The book blends an Oxford tutorial style with a lively, engaging approach, making it both rewarding and occasionally tiresome. While Taylor's central thesis about the resilience of the English people is compelling, his optimism about the period may be overstated, and his focus on minor inaccuracies detracts from the overall narrative.
The book is a unique blend of an Oxford tutorial and a tabloid style, making it both engaging and occasionally irritating. Taylor's underlying thesis, that the English people were led by incompetent politicians but still managed to improve their lives, is compelling. However, his insistence on minor inaccuracies and his tendency to overlook significant aspects like scientific advances and the fear of unemployment weaken the argument. The book is lively and thought-provoking, but Taylor's optimism about the period may be excessive, and his examples of popular cheerfulness are not entirely convincing. Overall, the book is more suited to provoking thought than providing authoritative statements.
Quick quotes
Taylor's underlying thesis is taken from the masthead slogan "Forward with the People
The insistence on liveliness remains and will keep any reader awake
Optimism for the sake of paradox has crept in rather too far.