Butler (British history, University of East Anglia) outlines the process by which the sun came to set on the British empire, reducing what had once been a global system to a handful of outposts. He traces the events related to the empire's decline, from World War I to Britain's entry into Europe in the 1970's. Emphasizing the roles of war, economic decline, and resistance from the colonized population, Butler describes the obstacles to British rule, and the failed strategy to save the empire. The book is distributed in the US by Palgrave. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)