A Companion to Contemporary Britain, 1939-2000

Abstract

Despite the enormous growth in research and writing on contemporary British history, postwar British history is, curiously, lacking a comprehensive textbook which lecturers can recommend to students with complete satisfaction. There are some marvellous books, such as Peter Clarke’s evocative contribution to the new Penguin History of Britain, Hope and Glory: Britain, 1900–2000, and Kathleen Burk’s edited collection of six long and penetrating essays, British Isles since 1945, part of the Short Oxford History of Britain series, and couple of serviceable political histories: David Childs’ oft-updated Britain since 1945: A Political History (London, 1997); and the now outdated Alan Sked and Chris Cook, Post-War Britain: A Political History (Harmondsworth, 1993).