The A- Z GUIDE TO MODERN BRISTISH HISTORY is a comprehensive, entertaining survey of the events, people and themes that make us who we are, written by two of the country's leading scholars of the subject. In 200 concise essays, covering topics as diverse as pornography and the poll tax, the Blitz and New Labour, the authors explore the interwoven culture, society, politics and economics of the recent past. The object of the Guide is not only to lay bare the facts of today's Britain, but also to provoke debate. Bombarded by information as never before, we all need to appreciate the extent to which seemingly disparate events connect with other, and echo previous developments which we are in danger of forgetting. The entries offer a consistent line of argument with a refreshing disrespect for old orthodoxies; at the same time, readers are given the essential facts on which to base their own opinions. The A- Z GUIDE TO MODERN BRISTISH HISTORY will be invaluable to students and general readers alike. Read separately, its entries are a mine of useful information; taken together, they build a vivid, compelling and controversial picture of Britain at the start of the twenty- first century.