Elizabethans
A History of How Modern Britain Was Forged
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4.1 • 9 Ratings
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
The Sunday Times bestseller
THE STORY OF BRITAIN during the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Find out how Britain changed in this entrancing, lively portrait of Britain’s Elizabethan Age by bestselling writer and broadcaster Andrew Marr
Britain changed fundamentally during the Queen’s long, distinguished reign. So who made modern Britain the country it is today? How do we sum up the kind of people we are? What did it mean to be the new Elizabethans?
In this wonderfully told history, spanning back to when Queen Elizabeth became queen in 1953, Andrew Marr traces the people who have made Britain the country it is today. From the activists to the artists, the sports heroes to the innovators, these people pushed us forward, changed the conversation, encouraged us to eat better, to sing, think and to protest. They got things done. How will our generation be remembered in a hundred years’ time? And when you look back at Britain’s toughest moments in the past seventy years, what do you learn about its people and its values?
In brilliantly entertaining style and with unexpected insights into some of our sung and unsung heroes, this is our story as Elizabethans – the story of how 1950s Britain evolved into the diverse country we live in today. In short, it is the history of modern Britain.
FEATURING: David Attenborough. Marcus Rashford. Jan Morris. Diana Dors. Bob Geldof. David Olusoga. Elizabeth David. Zaha Hadid. Frank Crichlow. Quentin Crisp. Dusty Springfield. Captain Tom – and many others
Reviews
‘Like The Crown in book form: a stream of intriguing stories producing a mosaic that the reader, with expert steers from Marr, can glue together’ Guardian
Praise for Andrew Marr’s previous books
‘It is the clarity of his judgements, the arresting insights and the irrepressible wit that keep us hanging on to his words. Among his other qualities, Marr is the ideal history teacher that most people never had at school . . . A damned good read . . . This book will be read with pleasure, for Marr's ironic tone and ever-present pleasant presence.’
Bernard Crick, Edinburgh Review
‘A fine example of popular history . . . engaging and intelligent.’
Financial Times
‘He has the rare gift of being able to explain complex issues in a few crisp sentences.’
Sunday Telegraph
About the author
Andrew Marr is a former editor of the Independent and BBC Political Editor. He currently hosts BBC 1’s Andrew Marr Show, and presented Radio 4’s Start the Week from 2005 to 2012. His acclaimed television documentary series include Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain and Andrew Marr’s The Making of Modern Britain. He is also a hugely successful non-fiction author.
Customer Reviews
A look at the people who have shaped our country since 1953
Andrew Marr’s latest book, Elizabethans How Modern Britain Was Forged, is an interesting look at the people who have helped shape this country during the reign of our monarch.
Marr explores how much has changed since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation back on 2 June 1953.
It also acts as a companion to his TV series, which was first shown on BBC Two at the end of last year. The book goes into more detail and seems to cover more than the programme.
His work is split into three sections: Elizabethans at Home; Elizabethans in The World; and Elizabethans at Work.
The book starts on Coronation Day itself, and highlights how The Times featured on its front page that day the story of a British team of climbers who had conquered Everest.
There is also an interesting chapter on Diana Dors and Ruth Ellis, which was also covered on the programme. These two started with much in common, however their lives were to turn out completely differently.
The second part looks at how Britain sat in the world in 1950s, and its position today. Many of the chapters here feature our relationship with Europe and the EU, and how this fractured with Brexit.
The third section, and perhaps the most interesting, features chapters on our industry, and people such as Clive Sinclair, who was the man behind the ill-fated Sinclair C5 from the 1980s. Remember those!
Marr comes to the conclusion that many of our industrial businesses have not been able to compete, or keep up with foreign competitors. Although our financial services have been successful.
He finishes by looking to the future, and urges British people to learn from their mistakes of the past.
Great author read by a robot
The combination in Marr’s books of his perceptive commentary read by the Author himself is spoilt in this version by the robotic narration. It loses its charm and nuance. Bring back Marr!