The essays redefine Great Britain as a world power and reinterpret the tensions that underpinned its grand strategy during its imperial heyday.
The essays re-interpret the work of imperial heroes, eminent historians, and fictional heroines, and illustrate the variety of techniques used by British empire-builders and the explanations they gave to account for their sometimes infamous
In Defence of British India (1984) illustrates the problems arising from the British need to defend an Indian empire. The strategies devised by Britain to counter the expansion of European empires into the Middle East are known as the Great Game.