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Culture

Austerity Britain, 1945-1951 (Tales of a New Jerusalem) by David Kynaston Published by Bloomsbury Publishing (2008) Most in my primers grew up during this period and, in Austerity Britain, the majority of us will recognise how deeply affected we have been by the culture and attitudes of that time. We will recognise many of our own experiences, both remembered and from our parents’ recollections, in the astonishing variety of voices of all classes and stature – known and unknown - who tell their stories. Deeply researched, often amusing and always intensely entertaining and readable, this ambitious book offers an entirely fresh perspective on Britain during those six momentous years.

Last Curtsey: The End of the Debutantes   by Fiona McCarthy Published by Faber and Faber (2006) Fiona McCarthy was born in 1940 and grew up in Chelsea (and the family-owned Dorchester Hotel). She took part in the last debutante ‘season’ in 1958 before going on to become a highly successful journalist, writer and biographer. This book is both a fascinating and revealing book of what it was like to be a traditional ‘deb’, and an insightful study of some of the lessons learned. ‘Brilliantly combines memoir and sociological analysis with just the occasional dash of Hello! Magazine.’ - Independent

Seventies: The Sights, Sounds and Ideas of a Brilliant Decade   by Howard Sounes Published by Simon and Schuster (2006) Were the seventies only about mullets, flares, platform shoes and the first boy bands, or did they add up to much, much more? Make your mind up after reading this fascinating examination of what really went on the seventies - from architecture, books and art through to rock music, fads and films.

The Prawn Cocktail Years   by Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham Published by Michael Joseph (2006) If ever a cookbook was written for in my primers, this is it. It sets out to rehabilitate the food we once loved and found exciting and does so with panache, style and great affection. Recipes for old favourites such as Chicken Kiev and Rhum Baba have been brought back to life as well as those for what was once described as the Great British Meal - prawn cocktail, steak garni with chips and black forest gateau.

White Heat: A History of Britain in the Swinging Sixties   by Dominic Sandbrook Published by Little, Brown & Co (2006) Fascinating, wide-ranging, well-written, and absolutely excellent. This comprehensive guide has received great reviews – the Sunday Times recommending it as ‘commendably inclusive’. A superb self-buy or perhaps one for this year’s Christmas list for a lucky in my primer?