A Companion to Contemporary Britain covers the key themes and debates of twentieth-century history from the outbreak of the Second World War to the end of the century. Comprising 30 essays written by leading international scholars, it provides readers with a single-volume reference to the varied perspectives dominating historical writing on this period.
The volume opens with an assessment of the impact of war, before moving on to examine Britain's continuing role in the wider world, particularly the legacy of Empire, Britain's "special relationship" with the United States, and integration with continental Europe. Domestic politics, the economy, society, and popular culture are also covered, including such topics as class consciousness, immigration and race relations, changing gender roles, and the impact of the mass media.
Where essays include discussion of the last years of the century, they often present the first assessment of recent developments from a self-consciously historical perspective.
As a new Initiate with the Alchemists' Council, Jaden is trained to maintain the elemental balance of the world, while fending off interference by the malevolent Rebel Branch. Bees are disappearing from the pages of the ancient manuscripts in Council dimension and from the outside world, threatening its very existence. Jaden navigates alchemy's complexities, but the more she learns, the more she begins to question Council practices. Erasure - a procedure designed not only to remove individuals from Council dimension but also from the memories of other alchemists - troubles Jaden, and she uses her ingenuity to remember one of the erased people. In doing so, she realizes the Rebel Branch might not be the enemy she was taught to fight against.
Jaden is caught between her responsibility to the Council and her growing allegiance to the rebels, as the Council finds itself at the brink of war. She is faced with an ethical dilemma involving the free will of all humanity, and must decide whether or not she can save the worlds.
