Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

bookshelves: autumn-2013, published-2013, nonfiction, history, north-americas, britain-england, washington
Recommended for: BBC radio listeners
Read from September 01 to 06, 2013

BOTW

BBC BLURB: Nearly 200 years ago, Britain attacked the heartland of the United States. The President and his wife had just enough time to pack their belongings and flee the White House before the British army entered and set fire to the building. From here, the British army turned its sights to Baltimore.

 

BOTWBBC BLURB: Nearly 200 years ago, Britain attacked the heartland of the United States. The President and his wife had just enough time to pack their belongings and flee the White House before the British army entered and set fire to the building. From here, the British army turned its sights to Baltimore.Peter Snow tells the story of this extraordinary confrontation between Britain and the United States, the outcome of which inspired America's national anthem. Using eyewitness accounts, Peter describes the colourful personalities on both sides of this astonishing battle - from Britain's fiery Admiral Cockburn, to the cautious but widely popular army commander Robert Ross and the beleaguered President James Madison whose nation was besieged by a greater military force.In the first episode, the American watchman at Chesapeake Bay wakes one August morning to find fifty ships of the Royal Navy at anchor. The British have arrived to end, decisively, the war of 1812. In Washington, President Madison waits nervously to see where they will attack first.Read by Jamie ParkerProducer: David Roper A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4.Wow, what a juicy bit of history that I hadn't come across before, and the comments lodged on status updates leans towards the British being uncouth. Got to laugh on this point, however in the bigger picture, it was a fine win in the end. What a fab inclusion to the history genre! Dolly Madison

Peculiar mismatch of modern and period interests.

I hate to tell you this, but the fortunes of different peculiarly named German noble houses have turned out to have fuck all historical interest after that little thing we call the 20th century. Unless you're going to include the nasty details, I also do not care who Mitternich was dreaming about shagging on any given day. (I think it was mostly the Tsar. Or maybe thats the author.)

But, yes, let's dedicate chapters and chapters to that and only briefly skim over such curious irrelevant historical asides as the first international statement against slavery and the seed of humanitarian issues in global politics, or one of the Grimm brothers wandering around complaining about book piracy and the beginning of the notion of intellectual property. Those aren't interesting at all to a modern reader, lets talk about someone's hat some more instead!

I did so enjoy this book a lot better then the first one. This version was more lively so to speak and informative. Yes there were some sad points but that is part of life. This one flowed easier. I did not want to put this book down unlike the first one that I struggled with.