British author and historian
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He was the strangest titan America ever produced: a whisper-quiet banker who turned systematic thinking into a superpower, building an industrial empire while barely raising his voice above a murmur. Andrew Mellon's story isn't just about money—it's about how patience, observation, and positioning can create more wealth than charisma ever could. But when the Great Depression hit, the very qualities that made him rich made him the perfect villain for a nation demanding change. Whether you're building a business, investing in the future, or seeking insights on strategic decision-making, Mellon's story reveals the power of patience, positioning, and playing the long game. (2:25) Prologue: The Quiet Titan (4:20) Part 1 - The Judge's Son (6:36) Benjamin Franklin's Blueprint (8:53) The Pittsburgh Promise (10:45) Andrew's Early Years (13:11) Part 2 - Building the System (14:23) The Banking Foundation (17:09) Panic Creates Opportunity (20:09) Andy at the Wheel (22:05) Opportunity in Aluminum (24:10) The Mellon System (27:12) Connections Create Power (29:02) Reinvesting Success (30:51) Staying in the Shadows (33:28) Part 3 - The Private Kingdom (34:52) A Broken Heart (36:56) Science Meets Industry (39:35) Preparations for War (41:39) The Silent Empire Strikes (44:04) Part 4 - Washington's Banker (45:58) The Banker Takes Command (47:49) The Banker's Paradox (50:27) The Silent Man Learns to Speak (52:03) Part 5 - The Fall (53:56) 1928 (55:25) Black Thursday (57:23) When Strength Becomes Weakness (59:58) Roosevelt's Vendetta (1:02:48) The Silent Man Shouted Down (1:05:01) The Final Battle: Mellon's Tax Trial (1:09:04) The End of an Era (1:10:14) Epilogue - The Final Gift (1:11:44) Thinking Long Term This podcast is for information purposes only and draws primarily from two foundational books: David Cannadine's 'Mellon: An American Life', the first comprehensive published biography of Andrew W. Mellon, which masterfully chronicles his journey from shy Pittsburgh boy to industrial titan, Treasury Secretary, and philanthropist. The second source, 'Thomas Mellon and His Times', written by Andrew's father Thomas Mellon himself provides invaluable firsthand insights into the immigrant experience and the formation of the Mellon family's business philosophy in America. If this story captured your interest, we highly recommend both works – Cannadine's for its thorough examination of Andrew's profound impact on American business, politics, and philanthropy, and Thomas Mellon's autobiography for its intimate portrait of the family's rise from immigrant farmers to financial powerhouses in both nineteenth- and twentieth-century Pittsburgh. Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: fs.blog/membership and get your own private feed. Newsletter - The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it's completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Scores of painters and photographers over the last seventy years have grappled with the formal portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II from life. These range from the celluloid fantasies of Cecil Beaton to the directness of Lucian Freud; the Renaissance-inspired divinity of Pietro Annigoni to the naturalism of Annie Leibovitz.Underlying all her official portrayals is an artistic conflict: the requirements of royal iconography and the demands of the usually conservative institutional commissioner, versus modern expectations for artistic self-expression and psychological authenticity. A lecture by Philip Mould OBE recorded on 2 March 2023 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/elizabeth-portraitsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website: https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter: https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show
One thing we always remember from our childhood is our favourite teddy bear. This soft, ragged toy was our comfort and companion. As we grow up, we normally give up our childish ways, and our furry friend often ends up in storage or at a jumble sale. But that's not the case for everyone.我们从小就永远记得的一件事是我们最喜欢的泰迪熊。这个柔软、破烂的玩具是我们的安慰和伴侣。随着我们的成长,我们通常会放弃幼稚的方式,而我们毛茸茸的朋友通常会被存放在仓库或杂货店。但并非所有人都如此。It seems that some grown-ups continue to need their cuddly toy by their sides. One sleep survey suggested a tenth of people in the UK need a teddy bear in bed. And for some adults, soft toys remain an essential presence – they take them wherever they go.似乎一些成年人仍然需要他们身边的可爱玩具。一项睡眠调查表明,十分之一的英国人需要在床上养一只泰迪熊。对于一些成年人来说,毛绒玩具仍然是必不可少的存在——无论他们走到哪里,他们都会带着它们。