Builders of Empire: Freemasonry and British Imperialism, 1717-1927 Book

Interesting, flawed book. Book abruptly begins assuming one already knows some basics about freemasonry. It does not cover origins of freemasonry, mythology. It discusses intellectual draw of masonry on the basis of establishing a good social circle, but does not explain how that social circle was seeded..eg what drew people to freemasonry before it reached critical mass? In addition to lacking a good introduction there is no summary of post-imperial masonry. This all makes for a very unsatisfying read.

I did enjoy the social commentary on the cosmopolitan, inclusive 17th century masonry ...and how british society + masonry transitioned to stuffy, elitist victorian times.