History Of Modern Britain

Product Description

A History of Modern Britain confronts head-on the victory of shopping over politics. It tells the story of how the great political visions of New Jerusalem or a second Elizabethan Age rival idealisms came to be defeated by a culture of consumerism celebrity & self-gratification. In each decade political leaders think they know what they are doing but find themselves confounded. Every time the British people turn out to be stroppier & harder to herd than predicted. Throughout Britain is a country on the edge -- first of invasion then of bankruptcy then on the vulnerable front line of the Cold War & later in the forefront of the great opening up of capital & migration now reshaping the world. This history follows all the political & economic stories but deals too with comedy cars the war against homosexuals Sixties anarchists oil-men & punks Margaret Thatcher's wonderful good luck political lies & the true heroes of British theatre. ' Superb colourful outspoken fresh & richly entertaining. Don't miss' The Times ' Lively full of rich anecdotes & sparkling pen portraits. He has the rare gift of being able to explain complex issues in a few crisp sentences' Sunday Telegraph