Our History of the 20th Century

As Told in Diaries, Journals and Letters

What better way to understand Britain during the twentieth century than through the eyes of those who experienced it at first hand? Travis Elborough's compilation offers brilliantly candid and intimate insights not only into the headline-grabbing events but also the domestic and personal moments of those who lived through it. The book draws on over one hundred diarists. They include the great and the good – from Beatrice Webb to Tony Benn, from A. C. Benson to Alan Bennett, from Virginia Ironside to Hanif Kureishi – as well as many less-well-known individuals such as Gladys Langford and Kathleen Tipper, whose writings for the Mass Observation Project offer brilliant glimpses into what the man or woman on the street really made of the stuff of history at the time. From the Easter Rising to the arrival of email, from the Boer War to New Labour, here are responses to the death of Princess Diana, the resignation of Margaret Thatcher, the Moon landing, the Beatles and much more. Guardian Best Books of 2017, selected by David Kynaston Praise for Travis Elborough: ‘One of Britain's finest pop culture historians.’ Guardian ‘Elborough is an English nostalgist in the mode of John Betjeman … as a cultural commentator he is a terrific companion.’ Sunday Times ‘Travis Elborough is becoming a latter-day Alan Bennett.’ Spectator ‘Elborough has the passion of a true enthusiast.’ Mail on Sunday ‘Elborough is a charming, funny and frequently fascinating guide.’ Telegraph