A cuddly toy can come in many forms – animals, strange shapes or just a piece of stuffed material. But it's the teddy bear in particular that seems to have an enduring appeal – it gives us a nostalgic feeling and a reminder of our younger days. Writing for the BBC, historian David Cannadine says, “Perhaps it's that bears represent the happy security of a childhood friend who never changes or lets you down.” For whatever reason, teddies appeal to both children and adults of all ages.毛茸茸的玩具可以有多种形式——动物、奇怪的形状或只是一块填充材料。但尤其是泰迪熊似乎具有持久的吸引力——它给我们一种怀旧的感觉,让我们想起我们年轻的日子。历史学家大卫·卡纳丁 (David Cannadine) 为 BBC 撰文说:“也许熊代表了童年朋友的快乐安全感,他们永远不会改变或让您失望。”无论出于何种原因,泰迪熊对所有年龄段的儿童和成人都具有吸引力。The teddy bear is much celebrated these days, and they've become something that we don't just grow up with – people buy them as adults too. There are shops which sell only teddy bears, there are teddy bear museums in many countries, and teddy bear festivals regularly take place around the world.泰迪熊现在非常受欢迎,它们已经成为我们长大的东西——人们也会在成人时购买它们。有些商店只卖泰迪熊,许多国家都有泰迪熊博物馆,世界各地定期举办泰迪熊节。While our soft toys offer us a kind of comfort blanket, some experts say it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's sometimes good to let go of the constraints of adult life and be a big kid again. And research commissioned by Barclaycard in the UK found 44% of adults have purchased playthings they enjoyed as children because they bring back happy memories. Colouring books, cuddly toys and board games were top of the list. So, if you're still keeping your teddy a secret, don't worry – you're not alone!虽然我们的毛绒玩具为我们提供了一种舒适的毯子,但一些专家表示这没什么好羞耻的。放开成年生活的束缚,重新成为一个大孩子,有时是件好事。英国 Barclaycard 委托进行的研究发现,44% 的成年人购买了他们小时候喜欢的玩具,因为它们能唤起快乐的回忆。涂色书、可爱的玩具和棋盘游戏位居榜首。所以,如果你仍然对你的泰迪熊保密,别担心——你并不孤单!词汇表childhood 童年teddy bear 泰迪熊ragged 用旧、磨损的,破烂的comfort 宽慰,慰藉companion 伙伴,同伴childish 孩子般的,幼稚的furry 毛茸茸的grown-up 大人cuddly toy 毛绒玩具stuffed 填满的,有填充物的enduring appeal 经久不衰的吸引力nostalgic 怀旧的security 安全保障celebrated 有名的,闻名的soft toy 毛绒玩具comfort blanket (给婴儿、孩子用的)安心毯,这里比喻精神安慰big kid 大小孩,大孩子plaything 玩具,玩物colouring book 填色书board game (尤指棋盘类)桌上游戏
Reading Corelli Barnett, David Cannadine, and others, our stop today on the pre-WWI Europe tour is Britain, which has reached the very heights of world domination only to discover that they are being out-innovated and out-educated by rising imperial rivals. While social imperialists begged for consolidation of the white Anglosphere, a strategy given the old … Continue reading "WWC 4 – Causes of WWI – Britain's slow and gentle decline"
Embracing Complexity is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and eminent historian David Cannadine, Princeton University. This thoughtful conversation includes an examination of different aspects of the societal role of both history and historians while rejecting the simplifying distortions of the historical record that we are regularly presented with. David also provides behind-the-scenes insights into several of his bestselling books, including The Undivided Past: Humanity Beyond Our Differences. Howard Burton is the founder of the Ideas Roadshow, Ideas on Film and host of the Ideas Roadshow Podcast. He can be reached at howard@ideasroadshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Embracing Complexity is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and eminent historian David Cannadine, Princeton University. This thoughtful conversation includes an examination of different aspects of the societal role of both history and historians while rejecting the simplifying distortions of the historical record that we are regularly presented with. David also provides behind-the-scenes insights into several of his bestselling books, including The Undivided Past: Humanity Beyond Our Differences. Howard Burton is the founder of the Ideas Roadshow, Ideas on Film and host of the Ideas Roadshow Podcast. He can be reached at howard@ideasroadshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Embracing Complexity is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and eminent historian David Cannadine, Princeton University. This thoughtful conversation includes an examination of different aspects of the societal role of both history and historians while rejecting the simplifying distortions of the historical record that we are regularly presented with. David also provides behind-the-scenes insights into several of his bestselling books, including The Undivided Past: Humanity Beyond Our Differences. Howard Burton is the founder of the Ideas Roadshow, Ideas on Film and host of the Ideas Roadshow Podcast. He can be reached at howard@ideasroadshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Embracing Complexity is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and eminent historian David Cannadine, Princeton University. This thoughtful conversation includes an examination of different aspects of the societal role of both history and historians while rejecting the simplifying distortions of the historical record that we are regularly presented with. David also provides behind-the-scenes insights into several of his bestselling books, including The Undivided Past: Humanity Beyond Our Differences. Howard Burton is the founder of the Ideas Roadshow, Ideas on Film and host of the Ideas Roadshow Podcast. He can be reached at howard@ideasroadshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history
