The SQUEEZE: Much of what Americans experience in the U.S. has its foundation in British culture. From the parliamentary democracy to the notion of humanitarianism and spread of capitalism, hints of British culture can be found in every facet of American social and political life. This is the sentiment of Niall Ferguson’s Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power. In the book, Ferguson charts the development and historical influence of the British Empire. Ferguson suggests that the British Empire nearly achieved world domination. By the eve of World War II, a great percentage of the world’s land mass was controlled by British rule. Ferguson recasts the topic to suggest that the British Empire was a great modernizing force, revolutionary in its influence and expansion of Britain’s economy and culture. Ferguson reappraises the extraordinary rise and pitfalls of a global empire.

Notable Endorsement: “Brilliantly challenges the simplistic focus on racism, violence and exploitation.... A concise and lucid exposition.... Popular history at its best.” -- Washington Post

Common Q’s Answered by this Book:

• How has British culture influenced American ideals?
• What are the lessons to be learned from Britain’s near achievement of world domination?
• What are some of the parallels between British and American culture?

About the Author: An acclaimed British historian, Niall Ferguson is a Senior Research Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at Jesus College, at Oxford. Ferguson is the author of Paper and Iron, The House of the Rothschilds, and The Pity of War. Ferguson is also the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University and a Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Ferguson’s career interests range from international history, economic history, and British and American imperialism. He is a contributing editor for Bloomberg Television and writes a column for Newsweek. Ferguson graduated from Harvard University, Stanford University, and New York University.

Book Vitals:

• Publisher: Basic Books (April 2004)