{"title":"David Torrance","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Torrance\u003c\/strong\u003e offers gripping explorations into pivotal moments of history, blending detailed research with compelling narrative. His works, such as \u003cem\u003eThe Edge of Revolution\u003c\/em\u003e, delve into the forces that have shaped political landscapes and societal upheavals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect insightful perspectives on both historical and contemporary political themes, where military events and revolutionary movements are examined with clarity and depth. Torrance’s books invite reflection on the complexities of change and power.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-wild-men-by-david-torrance-9781399411479","title":"The Wild Men","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA century ago, a Labour government took power for the first time. Meet the \"Wild Men\" who led the way...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Superb' -- New Statesman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e'Fascinating' -- The Sunday Times.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1923, the passing of the Act which gave all men the vote opened the door for a radically different sort of government: men from working-class backgrounds who had never before occupied the corridors of power at Westminster. Who were these ‘wild men’? Ramsay MacDonald, their leader and Labour’s first Prime Minister, was the illegitimate son of a Scottish farm labourer; Arthur Henderson was a Scottish iron moulder; J. H. Thomas, a Welsh railwayman; John Wheatley, an Irish-born miner and publican; and William Adamson, a Fife coal miner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Wild Men\u003c\/em\u003e - this new edition with a fully updated preface - tells the story of that first Labour administration – its unexpected birth, fraught existence, and controversial downfall – through the eyes of those who found themselves in the House of Commons, running the country for the people. Blending biography and history into a compelling narrative, David Torrance reassesses the UK’s first Labour government a century after it shook up a British establishment still reeling from the War – and how the establishment eventually fought back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an extraordinary period in British political history which echoes down the years to our current politics and laid the foundations for the Britain of today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46593549336812,"sku":"9781399411479","price":144.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/6482853482686.jpg?v=1751002374"},{"product_id":"the-edge-of-revolution-by-david-torrance-9781399423595","title":"The Edge of Revolution","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eDavid Torrance chronicles this decisive moment in British history with colourful, fascinating detail\u003c\/em\u003e - \u003cem\u003eThe Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompelling ... Vivid ... Fascinating - \u003cem\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuperb - \u003cem\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe extraordinary story of the General Strike of 1926, from the author of the critically acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Wild Men\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed tools in the only nationwide all-hands strike ever held in Britain. The General Strike had begun, and the country braced itself for what many believed was a moment akin to the Russian Revolution, which had shaken the world only a decade earlier. Industry was deprived of gas and electricity; the buses, trains and trams all stopped; newspapers ceased publication; and workers abandoned mines and iron, steel and chemical works around the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe General Strike has entered our national mythology. Even though it lasted only nine days, it left a legacy of bitterness that has had a profound impact on politics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNow, a century on, Torrance tells this dramatic story from the perspective of everyone involved, drawing on extensive archival research to recreate those nine days through the accounts of those who lived and breathed it. The result is an absorbing and comprehensive analysis of this unique episode in British history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47664190980332,"sku":"9781399423595","price":46.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781399423595-the-edge-of-revolution.jpg?v=1779661723"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/david-torrance.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}