Empire is defined as a group of countries ruled over by a single monarch or ruling power. So, the British Empire consists of Britain, the mother country, and the colonies or countries ruled by and from Britain. In the 16th century, Britain started establishing overseas colonies, and by the end of 1783, Britain built a large empire with colonies, especially in America and the West Indies.

Development of the British Empire

While it is said that interpretations of the British empire have changed and developed with time, in the 19th and early 20th century, some historians claim that the empire was the deserved result of Britain’s technical and moral superiority. Britain was also deeply involved in the Transatlantic slave trade in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

Moreover, the British empire has also stripped many colonies of their land and vibrant cultures, for example,  aboriginal in Australia. Colonization also led to many deaths due to disease, famine, and violence. For example, in India in 1953 and Kenya in the 1950s. The first and second world wars left Britain weakened and comparatively less interested in its empire.

Top Books Related to the British Empire

This led to the decline of the British empire after 1945. By the end of 1960, most of Britain’s territories came forward as independent countries. A lot of literature has been written on the history of the British empire. In this article, we are going to discuss the best books related to the British empire.

1. Island on Fire: The Revolt That Ended Slavery in the British Empire – Book Review

The book is written by New York Times best-selling author Tom Zoellner and gives a gripping account of a slave rebellion that lead to the abolition of slavery in the British empire. Island on fire is a dramatic story which also brings transformative uprising day by day. Tom Zoellner is a skilful storyteller, and he goes back to primary resources.

Features of the island on fire:

It tells us the intimate story of men and women who rose for themselves and tasted liberty just for a few weeks. The author has also provided a full portrait of enigmatic rebellion leader Samuel Sharpe and also gives us a complete glimpse of the struggles and dreams of many Jamaicans who sacrificed their lives for liberty. Island on Fire comprises 376 pages, and you can easily get it via amazon link for just $22.19.

2. An Empire on the Edge: How Britain Came to Fight America – Review

This book related to the British empire is written by Nick Bunker. An empire on edge is written from a fresh perspective. Also, it shows the origins of an American revolution and economics led to the war that only a few people welcomed, but nobody could prevent it. In this book, the British author has tried to deliver a powerful and propulsive narrative of the road to war.

Features of an Empire on edge:

It discussed the Boston Tea party when the British stumbled into an unforeseen crisis that tried to expose the flaws in an imperial system sprawling from Mississippi to Bengal. An empire on edge also throws light on the origins of the tea party and the British minister’s Lord North and Lord Dartmouth. On the other hand, Bunker depicts the last three years of deepening anger on both sides of the Atlantic seems to be culminating in the irreversible descent into revolution.

An Empire on the Edge consists of 446 pages and has also received a 5-star customer rating. You can get this book via the Amazon link just for $12.95.

3. The Hundreds Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017- Review

This amazing book on the British empire is written by Rashid Khalidi, and Fajer Al Kaisi is the narrator. The hundreds of years of war on Palestine are an accepted interpretation of the conflict, which tends at best to describe a tragic clash between two individuals who claim the same territory. On the other hand, Khalidi has tried best to trace hundred years of colonial war on Palestinians, waged first by the Zionist movement and then Israel but backed by Britain and the United States, the greatest powers of the age.

Hundreds of years of war on Palestine is not a chronicle of victimization, nor it highlights the mistakes of Palestinian leaders and also denies the emergence of national movements on both sides.

You can easily get a hundred years war on Palestine from amazon via the link.

4. Hubs of Empire: The Southeastern Lowcountry and British Caribbean( Regional Perspectives on early America) – Review

This book Hubs of empire is written by Matthew Mulcahy and comprises 256 pages. In hubs of the empire, Matthew keeps arguing that it is good to view Barbados, Jamaica, and British leeward islands along with South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry just as one single region. They are separated by miles of ocean but united by their shared history and economic interest; these territories combine to form the Greater Caribbean.

Features of Hubs of empire:

The author in hubs of an empire begins by providing readers with a detailed overview of native American life in the region and early pirate and privateer incursions. It also explains the development of settler colonies during the seventeenth and early eighteen century. Book Matthew also explores diverse groups of European colonists and surveys political, economic, and military issues decades before the seven years of war.

Hubs of empire is also an ideal introduction to the complex and fascinating history of colonies too often neglected in standard textbook accounts.

You can also get hubs of empire from amazon via the link and just for $24.95.

5. The Rise and Fall of the Roman and British Empire plus the Crusades – Review

Are we on the same track and repeating the mistakes made in history because we don’t learn about pivotal events that helped shape the modern world?

This book is written by Michael Klein, and there are also three narrators in this book. It has received a five-star customer rating. This book helps you understand the nuances and impact of three crucial periods portrayed in countless films: The Crusades and the rise and fall of two great empires, the Roman and the British. It also discusses the factors that lead to the collapse of the British empire.

You can get this book via the Amazon link and is available in Kindle edition for $7.99.

Conclusion

Are you a passionate reader and interested in knowing about the British empire? If yes, then this comprehensive guide serves your needs and contains the best books on the British empire. You can pick any one of your choices from the books listed above.