The autobiography of a nation

The 1951 Festival of Britain

By: Becky E. Conekin, Bill Sherman (Editor)

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Paperback | 27 March 2003

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276 Pages

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24.0 x 17.0 x 1.4

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This exceptional book is the first full-length study on the 1951 Festival of Britain. As a consciously constructed cultural and educational event, or rather series of events, the Festival provides an opportunity to see a society and a government struggling to recast national identity after the experience of World War II. Primarily an examination of how Britain and Britishness were portrayed in the 1951 Festival's exhibitions and events, Becky E. Conekin considers the Festival's history and historiography, its purpose, its representations of the future and the past, the role of London and the "local," the British Empire and finally its legacy.

Industry Reviews

"The autobiography of a nation assembles an impressive array of evidence and argument for judging this fascinating moment in British postwar cultural history. Uniting the best of history and cultural studies, Becky Conekin contributes an essential building block for the gradually accumulating historiography of the postwar era." -- Geoff Eley, University of Michigan
"This book makes a significant contribution to the design and social history of postwar Britain." -- Simon Gunn, University of Leeds

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List of illustrations	p. viii
Acknowledgements	p. x
Introducing the Festival
The background: history and historiography	p. 2
The Festival's people and purposes	p. 26
Time
The Festival's representations of the future	p. 46
The Festival's representations of the past	p. 80
Place
London-based representations of the metropole and 'the regions'	p. 116
The role of 'the local' in the Festival	p. 153
The place that was almost absent: the British Empire	p. 183
The place of escape and edification: the Battersea Pleasure Gardens	p. 203
Conclusion
Conclusion: the Festival and its legacy	p. 226
Appendices	p. 235
Select bibliography	p. 239
Index	p. 256
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

The autobiography of a nation

The 1951 Festival of Britain

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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