La Reine Victoria règne sur le Royaume-Uni pendant près de 64 ans, entre 1837 et 1901. Au cours de cette période, elle est témoin de grandes avancées technologiques, scientifiques et médicales; elle assiste à l'avènement de la démocratie de masse et à l'essor de grands mouvements de réforme sociale; et elle voit les grandes puissances européennes étendre leurs empires coloniaux à travers le globe. À la fin de sa vie, Victoria gouverne elle-même sur près d'un quart de la population mondiale. L'Empire britannique en est un, dit-on alors, sur lequel le soleil ne se couche jamais. Adhérez à cette chaîne pour obtenir des avantages : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN4TCCaX-gqBNkrUqXdgGRA/join Pour soutenir financièrement la chaîne, trois choix: 1. Cliquez sur le bouton « Adhérer » sous la vidéo. 2. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hndl 3. UTip: https://utip.io/lhistoirenousledira Avec: Laurent Turcot, professeur en histoire à l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada Script: Catherine Tourangeau Montage: Gabriel Dupuis Abonnez-vous à ma chaine: https://www.youtube.com/c/LHistoirenousledira Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/histoirenousledira Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurentturcot Les vidéos sont utilisées à des fins éducatives selon l'article 107 du Copyright Act de 1976 sur le Fair-Use. Pour aller plus loin: Julia Baird, Victoria the Queen An Intimate Biography of the Woman who Ruled an Empire (2016) David Cannadine, “The context, performance and meaning of ritual: the British monarchy and the ‘invention of tradition' c. 182—1977,” in E. Hobsbawm and T. Ranger (eds) The Invention of Tradition (1983), pp. 101-164. David Cannadine, “The last Hanoverian sovereign? Victorian monarchy in historical perspective, 1688-1988,” in A. Beier et al. (eds) The First Modern Society (1989), pp. 127-65. David Cannadine, Ornamentalism: How the British Saw Their Empire (2002) David Starkey, Monarchy (2006) A.N. Wilson, Victoria : A Life (2015) A.N. Wilson, The Victorians (2002) #histoire #documentaire #meghan
MARGARET THATCHER: A LIFE AND LEGACYAs Britain's first woman Prime Minister, and one of the most controversial figures in twentieth century Britain, few people have been more discussed than Margaret Thatcher. Preeminent academic Sir David Cannadine gives a historian's perspective on the life, politics and legacy of this formidable leader. He is Dodge Professor of History at Princeton, and General Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In November 1979, Margaret Thatcher exposed the distinguished art historian Anthony Blunt as a former Soviet spy - part of the infamous Cambridge Spy Ring who traded secrets with Moscow during the Second World War. Blunt's unmasking provoked a media outcry that turned him into a national hate figure. In this 10-Minute Talk, President of the British Academy David Cannadine discusses the background to this extraordinary story. And he reveals how the British Academy itself got caught up in the public furore, leading to a showdown at its Annual General Meeting forty years ago this month, on the question of whether Blunt should be expelled from its membership.'A Question of Retribution? The British Academy and the Matter of Anthony Blunt', edited by David Cannadine, was published on 23 July 2020.Image: Anthony Blunt at a press conference, 20th November 1979 © Central Press / Stringer / Hulton Archive / Getty ImagesTranscript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-art-historian-professor-writer-spy-the-extraordinary-story-of-anthony-blunt/
Westminster Abbey has a fascinating history to tell. As well as being a place of worship, it is an architectural masterpiece and treasure house of artefacts; the final resting place for some of the most significant people in Britain's history; and the setting for every coronation since 1066 and numerous other royal occasions. In this talk, President of the British Academy David Cannadine discusses Westminster Abbey's unique place in history and its meaning, significance and impact within society both in Britain and beyond.Speaker: Professor Sir David Cannadine PBA, President, British Academy; Dodge Professor of History, Princeton UniversityTranscript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-westminster-abbey-a-church-in-history/
