RaveThe Guardian (UK)... brilliant ... In this compelling study of constitutions produced around the world between the mid-18th century and the outbreak of the first world war, [Colley] upends the familiar version of history at every turn ... There is much more going on here than a level-headed reassessment of the realpolitik that sits behind the evolution of liberalism and democracy. By weaving together warfare and \'lawfare\', The Gun, the Ship and the Pen draws attention to a perennial problem in the study of citizenship: who is in, and who is left out ... As with all great history books, the big picture is here, but so is the telling detail, the astute comparison, the arresting and memorable turn of phrase, the suggestive moral for our own times. There are some amazing discoveries ... Fresh insights are suggested for pivotal moments ... A superb retelling of the past, The Gun, the Ship and the Pen will surely make us rethink our present and future.
