About the book
1900s
Britain entered the twentieth century confident in its empire and traditions, yet the 1900s already contained signs of profound change. Edwardian society remained sharply divided by class and wealth, while new technology, political organisation and demands for reform challenged assumptions that had seemed secure.
1900s explores the people, events and everyday developments that shaped the decade. Politics, royalty, work, culture, science, sport and domestic life are brought together to show a nation balancing ceremony and confidence with poverty, unrest and growing pressure for change. Familiar milestones are placed beside the experiences of ordinary people, creating a rounded introduction to the period. As the opening volume of The Complete British 20th Century, it establishes the world from which the modern country emerged and reveals why the apparently settled Edwardian age was more dynamic and uncertain than it first appeared.