Lynsey Hanley on the Pet Shop Boys and how a music duo that has always refused to play the pop game just keeps winning; The TLS’s history editor David Horspool talks us through a selection of articles on medieval history, including a compelling account of Henry III, a pious and peculiar king, who, against the odds, reigned for more than half a century ‘Pet Shop Boys, Literally’ and ‘Pet Shop Boys Versus America’, both by Chris Heath Blood Royal: Dynastic politics in medieval Europe by Robert Bartlett Henry III 1207–1258: The rise to power and personal rule by David Carpenter Westminster Abbey: A church in history, edited by David Cannadine See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Westminster Abbey has been a place of worship for more than a thousand years, and holds a unique place in British – and world – history. In a special edition of Start the Week, recorded in the Abbey, the historian David Cannadine tells Andrew Marr how the building has been at the centre of religious and political revolutions and has maintained a special relationship with the monarchy and the royal court since the Tudor times. It was Henry VIII who converted the abbey into a cathedral, turning this Catholic monastery into a bastion of Anglicanism, before it became directly under the monarch’s control. The historian Lucy Worsley looks back to the 16th century to recreate how Christmas was celebrated during the age of Henry VIII. The Tudor Christmas pre-dates our traditional trees and stockings. But with its heady mix of revelry and religion she discovers the Tudor influences on the customs we still enjoy today. The former Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries explores the impact and pull of religion on some of the greatest writers of the 20th century. In ‘Haunted by Christ’ he studies how writers, like TS Elliot, CS Lewis and Emily Dickinson struggled with their faith. He looks deeply into the spiritual dimension of their work. Music: Coventry Carol - Traditional melody (performed by Truro Cathedral Choir) Pastyme with Good Companye - King Henry VIII (I Fagiolini) Producer: Katy Hickman
David Cannadine describes himself as “staggeringly lucky”: he found what he wanted to do early in life, and it has rewarded him richly. He is one of our most distinguished historians; his period is the 19th and early 20th century, and he’s written more than twenty books, on Churchill, on class, on the aristocracy - among many others. He’s the editor of the Dictionary of National Biography and the President of the British Academy, and a frequent broadcaster on Radio 4. He was knighted for services to scholarship in 2009. But perhaps the most surprising thing about David Cannadine is that although he was born in Birmingham and his historical research focuses on Britain, he himself lives in America; he’s spent ten years at Columbia University and is currently Professor of History at Princeton. In Private Passions he reflects on how his trans-Atlantic life changes his perspective, and enables him to see both Britain and the US as foreign countries. Although he’s now at the heart of the British establishment, he confesses that he’s always felt an outsider. His childhood in Birmingham was far from privileged, although the grand 19th-century buildings that surrounded him gave him a sense of Victorian grandeur, and his schoolteachers inspired him to aim high. They also inspired his passion for classical music, and many of the choices relate to his childhood and to his years at Cambridge and Yale. David's music includes Haydn’s Creation, Purcell’s King Arthur, Walton’s First Symphony, and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, in a performance of which, somewhat improbably, Sir David sang in the girls’ chorus. A Loftus production for BBC Radio 3 Produced by Elizabeth Burke
In a lecture at the RA's first Festival of Ideas, author and historian David Cannadine reveals how Sir Winston Churchill’s passion for art went beyond that of a private hobby, forming an essential part of his public persona. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
