A History of Britain by Simon Schama: The Wrong Empire (1750-1800)
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Tuesday, May 19 on BBC Four (9)
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About this Broadcast
The Wrong Empire (1750-1800)
Simon Schama continues his journey through British history, discovering how the expansion of imperialism was built on the Empire's slave trade and relied on the subjugation of native peoples to enrich the mother country. This was despite Britons' natural distrust of large armies and all-powerful governments
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Did You Know..
Simon Schama
(Presenter)
Born:
February 13, 1945
in
London
Best Known For:
The History of Britain series.
Early-life:
Simon Michael Schama was born in London on February 13, 1945. His father was a textile merchant and the family lived near Southend, before moving to Golders Green. He won a scholarship to Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Cricklewood, before choosing to read history at Cambridge University, where he came under the influence of eminent historian JH Plumb. Schama became a fellow at Christ's College, before moving to Brasenose College Oxford, where he wrote his first book, Patriots and Liberators, and met his wife.
Career:
The book scooped the Wolfson History Prize, and saw him offered a teaching post at Harvard. Schama continued to write during the 1980s, but it was 1989's Citizens, about the French Revolution, that saw him gain worldwide recognition. He continued to churn out novels, but also took up the post of art critic for the New Yorker magazine in 1995 for three years, while at the same time producing a biography of Rembrandt. In 2000, he returned to the UK to work on the BBC series A History of Britain. He's since presented various acclaimed documentary series and produced numerous best-selling books.
Quote:
On his presenting style: 'You shout and wave your arms around a lot when you're a little uneasy with the camera, but I think I have got a bit better.'
Trivia:
Away from history, he is a passionate fan of blues and jazz.
Ian Bremner
(Director)
Martin Davidson
(Executive producer)
