The Pendulum Years : Britain and the Sixties

by Bernard Levin

Content sound and tight. Name on FEP. DJ clipped. Spine lightly sunned. DJ has some wear, now in protective covering. No other markings etc - good copy.

Genres: History, British Literature

455 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 1970

About the author

Henry Bernard Levin, CBE (London School of Economics, 1952) was described by the London daily The Times as "the most famous journalist of his day". As political correspondent of The Spectator under the pseudonym "Taper", he became "the father of the modern parliamentary sketch," as The Guardian's Simon Hoggart put it. He went on to work as the drama critic for The Daily Express and later The Daily Mail, and appeared regularly on the satirical BBC programme, That Was The Week That Was. He joined The Times as a columnist in 1970, almost immediately provoking controversy and lawsuits, and left when the paper was taken over by Rupert Murdoch.

Reviews

[Lysergius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting review of the major trends of the sixties by one of the TW3 team.

Another read through this and a feeling of surprise that it has not aged. the essays are as fresh as they were when they were first published in 1970. Interesting the pendulum referred to in the title in the ambivalence of the sixties, trying to look forward while looking back simultaneously.

His review of the Profumo Affair is still one of the best accounts I have read, his characterisation of some of the sixties characters, Tariq Ali, and David Frost for example are spot on, and his appreciation of the nature of the changes taking place is profound.

The language crackles with pyrotechnics and wit, and his characterisation of himself on TW3 is perfect. I think he must have enjoyed working on it, I know I enjoyed watching it.

[Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to read and reread. It took me back to my earlier years