“Beyond any doubt the decades from the 1800s to the 1900s witnessed many extraordinary and traumatic challenges and wrenching and disorienting changes,” historian David Cannadine writes in the epilogue of Victorious Century, “as expressed and mediated through (among other things) the poetry of Wordsworth and Tennyson, the paintings of Turner and Landseer, the novels of Dickens and Eliot, and even Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas and Oscar Wilde's brilliantly brittle plays.” But “how far did the men (and apart from Queen Victoria, they were all men) who were ostensibly in charge of the affairs of the United Kingdom and the British Empire understand what was going on and know what they were doing?” The book chronicles many of these events hurtling by those supposedly orchestrating or managing them, starting in 1800 with Ireland being subsumed into the larger kingdom of Great Britain and ending with the general election in 1906, when the Liberal Party squashed the Conservatives for the last time. In this episode of The World in Time, Cannadine explains why he chose those dates as bookends and why the words of Karl Marx and the oft-quoted beginning of A Tale of Two Cities precede his book. Lewis H. Lapham talks with David Cannadine, author of Victorious Century: The United Kingdom: 1800-1906. Thanks to our generous donors. Lead support for this podcast has been provided by Elizabeth “Lisette” Prince. Additional support was provided by James J. “Jimmy” Coleman Jr.
Sir David Cannadine, Professor of History at Princeton University, president of the British Academy, and the general editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, narrates the century of Pax Britannica in the Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800-1906 (Viking, 2018). From the successful end of the Napoleonic Wars to the near debacle that was the Boer War, Victorious Century provides a comprehensive view of 19th-century British history in all its aspects: politics, society, art and culture. From Pitt the Younger to the young Winston Churchill, Victorious Century expertly delineates a story of continuity and change in nineteenth-century Britain. All by one of the leading historians writing in the English language today. Charles Coutinho holds a doctorate in history from New York University. Where he studied with Tony Judt, Stewart Stehlin and McGeorge Bundy. His Ph. D. dissertation was on Anglo-American relations in the run-up to the Suez Crisis of 1956. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. It you have a recent title to suggest for a podcast, please send an e-mail to Charlescoutinho@aol.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sir David Cannadine, Professor of History at Princeton University, president of the British Academy, and the general editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, narrates the century of Pax Britannica in the Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800-1906 (Viking, 2018). From the successful end of the Napoleonic Wars to the near debacle that was the Boer War, Victorious Century provides a comprehensive view of 19th-century British history in all its aspects: politics, society, art and culture. From Pitt the Younger to the young Winston Churchill, Victorious Century expertly delineates a story of continuity and change in nineteenth-century Britain. All by one of the leading historians writing in the English language today. Charles Coutinho holds a doctorate in history from New York University. Where he studied with Tony Judt, Stewart Stehlin and McGeorge Bundy. His Ph. D. dissertation was on Anglo-American relations in the run-up to the Suez Crisis of 1956. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. It you have a recent title to suggest for a podcast, please send an e-mail to Charlescoutinho@aol.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sir David Cannadine, Professor of History at Princeton University, president of the British Academy, and the general editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, narrates the century of Pax Britannica in the Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800-1906 (Viking, 2018). From the successful end of the Napoleonic Wars to the near debacle that was the Boer War, Victorious Century provides a comprehensive view of 19th-century British history in all its aspects: politics, society, art and culture. From Pitt the Younger to the young Winston Churchill, Victorious Century expertly delineates a story of continuity and change in nineteenth-century Britain. All by one of the leading historians writing in the English language today. Charles Coutinho holds a doctorate in history from New York University. Where he studied with Tony Judt, Stewart Stehlin and McGeorge Bundy. His Ph. D. dissertation was on Anglo-American relations in the run-up to the Suez Crisis of 1956. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. It you have a recent title to suggest for a podcast, please send an e-mail to Charlescoutinho@aol.