Excellent book, very tired performer

The book is brilliant; a must read for anyone interested in British history and politics. It's very well written, interesting and captivating. But I had to buy the book and read it myself. Audible's performer made me so nervous, he sounded like a very tired chainsmoker having a bad day. I couldn't focus on the book, I only hoped he would survive the next sentence.

9 people found this helpful

A fabulously well written and narrated history

A brilliant analysis if the history if the UK from Suez to Brexit. A searing ibdictment of Britain's unrealistic aspirations throughout this period and of Brexit and Johnson at its conclusion. A must read for those interested in the realities of the UK's international dilemma in 2021

7 people found this helpful

Very entertaining, good fun but all wrong.

This was a really enjoyable and fun read for me but not for the reasons the author would agree with.
A story that goes from the Shame of suez to the joy and achievement of once again becoming the only genuine fully democratic sovereign country in the whole of Western Europe.
If the author had only waited a few months this book would probably not being published. Practically all the reasoning and arguments, all the prophecies of project fear have failed to materialise in the following months. This must record for a book to go out of date and be overtaken by events. Literally as the book was published it’s projected hardships were disproven. That is what made it a fun read for me, the predicted disasters just did not happen.
Far from the UK becoming weak and ungovernable it is the organisation we left that is struggling.
A wide selection of selective information, very cleverly chosen snippets of information pieced together to strengthen his view that we were mad to leave. Flitting back and forth through the years in order to suit the authors narrative. It is biased, yes, it is very pro remain and pro eu, in which it finds nothing bad or wrong. I could not recall a single sentence stating something good about Britain. Neither a single negative about the eu despite its many issues. There is a naive view of how powerful and mighty the eu is on the world stage and an overlooked, belittled and alone UK , trying to find a role in the world.
This book is part history, part historical fiction.
The author seems to believe that the UK is unique in being the only country on Earth wanting to maintain or increase its importance and influence. Blimey, look at France. This is great fun when looking at it now, after just a few months and probably even more fun in future as things develop both in the UK and also the EU.
Quickly and easily brushing over the dark days of the remainer Parliament as if it was the last chance to save ourselves by becoming a sensible colony of the eu and forgoing all thought of deciding things for ourselves. 
Written and released too early to state the NHS is now getting an extra £20 billion a year, more than the weekly figure on the bus. Too early for the UK successful AZ vaccination program, the 70 free trade deals or even AUKUS and the diminishment of France. Too early to see that the city of London has increased its workforce, or how multinational businesses are investing in the UK and even relocating their headquarters here. But then again, even if he did know he would not have included them.
Look at our rapid and pre invasion help given to Ukraine while the eu twiddled its thumbs.
I could not help but chuckle when the whole list of the prophecies of doom were read and yet none have occurred. 
This is a really fun read for pro brexit readers, they, like me will find it bizarre but entertaining and at the same time smile at trying to understand what the remain side thought.
It always struck me as odd that remain accused leavers of wanting to rebuild an empire yet wanting to stay in the eu that was actually building one.
So, it is well and cleverly written and very well narrated but flawed. But that is what now makes it so funny and enjoyable. It is a real eye opener into what Remainer’s think of Britain and leave voters, and boy, have they got us wrong.

If you are interested in the EU and Brexit (causes of) then I recommend three other books. The Great Deception. This sovereign isle and Eurotragedy.

5 people found this helpful

Something good has come out of Brexit

And it was this book. Informative and entertaining. Reality and fantasy not the same thing

4 people found this helpful

Absolutely outstanding

This puts Brexit into the context of 60 years prior to the vote of 2016 &, time & while listening to it, the litany of bungling, un-thought out decisions & incompetence made me want to cover my eyes & ears time & again. This is a superb listen.

2 people found this helpful

Wonderful tour de force

This is an excellent book, full of insights. It frames Brexit very successfully within the context of post-Imperial policy and perceptions. It is unputdownable.

2 people found this helpful

Liked this a lot. Very good contemporary history.

Interesting to listen to Britain Alone together with Steve Richards audiobooks and Churchills Shadow.

They complement one another. The story is coherent and for me convincing and Sean Barrett invariably reads well.

1 person found this helpful

Survey of GB's Postwar Relationship with EU

Britain Alone covers the major developments in Britain's relationship with the Europe in the context of the former's search for a new role following the end of Empire alongside its desire to maintain an old role of global power. The narrator sounds tired, which helps underscore what seems like the author's feeling of quiet exasperation and anger at the developments detailed. This style of narration won't be to everyone's taste, and its definitely one to preview before buying. I listened at 1.5x speed. Britain Alone makes the case for GB's failure to fully come to terms with its diminished standing in the world from 1945 and its need to take the potential of the EU more seriously. Remainers will shake their heads in agreement at the failure of successive governments to accept the inevitable--which the author describes often as resulting from a combination of arrogance and insecurity. I would guess that Leavers might do the same at the author's talking about Brexit as if the British electorate had nothing to do with it, and was the result of Cameron's foolishness and Tory backbencher's zealotry. There's also something unpersuasive about the stress that GB needs to realise it is no longer powerful in the ways it once was, just because it involves psychological pain, as the author admits, but offers no new positive vision in its place. Would this ever be a winning strategy, even if it accurately reflected reality?

This was an engaging title covering a lot of material in usually accessible ways (the stuff about the ERM was always going to go over my head). Recommended to those wanting an overview of how we got from the failed last hurrah of 56 and 2016.

1 person found this helpful

Excellent, but repetitive at points.

if you're a brexit fan and don't want anything to question your brexit vote, this will be uncomfortable (but essential) reading.
The history lesson is informative, if depressing.
The saddest thing to realise is just how closed UK right wing thinking currently is. More disasters await us; and that makes a must read.

1 person found this helpful

Brexit was a grave mistake!!

This book shows quite clearly that Brexit has left Britain much weaker.
It may also become the catalyst for the eventual breakup of the United Kingdom. Boris Johnson does not have much to be proud of.