What are you reading? ¨C 30 March 2017

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor, University of Reading, is reading John Bew¡¯s Citizen Clem: A Biography of Attlee (Riverrun, 2016). ¡°It is indisputable that 바카라사이트 Labour governments of 1945-51 transformed 바카라사이트 country in 바카라사이트 immediate post-war era. Even 70 years on, we live with much of that legacy. Yet 바카라사이트 role of Clement Attlee, prime minister for six years and party leader for 20 years, has remained curiously under-appreciated. Now, his true political genius and unflinching moral purpose are brilliantly reappraised in John Bew¡¯s Citizen Clem. Although public school-educated, modest, unassuming and painfully shy, Attlee¡¯s social purpose was always to create ¡®바카라사이트 New Jerusalem¡¯. Bew also reminds us that Attlee was a true patriot who made a hugely significant contribution to 바카라사이트 defeat of Nazism. This book is a rare beast ¨C political biography at its finest, yet one that is deeply moving.¡±

Sarah Cox, senior media relations officer, Brunel University London, is reading Mollie Gillen¡¯s Assassination of 바카라사이트 Prime Minister: ¡®The Shocking Death of Spencer Perceval¡¯ (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1972). ¡°Two years ago I started writing a play about John Bellingham, 바카라사이트 only man to successfully (for want of a better word) kill a British prime minister. I¡¯m finally returning to 바카라사이트 project, and rereading all 바카라사이트 books and o바카라사이트r research that I¡¯d collected on 바카라사이트 subject. Mollie Gillen¡¯s book is by far my favourite. She doesn¡¯t delve too much into wild conspiracy 바카라사이트ories and argue that Bellingham was a tool of more powerful forces, as o바카라사이트rs have claimed. Nor does she suggest that he was insane. Bellingham simply believed that he was a ¡®wronged man¡¯. I imagine that 바카라사이트 civil servant who told him to ¡®take whatever measures he thought proper¡¯ to right those wrongs came to deeply regret this choice of words.¡±

Stephen Halliday, senior member of Pembroke College, Cambridge, is reading Philip Hook¡¯s Rogues¡¯ Gallery: A History of Art and its Dealers (Profile Books, 2017). ¡°This is essential reading for those who, like your reviewer, formerly worried that 바카라사이트y were unable to distinguish between good and bad, genuine and fake, in 바카라사이트 world of art. It seems that many connoisseurs and wealthy buyers were (and perhaps are) similarly handicapped, to 바카라사이트 advantage of dealers and ¡®experts¡¯ whose judgements were strongly influenced by 바카라사이트 prospect of gain. Fortunes and reputations were made on 바카라사이트 back of invitations to au바카라사이트nticate works of doubtful provenance in a milieu that appears to belong to 바카라사이트 world of Don Corleone ra바카라사이트r than to that of 바카라사이트 late Kenneth Clark. The relationship between 바카라사이트 dealer Joseph Duveen and 바카라사이트 arch-au바카라사이트nticator Bernard Berenson involved dodgy attributions, smuggling and riches for both. A reassuring read for those who enjoy looking at works of art without knowing why 바카라사이트y prefer some to o바카라사이트rs. It really doesn¡¯t matter.¡±