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sir David Cannadine, Professor of History at Princeton University, president of the British Academy, and the general editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, narrates the century of Pax Britannica in the Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800-1906 (Viking, 2018). From the successful end of the Napoleonic Wars to the near debacle that was the Boer War, Victorious Century provides a comprehensive view of 19th-century British history in all its aspects: politics, society, art and culture. From Pitt the Younger to the young Winston Churchill, Victorious Century expertly delineates a story of continuity and change in nineteenth-century Britain. All by one of the leading historians writing in the English language today. Charles Coutinho holds a doctorate in history from New York University. Where he studied with Tony Judt, Stewart Stehlin and McGeorge Bundy. His Ph. D. dissertation was on Anglo-American relations in the run-up to the Suez Crisis of 1956. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. It you have a recent title to suggest for a podcast, please send an e-mail to Charlescoutinho@aol.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sir David Cannadine, Professor of History at Princeton University, president of the British Academy, and the general editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, narrates the century of Pax Britannica in the Victorious Century: The United Kingdom, 1800-1906 (Viking, 2018). From the successful end of the Napoleonic Wars to the near debacle that was the Boer War, Victorious Century provides a comprehensive view of 19th-century British history in all its aspects: politics, society, art and culture. From Pitt the Younger to the young Winston Churchill, Victorious Century expertly delineates a story of continuity and change in nineteenth-century Britain. All by one of the leading historians writing in the English language today. Charles Coutinho holds a doctorate in history from New York University. Where he studied with Tony Judt, Stewart Stehlin and McGeorge Bundy. His Ph. D. dissertation was on Anglo-American relations in the run-up to the Suez Crisis of 1956. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. It you have a recent title to suggest for a podcast, please send an e-mail to Charlescoutinho@aol.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The nineteenth century was incontrovertibly the ‘British century’, in which the UK seemed to dominate the globe, and when, for good or ill, ‘British history’ took place in many other parts of the world as well. At a time when global history has become so prominent, this seems an appropriate opportunity to revisit the years 1800 to 1906. The lecture was given on 21 June 2016 at the German Historical Institute London. Introduction by Andreas Gestrich.
To salute the 90th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, David Cannadine, eminent professor of History at Princeton University explores the worldwide role and significance of the British monarchy.
David Cannadine says when Barack Obama's critics accuse him of acting like a king they're forgetting the origins of the office of President. "From the outset, the American presidency was vested with what might be termed monarchical authority, which meant that it really was a form of elective kingship." Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the merits of youth and age in our political leaders and finds the current set taking their parties into next week's election strikingly young. "It's a curious and unexplained paradox that in earlier times, when life expectancy was much lower than it is today, politicians were generally much older; whereas nowadays, when life expectancy is much greater, it's widely believed, at least in some quarters, that politicians ought to be younger". Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine compares the enthusiasm for national commemorations in Britain with the more understated syle in the United States. "It's easier for Britain, which is a relatively small and unified nation, with a strong central government, to stage nationally inclusive displays of commemoration than it is for the United States, which is a country with a relatively weak federal government, that many people dislike and distrust, and which oversees a vast transcontinental empire extending from one ocean to another and beyond." Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the history of the Queen's Christmas message. Following the success of the first broadcast in 1932 by the Queen's grandfather, King George V, "what had begun as a one-off innovation" soon "became an invented tradition". "There can be no doubt," says Cannadine, "it brought the King closer to his subjects than had been true of any monarch who had gone before him."Producer: Sheila Cook.
