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fletchski's review against another edition
5.0
A compelling read, which isn't always the case with non-fiction. Maconie manages to entwine his own journey retracing the Jarrow marcher's steps with that of the original marchers and, while he finds many things that have changed, there is much that is still the same. For me, it was interesting to read a different and more believable take on Brexit. Nationally this has been seen as a vote of ignorance from the 'stupid' working class, but Maconie discovers this is far from the truth. He found, especially in the North East, a similarity between the working class of 1936 and 2016. Many feel disenfranchised and voiceless, and saw Brexit as a chance to stick two fingers up at the establishment. The fact that the middle classes were horrified at the prospect probably gave them even more reason to vote for it especially as they felt their traditional party, Labour, had shifted away from them and seemed more concerned with the chatterings of North London than the north of England.
I loved this book, which is so well written. Maconie has a knack of making you feel at ease, almost as if you're sat with him sharing a pint. I particularly like the bit in Northampton. my home town, and his chat with Alan Moore.
I loved this book, which is so well written. Maconie has a knack of making you feel at ease, almost as if you're sat with him sharing a pint. I particularly like the bit in Northampton. my home town, and his chat with Alan Moore.
jonnybrick's review against another edition
4.0
A walk from the North-East of England to London, retracing the steps of the Jarrow marchers. Great social history, engagingly told.
cburley04's review against another edition
2.0
This seemed to be a comparison of working class England then and now in reflection of the Brexit vote and what was then a march of unemployment and how things were. Interspersed with brief local history and chats with locals. Though interesting i'm not quit sure what this book wanted to be and it didn't really seem to reach any level of depth to peak a real interest in any matters.
wunkymatts's review against another edition
4.0
This is an absolutely gorgeous book. I want to say I would recommend it to anyone, but Maconie is not shy about expressing his opinions. He does this with a dazzling self awareness and nuance, as well as often providing solid explanations for his conclusions (and owning it when he doesn't have any) but I also agree with a lot of his opinions so maybe someone who doesn't would have a harder time with this book.
Maconie's writing is warm and readable. He has a gift for description and is constantly aware of his own penchant for nostalgia and guards against it. See the above mentioned dazzling self awareness. The idea and structure also work well. His discussions of the original march and the comparison with today in a wonderfully clear eyed way.
If you know nothing about the Jarrow Crusade or want to know more this book is a fantastic, accessible place to start.
My only complaints are a couple of obvious mistakes that irk me on a personal level. Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford are the cities of West Yorkshire, not South. And Jo Cox wasn't shot outside her constituency office, she was shot outside a library elsewhere in her constituency. I did feel quite let down by these oversights, and it made me wonder a bit about the other pieces of delightful knowledge in the book.
Maconie's writing is warm and readable. He has a gift for description and is constantly aware of his own penchant for nostalgia and guards against it. See the above mentioned dazzling self awareness. The idea and structure also work well. His discussions of the original march and the comparison with today in a wonderfully clear eyed way.
If you know nothing about the Jarrow Crusade or want to know more this book is a fantastic, accessible place to start.
My only complaints are a couple of obvious mistakes that irk me on a personal level. Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford are the cities of West Yorkshire, not South. And Jo Cox wasn't shot outside her constituency office, she was shot outside a library elsewhere in her constituency. I did feel quite let down by these oversights, and it made me wonder a bit about the other pieces of delightful knowledge in the book.
kingarooski's review against another edition
4.0
Was 2016 like 1936?...I saw and heard chilling echoes, not from the Jarrow march route but not too far away, that made me think. Domineering men telling lies, big lies, and snarling at the judges and journalists who try to hold them to account. Contempt for women. Contempt for decency. Banter instead of wit. Cruelty in place of compassion. The age of the troll and the snowflake, people reduced to stereotypes, and the newspapers once again denouncing 'enemies of the people' and printing their names and pictures. In 2016, for the first time for me, it was not glib chatter or student drivel to think that something very like fascism was arising again out of the depths of history, a rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem to be born.
Any book which quotes my favourite poem in its closing lines is a good book by my standards. This was an interesting and enjoyable book, but I was hoping for more Jarrow and less Brexit. I can see why Stuart Maconie needed to talk about Brexit because when he marched, this was all the nation talked about. It is easy to draw the parallels between the 30s and our current times, but I would have loved more about the Jarrow march. The book does give an accurate picture of Britain at the time when Stuart Maconie marched from Jarrow to London and I enjoyed his descriptions of each of the towns and cities where he stayed.
Any book which quotes my favourite poem in its closing lines is a good book by my standards. This was an interesting and enjoyable book, but I was hoping for more Jarrow and less Brexit. I can see why Stuart Maconie needed to talk about Brexit because when he marched, this was all the nation talked about. It is easy to draw the parallels between the 30s and our current times, but I would have loved more about the Jarrow march. The book does give an accurate picture of Britain at the time when Stuart Maconie marched from Jarrow to London and I enjoyed his descriptions of each of the towns and cities where he stayed.