Britons was first published in 1992. In Britons, Linda Colley examines how a more cohesive British nation was invented after 1707 and how this new national identity was nurtured through war, religion, trade, and empire.
In this extract, part of the 50 Years in 50 Books series for our 50th Anniversary, Linda Colley reflects on the continued resonance of the subject matter in her book Britons since its first publication.
The below extract is the Preface to the revised edition of Britons.
About the Author:
Linda Colley is Shelby M. C. Davis 1958 Professor of History at Princeton University.
About the book:
Britons
Forging the Nation 1707-1837
Linda Colley
How was Great Britain made? And what does it mean to be British? This brilliant and seminal book examines how a more cohesive British nation was invented after 1707 and how this new national identity was nurtured through war, religion, trade, and empire. Lavishly illustrated and powerful, Britons remains a major contribution to our understanding of Britain’s past, and continues to influence ongoing controversies about this polity’s survival and future. This edition contains an extensive new preface by the author.
Further reading:
Yale University Press is celebrating 50 years of publishing in London. To celebrate, we have selected 50 important Yale London books from our past, present and future to tell the story of our publishing through a series of articles and extracts.
