Rule, Nostalgia

deconstructing “Britishness”

If you are already familiar with the history of the British Empire, Rule Nostalgia will build on your existing foundation. If you do not have a foundation of British colonialism and the social drives behind it, you will have your mind expanded with new information. I would recommend this book to anyone still struggling to make sense of Brexit or anyone feeling warmth for the Empire.

I read this book last month, but have only just gotten around to writing this review, but the timing feels right. The recent death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II have shown the nostalgia for the empire that still permeates modern British mainstream culture. QEII was one of the last vestiges of the British Empire and her passing marks a turning point.

This “backward history of Britain” deconstructs the false longing for a non-existent past present in Brexit, then travels back through time to examine why that past is non-existent. Perhaps my favorite revelation in this book was that the now-iconic “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters were never publicly used during WWII, but have become a nostalgic touchstone supposedly embodying the business-as-usual British spirit. This book is an important reminder that many of the things we have come to rely on as “Britishness” are made up.