Let her sun never set

The development of the British Empire under Queen Victoria remains fascinating. Thanks to the bizarre characters and behavior of the British it is interesting on its own. As the US continues to become engaged in strange corners around the globe, it is also provides relevant lessons for today's policymakers and citizens. Max Hastings has a review of a new volume (only available in the UK at the moment) on the subject and in this author apparently makes direct comparisons to the current situation. I will be awaiting this one.

If you simply cannot wait to satisfy your Imperial jones, then you have much from which to choose. I would start with James/Jan Morris's Pax Britannia trilogy as it amazingly well written. For those who want the most adventurous approach there is Byron Farwell, or if you just want the Central Asian story, Peter Hopkirk is your man. Lawrence James' Rise and Fall of the British Empire is a nice single volume treatment. If your taste runs to Marxist analysis, well, you've probably already read Hobsbawm haven't you?