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A state of play : British politics on screen, stage and page, from Anthony Trollope to The thick of it / Steven Fielding.
Van Pelt Library PR478.P64 F54 2014
Available
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Fielding, Steven, 1961- author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- English literature--20th century--History and criticism.
- English literature.
- English literature--21st century--History and criticism.
- Politics in literature.
- Politicians in literature.
- Television programs--Political aspects--Great Britain.
- Television programs.
- Television and politics.
- Motion pictures--Political aspects--Great Britain.
- Motion pictures.
- Politics in motion pictures.
- Politicians in motion pictures.
- Motion pictures--Political aspects.
- Great Britain.
- Physical Description:
- 304 pages ; 24 cm
- Place of Publication:
- London ; New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2014.
- Summary:
- A State of Play explores how the British have imagined their politics, from the parliament worship of Anthony Trollope to the cynicism of The Thick of It. In an account that mixes historical with political analysis, Steven Fielding argues that fictional depictions of politics have played an important but insidious part in shaping how the British think about their democracy and have helped ventilate their many frustrations with Westminster. He shows that dramas and fictions have also performed a significant role in the battle of ideas, in a way undreamt of by those who draft party manifestos. The book examines the work of overtly political writers on the subject, discussing the novels of H.G. Wells, the comedy series Yes, Minister and the plays of David Hare. However, it also assesses how less obvious sources, such as the films of George Formby, the novels of Agatha Christie, the Just William stories and situation comedies like Steptoe and Son, have reflected on representative democracy. A State of Play is an invaluable, distinctive and engaging guide to a new way of thinking about Britain's political past and present. Book jacket.
- Contents:
- Introduction: depicting democracy
- Parliament worship
- Disappointing democracy
- The people's war and after
- Imagining the post-war consensus
- The established order undermined
- The televised crisis
- Yes, conspirator
- Still no job for a lady
- A thick ending
- Epilogue: what would plato say?.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- ISBN:
- 9781849669788
- 1849669783
- 9781780933160
- 1780933169
- OCLC:
- 869788343
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