffrage. Beginning with a wide survey of the origins and nature of Parliament, the author offers a detailed context for the campaigns for its reformation of in the nineteenth century and the attitude of Victorians towards it. This comprehensive approach promotes understanding of the wider issues of parliamentary reform and provides an essential aid and context to students studying this topic.

An ideal double-book package covering the history of Great Britain and the First World War. The History For Dummies collection includes the titles British History For Dummies and First World War For Dummies. Putting history into a perspective, British History For Dummies is an engaging, entertaining and educational trip through time, packing in equal parts fun and facts. Includes an 8 page colour insert. From the Somme to Gallipoli to the home front, First World War For Dummies provides an authoritative, accessible, and engaging introduction to the War to End All Wars. Increase your knowledge of Great Britain and one of the most fundamental events of the 20th Century.

From the Somme to Gallipoli to the home front, First World War For Dummies provides an authoritative, accessible, and engaging introduction to the War to End All Wars. It takes a global perspective of this global conflict, proving insight into the actions and motivations of the participants and how each nation’s story fits into the wider one. Coverage also includes: The origins of the war and a snapshot of what the world looked like at the beginning of the 20th centuryThe battles of Western Europe, and action in the Southern and Eastern FrontsThe war at home — the civilian war, propaganda, opposition, politics, protests, and more 1918: The German spring offensive, the Allied success and the beginning of the endThe Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations, and the effect on the future First World War For Dummies is the go-to source for readers seeking to learn more about the fundamental event of the 20th century.

This is a step by step, tutorialbased book which will enable web developers to explore the functionalities of Jade and learn how to use it to write certain functions and processes for web development. This book is for web developers with at least a basic understanding of HTML and JavaScript. It will enable you to write an easier form of language that then compiles into HTML.

Royally confused about kings and queens? Never sure what happened when? Or where — England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales? Learn the people and events that shaped British history British History For Dummies, 3rd Edition is full of rip-roaring stories of power-mad kings, executions, invasions, high treason, global empire building, and forbidden love — not bad for a nation of stiff upper lips. Engaged travelers, lifelong learners, history buffs, and students will all enjoy this friendly and accessible guide written in, well, plain English. This book is for you if you studied British History in school (perhaps a while ago) or learned only a bit about Wales or Scotland or Ireland and want to know more. And if you've ever asked yourself, "What kingdoms are part of the United Kingdom?" or "Exactly how was the UK formed?" or "Which people make up the UK?" — you've come to the right place, to get those answers and so much more. With an 8-page color insert so you can see who, what, and where the ensuing historical action takes place, you’ll learn about the following people and events (and more): What led to the Roman invasion and about the Britons who resisted itHow Britain was divided into Saxon and Celtic kingdomsHow the Roman Church converted Celtic and British ChristiansWhen the Vikings arrived, and what other invaders followedThe many battles of Henry IIThe forming of England’s parliamentHow the Black Death affected BritainThe Tudors vs. The StuartsHow the Industrial Revolution helped push advancements in farming and infrastructureAll about the Victorians — everyone's favoriteBritain’s involvement in the Great War and World War II Additionally, this edition is revised and expanded to include the historical parliamentary elections of 2010 and the British mission in Afghanistan, and you don't want to miss out. Pick up your copy of British History For Dummies, 3rd Edition today.

Read about the world's smallest continent's incredible history: From Greek gods and mad Roman emperors to kings, queens, Visigoths, and Normans You meet Visigoths in Africa and Normans in Sicily; an Italian who talked to his books and another who conquered a kingdom and gave it away; Roman emperors who weren't Roman; and Holy Roman Emperors who weren't holy (or Roman). This is the story of Europe's rich history rolled into one thrilling account in plain English. European History For Dummies takes you on a fascinating journey through the disasters, triumphs, people, power, and politics that have shaped the Europe we know today - and you'll meet some incredible characters along the way! From Roman relics to the Renaissance, World Wars, and Eurovision, this accessible guide packs in the facts alongside fun tidbits and brings the past alive. You meet the two Catholic kings of Spain (one was a woman) and the Spanish king who never smiled. You discover a German monk who split Europe in two because he was so afraid of going to hell. And what about the great European war that started when two nobles were thrown out of a window onto a dungheap? Well, at least they had a soft landing. If you don't remember much of what you learned about European history at school, if you didn't like those dry school textbooks, if you think European history sounds a bit hard, but you're interested anyway, this is the book for you. Inside you'll discover: The varied history of the world's smallest continent, its origins, and its huge impact on the worldHow the Romans shaped the ancient world, what they learned from the Greeks, and what they lost to the barbarian tribesThe many battles of the Middle Ages and the leaders who waged themThe medieval people's great achievements in building and learningEuropeans' world explorers, including Columbus and Vasco da GamaUnfortunate religious wars and the persecution of witchesEurope's world domination in the 18th and 19th centuriesThe world wars of the 20th centuryEuropean life today Get your own copy of European History For Dummies to learn all of that and more -- including the ten Europeans who dominated the continent, ten unforgettable dates, and ten European locales you'll absolutely want to visit.

The 20th Century brought revolutionary changes to our world and our lives: the human population of the world tripled, space travel became reality, two world wars and a host of other conflicts were fought, and huge advances in science, technology and communication resulted in the globalised world we know today. Enormous steps were made in wiping out widespread discrimination, from the women’s suffrage movement leading to women’s right to vote in western countries, to the civil rights movement in the US challenging racial segregation. The political landscape has provided lots of excitement, with charismatic and scandalous presidents in the White House, the first female prime minister in the UK, dictators working to various manifestoes across the world, the Middle East conflict and the changing balance of political and economic “superpowers”. Technological advances have resulted in nigh on universal adoption and dependence on automobiles, computers, mobiles and other wireless technology. The exponential rate at which technology is evolving is one of the variables that make the twentieth century so fascinating. All this and much, much more happened in a mere one hundred years – where did we find the time to do so much?! Twentieth Century History For Dummies tells all...

Parliamentary Reform 1785–1928 surveys the dynamically changing role of the British Parliament from the pre-reformed Parliament through:the 1832 Great Reform ActChartismthe campaign for working class suffrageCatholic emancipationthe long struggle for the granting of female suffrage. Beginning with a wide survey of the origins and nature of Parliament, the author offers a detailed context for the campaigns for its reformation of in the nineteenth century and the attitude of Victorians towards it. This comprehensive approach promotes understanding of the wider issues of parliamentary reform and provides an essential aid and context to students studying this topic.