No Such Thing as Society cover art

No Such Thing as Society

A History of Britain in the 1980s

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No Such Thing as Society

By: Andy McSmith
Narrated by: David Holt
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About this listen

The 1980s was the revolutionary decade of the 20th century. 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 - politically, economically and culturally.

©2010 Andy McSmith (P)2011 Audible Ltd 20th Century Europe Great Britain Modern England Thought-Provoking War Imperialism Winston Churchill

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If you could sum up No Such Thing as Society in three words, what would they be?

A very good history/general knowledge book of the UK in the 1980s. Well worth your time.

Solid enjoyable read

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I really enjoyed this as I grew up in the 80s. Lots of very interesting stuff in this book.

Great

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Really interesting to hear more about things I heard growing up, putting some things into a little more perspective and understanding. Well written and well read too

Interesting listen

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Interesting and even fascinating if you grew up in the 80s. It will bring back many fond memories.
One of my top 10 in over 200 various books.

5 stars all the way

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really well structured with themes per chapter like comedy/ sports/ northern Ireland/ the banks/ music. Engagingly read and pitched just right

fascinating, well structured and delivered

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For all those who were sorely disappointed at the recent movie "The Iron Lady" (a 90-minute movie that had about 10 minutes about Thatcher and the 80's), this book is for you.

It covers much more than just Margaret Thatcher; it truly covers all the 80's and what a breadth of coverage and perspective.

It explains the changes that occurred in the 10 years before Margaret Thatcher was elected (with hugely informative examples on inflation), to explain the context of her election in 1979. It explains how the UK in 1979 was a place that would be "alien" to most of us (banks did not do mortgages; building companies did, and they did not offer bank accounts, only 33% of Britons had a bank account, most salaries were paid in cash, credit cards were almost unheard of, waiting to get a phone line was 3-6 months, ....) and then contrasts how the UK had changed totally by the end of the 80's.

I gave this book 5 stars because anyone interested in the subject matter should read (listen to) it. However, it is not perfect.

The author has a clear anti-Thatcher, anti-Falklands bias. Yet, although the bias is palpable, the information is so detailed and well presented that one does not mind the bias (which has the merit of being honest). I think that what make the author's bias palatable is the fact that he pulls no punches when describing those he obviously cares for (Bob Geldof, the Labour Party, the Miners' Union) making his barbs at Thatcherism even-handed.

The author also seems to be a specialist of obscure "musicians" whose main claim to fame is anti-establishment lyrics, rather than any musicality, and this emphasis does make the chapter on the music of the 80's overly long and, past the halfway point, uninteresting.

The reader of this audiobook was fine (I cannot really remember what he sounded like, which must be a compliment)

What the movie "The Iron Lady" should have been

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I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audio book. I was a young child in the eighties and it's fascinating to hear what I lived through - even if most of it passed me by. This period still resonates today - and in a few more years I'm sure the next generation will idolise it much like we do the sixties. My only gripe, and the reason I docked a star, is that it is heavy on Thatcher and politics. I am a big politics fan, so it feels strange for me to criticise that. I think the eighties were about more than one lady.

Great listen for an eighties child

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loved it also understood more about the politics of the 80 s than I ever did living through it love to read more from him

brilliant narrative

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This book was well constructed and deals with the Thatcher years in thematic chapters. I was reminded of several events which I had forgotten about and also there was reference to material which had been published years later. This very much helped me to understand the recent comments following Lady Thatcher's death. David Holt's reading lends an authoritative air.

Brought back memories!

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This is overall a competent summary of the social, political and economic history of the UK in the 1980s. I stress the word "summary" which is exactly what it is. It is quite short and lacks any real analysis. My immediate comparison is Dominic Sandbrook's series which has a much greater amount of analysis and in particular characterisations of the main players. The narration of Sandbrook's books is also more entertaining with voice characterisations. But overall an enjoyable listen.

Britain in the 1980s

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