Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for One Fine Day:
It wasn’t fine for everybody.
Quick synopsis:
A look at the time when the British Empire was at its zenith.
Fact for Non-History People:
The British Empire on this one fine day covered nearly 14 million square miles which is a quarter of the world’s land area.
Fact for History Nerds:
At the end of World War I, Britain owed the U.S. 900 million pounds.
My Take on One Fine Day:
To say that I was excited to see Matthew Parker’s new book One Fine Day was available is a massive understatement. One of Parker’s previous books, The Sugar Barons, is a personal favorite, and I knew what to expect before jumping in. I expected Parker to write effortlessly and for him to have a keen eye for interesting people and details. Dear reader, I also knew that this is a very long book. I loved it, but you should know it is very long.
The book basically covers the British Empire in 1923 when it was at its zenith. It was also showing massive cracks. The reader gets to spend time in various sections of the empire and watch as the rapid disintegration is beginning. Parker needs to perform a high wire act. Imperialism and colonialism are bad words nowadays and it would be ludicrous to celebrate the very negative impacts of English colonialism. At the same time, to call everyone in the British system evil would be just as great an injustice. Parker handles this perfectly in my opinion. Good acts are called good, bad acts are bad, and the super nice guy in chapter one may end up being a racist opportunist by the end. Parker does not condemn people with today’s eyes, but he does point out how history will remember them.
The sheer scale of this book is massive, and it does cause some slight issues. For instance, the strongest parts of the book are when Parker focuses on a person or place which is not normally covered in history books. For instance, I finally understand why guano was so important in the Pacific and I will be looking to track down a biography of Adelaide Casely-Hayford forthwith. However, it’s the bigger stories which slow down the narrative. Gandhi and India take up a good amount of page count. It feels like too much for this particular book, but also not in depth enough to do the story of Britain and India justice.
However, this is a very minor complaint, and another reader may think me ridiculous. You are welcome to, as you are not the only one. In conclusion, the book is fantastic, and I am already excited for whatever Parker puts out next. Just remember, though, to brew a pot of coffee before you open it. You need your strength for all these pages!
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and PublicAffairs.)
Verdict:
I loved it. Take the time to read it! Buy it here!
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