更多热辣美图请关注我们今天的微信(10.23):搜索英语环球 NEWSPlus A myth-busting exhibition at the Museum of London is exploring the character of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. It's a character that's been endlessly adapted while retaining its essence as a cerebral sleuth, forensic scientist, drug-taking bohemian and archetypal Englishman. A new exhibition is putting Sherlock Holmes under the magnifying glass. Many tourists still see through the eyes of the London detective, and often seek out the Baker Street address he called home. Through film clips, costumes, 19th-century forensic equipment and more, it follows Holmes to go from an idea in Conan Doyle's notebook to the smart phone-toting modern detective played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC TV series "Sherlock." The exhibition's lead curator, Alex Werner says. "Well, Sherlock Holmes is the world's most famous fictional detective and there seems to be an incredible interest at the moment in this character and we felt this was the opportune time to do it.And there hasn't been an exhibition for over 60 years." For Sherlock fans, perhaps the most exciting exhibit may be a manuscript which shoes how Conan Doyle formulated his main characters. It's for 'A Study in Scarlet' - the first of two short novels which feature Holmes - and shows how at one point the main characters' names were under consideration. Conan Doyle's first two short novels made little impact, but when the short stories began to appear in Strand Magazine the detective became a literary sensation. Here's Alex Werner again. "We have the holy of holies for 'Sherlockians' - the 'Sherrinford Holmes page' where, this is the moment that really we get the word Holmes for the first time, but Sherlock hasn't arrived yet." According to historian David Cannadine, what makes Holmes such an intriguing character is his changeable persona. On the one side, he's an unstoppable Superman, on the other a decadent socialite. The exhibition features numerous tools the detective used while foiling crimes, including wigs and makeup he donned to fool enemies. "One of the interesting aspects of Holmes is that he's this very schizophrenic creation. On the one side, he's Superman who can do everything - and Superman in fact appeared just before the Holmes and Watson stories start - but on the other side, he's a kind of Oscar Wilde, decadent and aesthete. And it's getting work, getting detection, getting the job to do, that transformed Holmes from being the wild and decadent aesthete into the energetic and infallible Superman." And that unpredictable character has been taking to the red carpet lately. Benedict Cumberbatch - seen here at the Screen Actors Guild awards in January 2014 - has brought 'Sherlock' into the 21st century. And that most recent part of the Sherlock Holmes saga isn't ignored in this exhibition. The famed Belstaff coat worn by Cumberbatch in the BBC series is on display. The exhibition is at the Museum of London from 17 October till April 2015.
Suppose we found out that most of what we know about history and what shapes it, is wrong. That the traditional manichean world view, that history only marched forward on the feet of soldiers, is not the whole story. In fact we didn’t get to our globalized, 21st century world via the battlefield, but through cooperation and a sense of our shared humanity. This is the view of distinguished historian David Cannadine, as laid out in his new work, The Undivided Past: Humanity Beyond Our Differences. My conversation with David Cannadine:
What history should children learn and be able to contextualise? And what do they know? Rana Mitter enters the Great British History debate with the historian David Cannadine, Tristram Hunt MP, Sheila Lawlor of the think tank Politeia, Stephen Drew, headmaster of Brentwood County High School in Essex and Professor Dinah Birch of the Universitry of Liverpool.
