Before I started law school I read Winston Churchill’s four volume “History of the English Speaking Peoples.” The purpose of Churchill’s set was to outline a history of the people groups that speak English from the creation of Britannia through the developments of America, Australia, South Africa, Canada, etc. I read this history so that I would have a deeper understanding of where the laws of the United States originated. After all, the discipline of history exists so that we may learn from the past to improve for the future.
In some ways, Andrew Roberts accomplishes this purpose more effectively than Churchill. Perhaps much of this lies in the fact that Roberts’ book covers the happenings of the last century. The events of the most recent years affect us more in some ways because we do not have the healing aspects of time. Throughout the 648 pages, Roberts is careful to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the English speaking peoples.
As a citizen of Great Britain, he is unbiased in his views towards the U.S., yet he makes no apologies for her hegemony. Furthermore, his conservative viewpoint is a breath of fresh air. In my opinion he was generally quite fair in his analysis, illustrating the good and bad of both Republicans and Democrats.
As I finished the book, I left with an emboldened foundation for many of the things I believe in. I also found myself frustrated with the downright stupidity and unawareness we have as a society of the greater context surrounding today’s political climate. This is the first book I have read that I believe every American should be required to read.
