Hope and Glory ; the days that made Britain
Author: Stuart Maconie
Review by fifi on 22 October 2011
A guilty pleasure for me as a new arrival into NZ and so indulging myself in pure nostalgia.
Maconie is a well-respected author, BBC Radio 6 DJ and TV presenter and is well described as 'funny as Bryson and as wise as Orwell'.
This latest book takes us through each of the decades of the last century focussing for each on a subject that for Stuart sums up the impact of that time. The 1900 centres on Victoria and her impact in the World. For the 1910s he looks at the First World War and its heart-wrenching effect on those few that returned and the socio-economic impacts the War had. The 20s focussed on industry, industrial unrest and the paternalistic ideals of men such as Lord Lever. The 30s is TV, 40s talks about the wave of migrants and its impact on diversity and culture (wonderful descriptions of food in Birmingham). I am hooked - a wonderful book. Insightful and intelliegent - every paragraph has me gripped. This gruff Northerner from Lancashire has a lovely way with words and has a great way of reminding people of a certain age from the UK about their roots and childhood. Shelf number 941.082 MAC in Puke Arik but can't imagine this book getting beyond the Just Returned shelf
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