Andy McSmith's Books

Innocent in the House

By: Andy McSmith

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He was surrounded on every side by those who wanted to be. Some wanted to be famous, some to be praised, some to be on television every night, some to be outstandingly loyal, some to be famously disloyal, some to be driven by chauffeurs in ministerial cars and some to be Prime Minister. They were breathing down his neck and pressing against his sides; but Joseph Pilgrim's life had been so full of what he wanted to do that he had never applied himself to wanting to be anything. He certainly had not expected to be a Member of Parliament, until that singular status rose up one evening and took over his life." Joseph Pilgrim is the hero of Andy McSmith's compelling fictional debut. Pilgrim has already made several wrong career moves before he is swept into the House of Commons by Labour's landslide in 1997, much to his own surprise. Ingenuous, though nobody's fool, he tries to avoid joining a system of patronage and sycophancy, but cannot stop himself from stumbling repeatedly upward towards success. It's not long before the Prime Minister is making inquiries about the mysterious newcomer and the front benches beckon. But when the story of a sexual peccadillo from long ago falls into the hands of Grub Street's grubbiest, Pilgrim's past returns to haunt him. Andy McSmith draws on long experience as a Labour Party press officer and political journalist to create a convincing and exciting tale of politics and scandal. His story is enlivened by cameo appearances of characters that bear an eerily close resemblance to real political figures.

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332

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Verso

Published Date

ISBN 10

1859846432

ISBN 13

9781859846438

Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

The Russian Masters from Akhmatova and Pasternak to Shostakovich and Eisenstein Under Stalin

By: Andy McSmith

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Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

The Russian Masters from Akhmatova and Pasternak to Shostakovich and Eisenstein Under Stalin

By: Andy McSmith

In this dazzling exploration of one of the most contradictory periods of literary and artistic achievement in modern history, journalist Andy McSmith evokes the lives of more than a dozen of the most brilliant artists and writers of the twentieth century. Taking us deep into Stalin's Russia, Fear and the Muse Kept Watch asks the question: can great art be produced in a police state? For although Josif Stalin ran one of the most oppressive regimes in world history, under him Russia also produced an outpouring of artistic works of immense and lasting power—from the poems of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam to the opera Peter and the Wolf, the film Alexander Nevsky, and the novels The Master and Margarita and Doctor Zhivago. For those artists visible enough for Stalin to take an interest in them, it was Stalin himself who decided whether they lived in luxury or were sent to the Lubyanka, the headquarters of the secret police, to be tortured and sometimes even executed. McSmith brings together the stories of these artists—including Isaac Babel, Boris Pasternak, Dmitri Shostakovich, and many others—revealing how they pursued their art under Stalin's regime and often at great personal risk. It was a world in which the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, whose bright yellow tunic was considered a threat to public order under the tsars, struggled to make the communist authorities see the value of avant garde art; Babel publicly thanked the regime for allowing him the privilege of not writing; and Shostakovich's career veered wildly between public disgrace and wealth and acclaim. In the tradition of Eileen Simpson's Poets in Their Youth and Phyllis Rose's Parallel Lives, Fear and the Muse Kept Watch is an extraordinary work of historical recovery. It is also a bold exploration of the triumph of art during terrible times and a book that will stay with its readers for a long, long while.

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354

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New Press, The

Published Date

ISBN 10

1620970791

ISBN 13

9781620970799

Faces of Labour

The Inside Story

By: Andy McSmith

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Faces of Labour

The Inside Story

By: Andy McSmith

McSmith focuses on key individuals in the party whose careers cast a complex story into sharp relief. His choice of subjects is deliberately eclectic. It includes portraits of politicians like Peter Mandelson, Clare Short, David Blunkett, John Prescott and Tony Blair, who will play a leading role in any Labour government.

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412

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Verso

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ISBN 10

1859849687

ISBN 13

9781859849682

No Such Thing as Society

A History of Britain in the 1980s

By: Andy McSmith

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No Such Thing as Society

A History of Britain in the 1980s

By: Andy McSmith

The 1980s was the revolutionary decade of the twentieth century. To look back in 1990 at the Britain of ten years earlier was to look into another country. The changes were not superficial, like the revolution in fashion and music that enlivened the 1960s; nor were they quite as unsettling and joyless as the troubles of the 1970s. And yet they were irreversible. By the end of the decade, society as a whole was wealthier, money was easier to borrow, there was less social upheaval, less uncertainty about the future. Perhaps the greatest transformation of the decade was that by 1990, the British lived in a new ideological universe where the defining conflict of the twentieth century, between capitalism and socialism, was over. Thatcherism took the politics out of politics and created vast differences between rich and poor, but no expectation that the existence of such gross inequalities was a problem that society or government could solve - because as Mrs Thatcher said, 'There is no such thing as society ... people must look to themselves first.' From the Falklands war and the miners' strike to Bobby Sands and the Guildford Four, from Diana and the New Romantics to Live Aid and the 'big bang', from the Rubik's cube to the ZX Spectrum, McSmith's brilliant narrative account uncovers the truth behind the decade that changed Britain forever.

