Having it So Good: Britain in the Fifties

Winner of the Orwell Prize

The second part of Peter Hennessy's celebrated Post-War Trilogy, Having it So Good: Britain in the Fifties captures Britain in an extraordinary decade, emerging from the shadow of war into growing affluence.

"If the Gods gossip, this is how it would sound" – Philip Ziegler, Spectator Books of the Year

A Decisive Decade

The 1950s was a transformative time for Britain, marked by:

• Roger Bannister running the four-minute mile,
• Bill Haley releasing the iconic 'Rock Around the Clock',
• The end of rationing, and
• The traumatic and disastrous Suez War.

A Unique Perspective

In this highly enjoyable and original book, Peter Hennessy takes readers on a journey through:

• Front rooms,
• Classrooms,
• Cabinet rooms, and
• The new high-street coffee bars of Britain.

He recaptures, like no other history has, the feel, the flavour, and the politics of this extraordinary time of change.

Praise for Having it So Good

• "Utterly engaging ... a treat. It breathes exhilaration" – Libby Purves, The Times
• "A particular treat ... fine, wise and meticulously researched" – Andrew Marr
• "Stands clear of the field as our best narrative history of this decisive decade" – Peter Clarke, Sunday Times
• "A compelling narrative ... Hennessy's love of the flesh and blood of politics breathes on every page" – Tim Gardam, Observer

"The late Ben Pimlott once described Hennessy as 'something of a national institution.' You can forget the first two of those five words" – Guardian