Anglomania

"Imaginative, original--wittily written."--The Washington Post Book World

To some, England has long represented tolerance, reason, and political moderation. To others, it is a moribund bastion of snobbery and outdated tradition. In this lively and diverting social history, noted author Ian Buruma, himself the son of Dutch immigrants to England, provides an incisive look at anglophilia--and anglophobia--over the last two centuries.

From passionate enthusiasts like Voltaire and Goethe, to exiles like Garibaldi and Herzen, to colorful England-bashers like Napoleon, Marx, and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Anglomania gives a sharply satirical account of Europe's sometimes comical, sometimes deadly prejudices, and explains why England's individuality and her relationship with Europe is still vitally important as we enter the twenty-first century.

"Mr. Buruma's fluency--the ease and erudition with which he mixes anecdote, personal reminiscence and reportage--should not disguise the seriousness of his book--. Readable and intelligent."--The Economist

"[Buruma's] own and his family's story is artfully woven through the various tales of Anglomania, making this both a memoir and a work of intellectual history."--The New York Times Book Review