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555

Publisher

Constable

Published Date

ISBN 10

1849016615

ISBN 13

9781849016612

Strange People I Have Known

... And Other Stories

By: Andy McSmith

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Strange People I Have Known

... And Other Stories

By: Andy McSmith

As well as being one of the leading political journalists of his generation, Andy McSmith's varied life has brought him into contact with a huge variety of people, high and low, whom he describes with an acute eye for character. His book Strange People I Have Known is a fast-paced and entertaining read that brings deep insight into British political life." – Bill Browder "A fascinating memoir which gives a revelatory insider's account of the biggest political names from the past few decades, interwoven with evocative reflections on the many colourful characters who have peppered McSmith's own life." – Pippa Crerar "An addictive memoir that fizzes with anecdotes. If you like top-level political gossip and insights written with panache, look no further." – Gary Gibbon *** Westminster and Whitehall are secret worlds, hidden to most. But working as a lobby journalist, former Labour Party staffer Andy McSmith has had exclusive access to our top politicians for decades. Here, he shares his personal encounters with the great and the good of the British political landscape, revealing what they are really like behind the scenes. With witty and perceptive flair, he describes encounters such as flying to Tokyo with Margaret Thatcher, the last Prime Minister who would walk fearlessly into a room full of journalists, unprotected by special advisers; dining with Sir Edward Heath, a man who knew how to hold a grudge, in his home in Salisbury; observing Gordon Brown and Tony Blair as new MPs, sharing a cramped office in Parliament and collaborating like brothers; and working with Boris Johnson back when he had an ambition to be something more than just a journalist. Filled with vivid portraits of those at the heart of British politics over the past forty years, Strange People I Have Known is a memoir of a life well lived and an insider's account of the inner workings of government.

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Page Count

246

Publisher

Biteback Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1785908081

ISBN 13

9781785908088

Holocaust Consciousness in Contemporary Britain

By: Andy Pearce

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Holocaust Consciousness in Contemporary Britain

By: Andy Pearce

The Holocaust is a pervasive presence in British culture and society. Schools have been legally required to deliver Holocaust education, the government helps to fund student visits to Auschwitz, the Imperial War Museum's permanent Holocaust Exhibition has attracted millions of visitors, and Britain has an annually commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day. What has prompted this development, how has it unfolded, and why has it happened now? How does it relate to Britain's post-war history, its contemporary concerns, and the wider "globalisation" of Holocaust memory? What are the multiple shapes that British Holocaust consciousness assumes and the consequences of their rapid emergence? Why have the so-called "lessons" of the Holocaust enjoyed such popularity in Britain? Through analysis of changing engagements with the Holocaust in political, cultural and memorial landscapes over the past generation, this book addresses these questions, demonstrating the complexities of Holocaust consciousness and reflecting on the contrasting ways that history is used in Britain today.

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Page Count

334

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1135046514

ISBN 13

9781135046514

Lonely Planet Great Britain

By: Lonely Planet,Neil Wilson,Oliver Berry,Fionn Davenport,Marc Di Duca,Belinda Dixon,Peter Dragicevich,Damian Harper,Catherine Le Nevez,Andy Symington

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Lonely Planet Great Britain

By: Lonely Planet,Neil Wilson,Oliver Berry,Fionn Davenport,Marc Di Duca,Belinda Dixon,Peter Dragicevich,Damian Harper,Catherine Le Nevez,Andy Symington

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Great Britain is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Ponder the mysteries of Stonehenge, explore the many sides of Edinburgh, or try new versions of British pub favourites at a gastropub; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Great Britain and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's Great Britain Travel Guide: Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, architecture, landscape, wildlife, literature, cinema, television, music, painting, sculpture, theatre, sports, cuisine, politics. Covers London, Canterbury, Cambridge, Oxford, Birmingham, Yorkshire, Newcastle, The Lake District, Cardiff, Snowdonia, Glasgow, Argyll, Inverness, Stirling and more eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Great Britain, our most comprehensive guide to Great Britain, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You’ll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

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1839

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Lonely Planet

Published Date

ISBN 10

1787010406

ISBN 13

9781787010406

Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

The Russian Masters from Akhmatova and Pasternak to Shostakovich and Eisenstein Under Stalin

By: Andy McSmith

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Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

The Russian Masters from Akhmatova and Pasternak to Shostakovich and Eisenstein Under Stalin

By: Andy McSmith

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354

Publisher

New Press, The

Published Date

ISBN 10

1620970791

ISBN 13

9781620970799

Faces of Labour

The Inside Story

By: Andy McSmith

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Faces of Labour

The Inside Story

By: Andy McSmith

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412

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ISBN 10

1859849687

ISBN 13

9781859849682

Innocent in the House

By: Andy McSmith

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Innocent in the House

By: Andy McSmith

A barely fictional account of Commons life under New Labour.

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324

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ISBN 10

185984491X

ISBN 13

9781859844915

Faces of Labour

The Inside Stories

By: Andy McSmith

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Faces of Labour

The Inside Stories

By: Andy McSmith

Updated since the May election, FACES OF LABOUR gives a unique insight into a range of Labour politicians including Tony Blair, John Prescott, Peter Mandelson, and Clare Short in a series of entertaining and revealing portraits. "McSmith's book mixes original research with personal observations. It is indeed the inside story". Frank Allaun, MORNING STAR.

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388

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ISBN 10

1859840930

ISBN 13

9781859840931

Book's by Andy McSmith

Innocent in the House

Innocent in the House

Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

Faces of Labour

Faces of Labour

No Such Thing as Society

No Such Thing as Society

Strange People I Have Known

Strange People I Have Known

Holocaust Consciousness in Contemporary Britain

Holocaust Consciousness in Contemporary Britain

Lonely Planet Great Britain

Lonely Planet Great Britain

Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

Fear and the Muse Kept Watch

Faces of Labour

Faces of Labour

Innocent in the House

Innocent in the House

Faces of Labour

Faces of Labour

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