This new eleven-volume series will span the history of the British Isles from the Roman Era to the present. Each volume consists of essays by leading historians who focus on key issues for the period--including society, economy, religion, politics, and culture. The chapters are at once wide-ranging surveys and searching analyses. They are written for the non-specialist but include new and important findings, making them equally valuable for academics across a range of disciplines.

The Nineteenth Century is the inaugural volume in the series and covers the peak of Britain's world power. The book sets out to describe the force and complexity of that experience, and to cover, in an interdisciplinary way, the political, economic, and cultural history of the British Isles between 1815 and 1901. It looks at the Victorian economy, as well as Victorian public life, as a cultural and political narrative. It includes chapters on women and domesticity; the interplay of religion, intellect, and science; art; architecture and the city; and the literature, theater, and music of the time. The book provides a vivid portrait of this crucial moment in British history and is ideal for both the student of modern history and the general reader.