The Spirit of Britain is a masterly survey of the country?s arts literature, music, poetry, painting, architecture, theater, and all the related subjects that, over the centuries, have given British intellectual and cultural life its unique character and vitality. Presented to the reader as a single unfolding narrative, from the Celts to the present day, the arts are set within a vivid panorama of the social, economic, political, and ideological forces that shaped them. 400 gorgeous photographs and works of art add immensely to the dramatic impact of this landmark work of cultural history.