· Rupert Murdoch, outrageous media baron whose empire, built in an 'ethical void', controls contemporary channels of knowledge;
· Prince Charles, quack dilettante whose messy private life shook the throne;
· Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a grocer whose authoritarian regime undid much of Britain's post-war legacy; and
· Mick Jagger, the big-lipped egotist whose excesses epitomized the swinging sixties.
Each had their part to play in the continuity and change that marked the twentieth century, from the cultural revolution of the 1960s which transformed the modern world, to the subsequent reaction against this modern devil's decade.
Modelled on Lytton Strachey's classic work about the Victorians, these irreverent and insightful miniatures, set in vivid historical context, shed new light on the Elizabethan age as a whole.
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About the Author:
PIERS BRENDON is the author of more than a dozen books, including biographies of Churchill and Eisenhower, the best-selling Eminent Edwardians and The Dark Valley, and, most recently, the highly acclaimed The Decline and Fall of the British Empire. He also writes for television and contributes frequently to the national press. Formerly Keeper of the Churchill Archives Centre, he is a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge.
Review:
"I've been reading an excellent book by Piers Brendon, Eminent Elizabethans. By bringing a real historian's discipline to the task, Brendon has unearthed lots of new material, including the first logged double entendre by Margaret "will this gun jerk me off?" Thatcher" -- Simon Hoggart Guardian "Entirely refreshing. Steers well clear of reverence. It's all merrily contentious stuff - and Brendon wears his mask of criticism well" -- Bel Mooney Daily Mail "A delight for connoisseurs of irreverence (4 stars)" -- Christopher Silvester Daily Express "Pacy, even racy, prose" -- Donald Trelford Literary Review "The book abounds with funny stories.there are three or four juicy details on every page (4 stars)" -- Craig Brown Mail on Sunday
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- PublisherJonathan Cape
- Publication date2012
- ISBN 10 0224087517
- ISBN 13 9780224087513
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages224
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Rating