7 November 2019
14 minutes
Some of Alwyn Turner’s finest books are a series of in-depth looks into modern British history, where he explores the social, political and cultural issues of each decade. ‘A Classless Society: Britain in the 1990s’ is his most recent effort, exploring everything from Tony Blair to Britpop.
7 November 2019
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle’s email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
Meet the Writers - latest episodes
Alexandra Heminsley
Writer and bestselling author Alexandra Heminsley began her career in publishing before moving into journalism in 2004 and going on to become books editor at ‘Elle’. Her latest book, ‘Some Body To Love’ is an honest and…
Monocle Reads: Lyndsey Stonebridge
Lyndsey Stonebridge is a writer and professor of humanities and human rights at the University of Birmingham. A prolific author, her writing has earned her a number of accolades, including the Modernist Studies Association…
Tim Sainsbury
Tim Sainsbury was responsible for the development and strategy of Sainsbury’s, one of the UK’s largest supermarkets. Aside from an illustrious initial career in retail, he is perhaps best known for being a Conservative…
Monocle Reads: Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow is a journalist, activist and science fiction author. His output has ranged across short stories, novels and graphic novels, including multiple ‘New York Times’ best sellers. He is also a passionate copyright…
Chris Atkins and Lottie Moggach
Chris Atkins was jailed for tax fraud and has written an eye-opening book about the experience, ‘A Bit of a Stretch’. His former partner Lottie Moggach also uses memories of the time to inform her novel ‘Brixton Hill’.…
Monocle Reads: Mia Levitin
Mia Levitin is a cultural and literary critic who has written for publications from the ‘Financial Times’ to ‘The Guardian’. She speaks to Georgina Godwin about her book ‘The Future of Seduction’, which details the ever…
The writers we met in 2020. Part 2: Dustin Lance Black, Isabel Allende, Oyinkan Braithwaite and Robert Reich
On this best of ‘Meet The Writers’, we bring you highlights from conversations with Academy award-winner and LGBT activist Dustin Lance Black, Chilean author Isabel Allende, best-selling Nigerian-UK novelist Oyinkan Brai…
The writers we met in 2020. Part 1: The Booker prize
We revisit our interview with this year’s Booker prize-winner Douglas Stuart, and hear from shortlisted authors Maaza Mengiste, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Brandon Taylor.
Andrey Kurkov
Andrey Kurkov, a former prison warden turned journalist, is now one of Ukraine’s most successful literary exports. He has numerous novels and screenplays to his name, including the bestselling ‘Death and the Penguin’. His…
Monocle Reads: Nanjala Nyabola
Nanjala Nyabola is a writer, political analyst and activist. With degrees from both Oxford University and Harvard Law School, she has written across a variety of topics including the internet, politics and travel. She…
Peter Cardwell
As special adviser to a total of four cabinet ministers, Peter Cardwell worked at the highest levels of government, gaining insight into rarely seen aspects of life in Whitehall. His book, ‘The Secret life of Special Adv…
Monocle Reads: Antony Johnston
Antony Johnston is a ‘New York Times’ bestselling writer and podcaster whose work spans multiple genres and formats, from books to video games. One of his most notable works, the graphic novel ‘Coldest City’, went on to be…
Jason Diakite
Jason Diakite is best known for his illustrious career as a hip hop artist in Sweden. Performing in the group Excel and then solo as Timbuktu, he has performed all over the world, including at the Nobel Peace prize ceremony…
Monocle Reads: Elizabeth Green
‘Not in the Script’ is Elizabeth Green’s unconventional and moving memoir about growing up with the feeling that she had been written out of a family story dominated by her entrepreneurial brother, Philip Green of Arcadia…
Peter Hain
Despite growing up in apartheid South Africa, Peter Hain is best known for his career spanning three decades as a UK Labour Party MP. He served in the cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and chaired the UN Secu…
