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Book Description
Simon Winchester, struck by a sudden need to discover exactly what was left of the British Empire, set out across the globe to visit the far-flung islands that are all that remain of what once made Britain great. He traveled 100,000 miles back and forth, from Antarctica to the Caribbean, from the Mediterranean to the Far East, to capture a last glint of imperial glory.
His adventures in these distant and forgotten ends of the earth make compelling, often funny reading and tell a story most of us had thought was over: a tale of the last outposts in Britain's imperial career and those who keep the flag flying.
With a new introduction, this updated edition tells us what has happened to these extraordinary places while the author's been away.
About the Author
Simon Winchester was a geologist at Oxford and worked in Africa and on offshore oil rigs before becoming a full-time globe-trotting foreign correspondent and writer. He currently lives on a small farm in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, an apartment in New York's West Village and in the Western Isles of Scotland.
Simon Winchester was made Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by HM The Queen in 2006. He received the honor in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Like most long journeys into the unknown, this one began with an idea - an idea that was triggered by a strange story I read one wet Sunday afternoon in a recent early spring, on the front page of a London newspaper. Read the first page
Concordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outposts - Still Out There...,
By
This review is from: Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire (Paperback)
Having visited some of the far-flung places mentioned in Outposts, I was really floored by Winchester's style of writing. He so manages to bring these remote islands alive and tells a very readable, factual yet humorous tale of the inhabitants of Britain's remaining colonies, their lives and the daily issues they face.Brilliantly written and extremely captivating, even those without an apparent interest in the subject would be moved by this book. I think it would at least further their curiosity in these remote British patriots and their daily trials on their remote outcrop homes. Harry Ritchie writes on a similar line in his book The Last Pink Bits, yet his research is noticeably less than Winchester's, by far. His tone at the start even appears one of mild annoyance at having to travel the world on the subject (surely his own idea?!) to the extent that I actually wonder why he bothered. New-found UK celebrity Ben Fogle also attempts a work entitled The Teatime Islands, and although a brave attempt at starting his writing career, I think he should stick to presenting daytime television. Outposts is an extremely well-leafed book in my collection, which I keep revisiting. I cannot recommend it highly enough for those interested in travel, days of empire and UK world history. I particularly like the chapter on Ascension Island. Wonderful language....
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Simon Winchester story,
By
This review is from: Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire (Paperback)
Simon Winchester again entertains and educates as he lovingly and nostalgically (and realistically) visits the scattered remains of the once mighty British Empire.
3.0 out of 5 stars
I Liked it and may read it again,
By C. J. Thompson "Arctic John" (Pond Inlet, Nunavut Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire (Paperback)
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I ordered this book. I like Winchester's writing for the most part but he has occasionally disappointed me. There are a couple of subjects he has tackled where it appears apparent that had a thought that the topic in question might sell some copy and then just cobbled together something that ultimately came across as half-hearted and mediocre (The Fracture Zone: My Return To The Balkans, comes to mind). I half-expected that this title was going to prove to be in that category but, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.Although somewhat out of date (Hong Kong is most definitely not a relic of the Empire any longer, for example), this pleasant little book gives the reader a good, close look at some places that might otherwise be not much more obscure names on the globe. The story of how Winchester came to visit all the places he writes about (excepting Pitcairn Islands) is very engaging and his descriptions of the places and people he encounters makes for an entertaining read. I would have liked a few more pictures, and maybe some better maps, but I generally enjoyed this book.
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