Sing As We Go: Britain Between the Wars

‘An epic new history . . . a work of epic scholarship, breathtaking range, and piercing originality’ Daily Express ‘An astonishing achievement of narrative history . . . I think the word is "magisterial".’ Spectator ‘Excellent, thorough, detailed and combatively argued.’ Sunday Times ______________________________________ Sing As We Go is an astonishingly ambitious overview of the political, social and cultural history of the country from 1919 to 1939. It explores and explains the politics of the period, and puts such moments of national turmoil as the General Strike of 1926 and the Abdication Crisis of 1936 under the microscope. It offers pen portraits of the era's most significant figures. It traces the changing face of Britain as cars made their first mass appearance, the suburbs sprawled, and radio and cinema became the means of mass entertainment. And it probes the deep divisions that split the nation: between the haves and have-nots, between warring ideological factions, and between those who promoted accommodation with fascism in Europe and those who bitterly opposed it. __________________________________________ 'Magisterial . . . an extraordinary achievement.’ Literary Review ‘A masterful portrayal of political, social and cultural upheaval between the wars.’ Daily Mail

About the Author :
Simon Heffer read English at Cambridge and took a PhD in modern history at that university. His previous books include A Short History of Power, Simply English and High Minds- The Victorians and the Birth of Modern Britain and Staring at God- Britain in the Great War. In a thirty-year career in Fleet Street, he has held senior editorial positions on The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator, and is now a columnist for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.

Review :
The interwar period has not been written about in this way before, and Heffer's mammoth, magisterial book fills an important gap. It is an extraordinary achievement. In Sing as We Go, Heffer has created a magnificently detailed portrait of a febrile Britain, largely ignorant of the horrors about to befall it. Throughout this book lurks the spectre of the eternal return. A masterful portrayal of political, social and cultural upheaval between the wars. Excellent, thorough, detailed and combatively argued. Heffer once more treats us to his vast knowledge and trenchant opinions on almost every aspect of the nation’s state, from high politics to crime and popular entertainment. It is an astonishing achievement of narrative history . . . Heffer’s tetralogy offers a commanding view of a century that saw Britain at the summit and then beginning its descent. I think the word is "magisterial". An epic new history of the nation between the wars . . . The distinguished historian Simon Heffer has magnificently set out the case for Chamberlain's rehabilitation . . . Like his previous three volumes, it is a work of epic scholarship, breathtaking range, and piercing originality. His judgement is shrewd and his prose stylish. In it's majestic scope, the quartet is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the forces that have shaped our land since the early 19th century. What enhances the richness of this latest volume is the extraordinary amount of change and turmoil in the period covered . . . Through his immersion in his original sources, Heffer is superb on all these political developments . . . But Heffer is just as good on society and culture, covering everything from professional football to cinema. This account of the interwar years is the last in [Heffer's] quartet of volumes treating Britain from the accession of Queen Victoria to the outbreak of the Second World War. Together the books amount to more than 3,600 pages of compelling narrative - full of detail and portraits of the significant players of the age, as well as both the narrow and broad sweep of politics . . . among the themes he discusses here with verve and insight are the death of deference in 1924 . . . the birth of the welfare state; technological and cultural developments from cars to cinema; and set-pieces such as the General Strike and the abdication crisis. Heffer’s knowledge and his deep research are impressive. Certain details shine out, bringing the interwar years vividly to life . . . One of the most enriching aspects of this book is that it makes us re-evaluate Chamberlain, whose reputation was 'crucified' after the failure of Munich . . . This is a richly persuasive portrait of interwar Britain and its politicians, reminding us just how hard it is for anyone to run a country.’ Heffer has been chronicling our island story, since the accession of Queen Victoria, for years. It is hard to imagine anyone better qualified to tell the story of the 1920s and 1930s . . . I can imagine Churchill admiring Heffer’s genial approach. It is difficult for a reviewer to do the book justice . . . This is a superb book, and will surely be seen as the definitive history of the pre-war years. Amazing.