Our Stories, Our Lives: The British Empire

Description

This compelling and important history of the British Empire, told from the perspective of the people who lived through it, tells the story of one of the largest and most powerful empires in human history. At one time, the British Empire ruled over almost a quarter of the world’s population. Men, women, and children from all walks of life and from across the globe were affected in big and small ways, from the clothes they wore, the food they ate, and the languages they spoke to the work they did and the rights they held. This legacy and impact is still evident all over the world today.
This book shines a light on the human aspects of the ‘Empire where the sun never sets’, introducing readers to a host of figures, both powerful and modest, who lived through, challenged, promoted, and influenced the course of the British Empire.
Learn about Edward Colston, the British merchant who made his fortune selling and transporting slaves from Africa to the Americas, then meet Queen Nanny, the escaped slave who led a fight for freedom against the British in Jamaica.
Hear from Robert Clive, the first British Governor of Bengal, known for laying the foundation of the British Empire in India, then hear the story of Rani Ki Jansi, a key figure in the Indian resistance movement against British colonial rule.
Through the first-person narratives and expressive illustrations, readers will feel like they're truly meeting the figures whose lives were bound up in and impacted by the British Empire.
Our Stories, Our Lives: The British Empire provides a starting point for young readers to delve into this important topic and discover eye-opening stories from varied figures across five continents. They will find familiar figures such as explorer Captain James Cook, missionary David Livingstone, and independence activist Mahatma Gandhi, as well as lesser-known global figures, including Field Marshal Muthoni, a female forest fighter in the Mau Mau uprising, Lin Zexu, the Chinese official who tried to stop the dangerous British opium trade, Tejonihokarawa, the Mohawk leader who travelled to London on a diplomatic mission, Margaret Tucker, the activist who campaigned for indigenous rights, and many more.
This unique book gives readers the chance to discover the positions, viewpoints, and experiences of different figures within or affected by the British Empire and helps them develop a broader understanding of the reaches and impacts of colonialism. Our Stories, Our Lives: The British Empire is an essential introduction to one of the largest empires in human history, told from the perspectives of 25 people who lived through it. The book features stories from varied figures, across five continents, including slave traders and abolitionists, missionaries and rights activists, freedom fighters and diplomats, explorers and political leaders. 
 

Radhika Natarajan is assistant professor of history and humanities at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Her research focuses on the intertwined histories of decolonization, the welfare state, and citizenship in the British imperial world.

Chao Tayiana is a Kenyan digital heritage specialist and digital humanities scholar. With a background in computer science and a life-long passion for history, her work primarily focuses on the application of technology in the preservation, engagement and dissemination of African heritage and culture. She is the founder of African Digital Heritage, an organisation that seeks to encourage a more critical and holistic approach to the design of digital heritage solutions. She is also a co-founder of the Museum of British Colonialism where she leads digital engagement and is a co-founder of the Open Restitution Africa project.

Alexander Mostov is a Seattle-based illustrator whose work has been featured by Google, Facebook, and the Columbus Museum of Art. Previous books include D-Day: Untold Stories of the Normandy Landings Inspired by 20 Real-Life People published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2019. 

Additional information

Dimensions	1 × 1 × 1 in