Matthew Sweet talks to the Spanish novelist Javier Marias about his new book 'The Infatuations'. Night Waves takes stock of the man who sold the world as a new exhibition 'David Bowie is....' gets set to open at the Victoria and Albert Museum. And In another new book 'The Undivided Past' David Cannadine is looking beyond the supposed clash of religions, classes and civilisations and asks does a "History Beyond Our Differences" lead to confusion in the absence of polarised views?
On Start the Week Lisa Jardine asks whether the writing of history has been dominated by conflict and difference. The Professor of History, David Cannadine argues against the predominant 'them and us' agenda, and for a common humanity. While the Balkan writer Aleksandar Hemon splits his life between Sarajevo and Chicago. Ed Vulliamy reported on the war in Bosnia and explores a journalist's role in historical events, and Margaret MacMillan discusses the teaching of history. Producer: Katy Hickman.
David Cannadine defends his home city of Birmingham against a slur in Jane Austen's "Emma" as, "not a place to promise much", by celebrating its heritage and its current cultural renaissance. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine celebrates the saving of New York's now century old Grand Central Terminal and regrets the destruction of the city's other great beaux-arts station. "Many New Yorkers... had initially opposed, and subsequently regretted, the wanton destruction of Penn station as a deplorable act of civic irresponsibility and cultural philistinism." Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the enduring appeal of the teddy bear in contemporary culture. Why, he wonders, have they been such popular toys and featured so prominently in literature and song since they were first named after Theodore Roosevelt over a hundred years ago. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the history of American presidential inaugurations since Abraham Lincoln's, and compares presidents' speeches at the start of their first and second terms in office. "Second inaugurals...are often less up-beat and up-lifting, since it's no longer possible for a president, having already been four years in office, to offer a new deal or to proclaim, as President Obama did in 2009 that 'change is coming to America'".Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine looks ahead to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, reflecting on the history and significance of royal jubilees worldwide and, in particular, the celebrations for Queen Victoria. "Diamond jubilees... are very much a construction of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: both in terms of the grandiose ceremonials accompanying them, and also in terms of the narratives that have invariably been constructed to make some sort of sense of the six decades that are being commemorated." Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects at Easter time on the architectural glories of cathedrals and the part these buildings have played in our national history and culture. He traces early and more recent traditions and identifies the world wide impact of Anglican cathedral building during the era of the British Empire. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the changing images of the typical policeman and our attitude towards the way they look in the light of a recent report that over half of the members of the Metropolitan Police are overweight. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine recalls the heyday of cinema and television Westerns and wonders if the makers of a big screen adaptation of the Lone Ranger will capture a new audience when the film is released next year. Despite the decline in popularity of the Western, "the appeal of the mythical West has remained a powerful force in American political life." Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the enduring resonance of the important speeches which Winston Churchill delivered in colleges and universities in the United States. Westminster College, Fulton, has "become a shrine to Churchill and his 'iron curtain' speech" and Harvard was where he gave a speech on "Anglo-American Unity". Producer: Sheila Cook.
Historian David Cannadine compares the traditions of tie wearing on both sides of the Atlantic. He reflects on the social significance of this element of male dress and observes a recent phenomenon - that politicians seem to campaign in open neck shirts but govern wearing ties. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on the history of monetary unions and what causes them to succeed or fail. Ancient Greece turns out to be a pioneer, whereas modern Greece has posed a threat to any monetary union it has joined. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine reflects on current and historic attitudes towards bankers in America where opinion does not divide neatly along party lines. He sees today's criticism as mild by comparison with the attitude of Franklin D. Roosevelt who unleashed "a sustained and ferocious attack " during the era of the New Deal. Producer: Sheila Cook.
David Cannadine examines the history of teaching history and Nigel Jones reveals the best methods for escaping from the Tower of London. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Institute of Historical Research Lord Asa Briggs: A Celebration 01 Introductions David Cannadine (Princeton University) Lord Asa Briggs, one of the country’s most distinguished living historians, turns ninety this year, and he and his r...