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Five Books every Brit should read

Keep Calm, and Carry On reading...

By LilyRosePublished 2 years ago 7 min read
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I think we can all agree it's been an eventful few years for poor Old Blighty, and with the passing of the Queen, our small island nation has once again found itself once again bobbing around on the rough seas of the international stage.

If the Industrial Revolution marked puberty, then we might just be nearing our mid-life crisis.

Like many Brit's though, my ability to put my finger on, or even dare I say, vocalize my national identity is an awkward one. What exactly it means to be British eludes me. Don’t get me wrong, we are still a vocal bunch and like many Brits, I will happily while away an afternoon at the pub with friends as we lambast our governments attempts to navigate us through this ocean of change. I am, also like most Brit’s, in the comfort of my peers eager to throw in my own two pence for good measure. In that sense, I know what I would like us ‘Britons’ to stand for – but just how far off the mark we are?

It was on one such Sunday afternoon that my friends and I were discussing Greenpeace’s latest efforts to drop boulder’s in the UK’s Marine Protected Areas to stop trawler fishing boats that I realized our groups zealous debate had attracted some attention, and was causing a bit of stir amongst some of the pubs others patrons. Whilst it was nothing more than a few eye rolls and shake of the heads from those seated nearest to us, I was all too quickly reminded, that having traipsed ‘back home’ for the weekend, we were no longer sitting in London’s middle-class metropolis where opinions dissenting from the liberal left are few are far between. It made me uncomfortable to think that through their eyes, we were nothing more than residents of the bourgeoisie bubble, just as blinkered as the Westminster elite themselves.

Sure, we were an intelligent bunch. Educated even. But were we out of touch? How long had it been since we had actively educated ourselves on any of current affairs we discussed. Don’t get me wrong, we all read the news – though surely the snippets and sound bites of the daily headlines must represent relatively slims pickings in terms of actual balanced, educational content. I decided it was time to put down the easy bedside reads and start stretching my horizons again.

I drew up a list of non-fiction books that would nudge me out of malaise, and at the very least set me straight about Britain today. It was enlightening. Needless to say, the more I read, the more titles I add to my list. So, if like me, it’s been a while since you took stock and you fancy learning a little bit more about the country we call home, here are some titles to whet your appetite.

1. The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and how it’s Broken (The Secret Barrister)

I can’t recommend this book enough. The Secret Barrister is funny, heart breaking and brutally unrestrained in its assessment of Britain’s Legal system today. If you are one to toe the line and can’t quite imagine being hauled up in front of a Judge, it’s probably even more important that you choose to give this book a read. As the Secret Barrister makes clear - how our Justice System treats those seeking or running from Justice is everyone’s problem.

At the very least it will shed some light on the current Barrister strikes and explain the way in which our own legal representatives feel that our access to justice is being eroded. Whatever you think you knew about the law, it’s hard not to be left with some strong feelings by the time you reach the last page.

2. We need to talk about the British Empire (Afua Hirsch)

Though this isn’t strictly a book, this podcast is a must for anyone who can recall a history lesson on a Motte and Bailey Castle or on the torture instruments favored in medieval witch hunts. All important stuff, sure, as British history is nothing if not gory, however, it did little to help connect us to the country of our forefathers and understand our place in the world today.

British history is gory and there's no denying it. So uncomfortable as it might be, it might have been a more useful experience if we had perhaps learnt about some of our nations more recent horrors and exploits, whose impacts are still felt by communities all around the world today. It is time to pay our respects to the darker side of British history, The British Empire. If you’re not a history nut, or you just don't where to start, these bite size episodes covering everything from the slave trade to partition are a fantastic way to start digging into Britain’s murkier depths.

3. Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire (Akala)

Natives spent a while on my reading list before I finally picked it up, as some of the reviews complained that Akala struggles to form a concise cohesive argument. It’s true - despite Akala’s passionate language and the compelling statistics he uses, the points he makes are subtly weaved across chapters and at first I struggled with the books apparent lack of direction. In retrospect though, perhaps it is essentially the point. Race dynamics for the Afro-Caribbean community in Britain are complex and multi-factorial and as Akala argues, they impact every stage of childhood and adolescence. There is no ‘quick fix’ as such, and if you haven't grown up 'in it' the enormity of issues can seem hard to grapple with. That said, Akala is an engaging writer and once I got into it, I enjoyed reading this book immensely. For those of us on the outside of the community too, it allows us important insight to help us understand other British experiences and identities.

4. The Panama Papers - Breaking the Story of How the Rich and Powerful Hide Their Money (Frederik Obermaier)

This book had also been on my list for some time before I finally picked it up. I was, of course, aware of The Panama Papers scandal – it would have been hard to miss the biggest offshore leak in history which contained a whopping 11.5 million confidential documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. Likewise, wealth inequality is an unescapable theme throughout all of the books on this list, and I wasn’t sure how riveting a book would be when all of the main spoilers have already been plastered over the headlines. Nevertheless, I was instantly hooked. This is not just story about the how ‘The System’ structurally facilitates wealth inequality, or a who’s who in world of global tax evasion and corruption, but a story about the delicate battlelines drawn around our free press. As in Germany, Obermaier’s homeland, a free press is something us Britons take for granted. In short, the freedom our press has is precious, and it is something we should remember to cherish.

5. Divided: Why We’re Living in an Age of Walls (Tim Marshall)

At spot number five is Divided: Why we’re living in an age of walls. I thought this was an apt choice considering the evident division displayed in, firstly, the Scottish Independence Referendum and then again in the Brexit Referendum. To say they polarized the electorate is an understatement. Family drama’s aside no matter where you land on the in out debate, much of the media focus has centered around fears of nationalism and the rise of identity politics. This is by no means an unprecedented phenomena though. As Tim Marshall shows us, similar divisions exist all over the world. Whether they have come about through wealth, race, religion, or politics, understanding how they came about is fascinating, and teaches us so much about what our future could have in store.

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Enjoy reading! I would love to hear your recommendations in the comments.

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About the Creator

LilyRose

Corporate cog by day, poet by night. Writing is my happy place. Comments, follows and critiques are always welcome!

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