Imperial past of Britain under global spotlight

It is interesting to observe that the controversy over the 'lost' colonial files happens when the people in Britain have begun to rethink as well as reassess the imperial past which had impacted on so many lives of mankind on earth in Asia, 'Africa, the Middle East and North America. Lawrence James' book The Rise & Fall of the British Empire (''London, Abacus, 1998 ) 'provides a pretty comprehensive but readable history of the nation and 'its policies, strategies and activities for 400 years. The memoirs of Abdullah C.D and Rashid Maidin, among other works, tell how they and their comrades fought British colonialism in Malaya.