"Finale: A novel of the Reagan Years" by Thomas Mallon
Given that the first half of the 21st century (please God, not the second) is defined by an ideological struggle between those who seek to destroy Western civilization and those who defend it, Thomas Mallon’s 2015 title Finale: A novel of the Reagan Years, set in 1986 at the tail end of the defining ideological struggle of the second half of the 20th century – Soviet Communism vs. the West – is timely and relevant. What interests Mallon, however, isn’t the political arguments for or against Communism. (He and his spokesperson protagonist Anders Little both recognize that the USSR must lose.) Mallon’s fiction is instead a story and study of human relationships – loyalty, love, betrayal, ego – set against a political backdrop. And Mallon includes a loving, fictionalized portrait of his dear friend, the late, great Christopher Hitchens.
Finale: A novel of the Reagan Years. Deckle Edge, Pantheon, RRP £18.49
Abby W. Schachter, CapX US Editor | @abbyschachter
"Thrown" by Kerry Howley
This might just be the best book about mixed martial arts ever written. Like all the best fight books it’s about much more than fighting. Howley follows a pair of Iowa-based fighters, journeyman Sean Huffman and would-be next-big-thing Erik Koch, but their battles in the “Octagon” are only part of the story. This is a book about the quest for the sublime, the search for glory and meaning and, above all, about the nature of being a fan. Howely has a keen eye for the ridiculousness of sport but also, because of that, a fine appreciation for why it actually, despite everything, really matters. This is a piercingly well-observed and beautifully written debut. An instant classic of the fight genre.
Thrown. Kerry Howley, Hamish Hamilton, RRP £14.99
Alex Massie, Times columnist | @alexmassie
"When the Professor Got Stuck in the Snow" by Dan Rhodes
This novel stood out for its courage and ambition. I still can’t quite believe this crazy book exists –Richard Dawkins and his manservant Smee are stranded in the English countryside due to inclement weather, and the Prof’s hardline views on religion lead him into all sorts of scrapes with the gentle inhabitants of Upper Bottom. It is surreal and hilarious – and perfectly captures the odd mix of pomposity and prissiness that is the real-life Dawkins. When the Professor… is the first completely successful comic novel I’ve read in a long time. The English used to be really good at them – I wish more writers would rediscover the skill.
When the Professor Got Stuck in the Snow. Dan Rhodes, Miyuki Books
Chris Deerin, Writer and communications adviser | @chrisdeerin
"The Evolution of Everything" by Matt Ridley
It’s the mark of a powerful new thesis that, when you read it, you say to yourself: “It seems obvious, now; why didn’t I think of that?” Contemporaries reacted thus to Adam Smith’s startling idea that collective wealth is generated by individual self-interest. Likewise to Charles Darwin’s revolutionary notion that living things evolved from common ancestors. It will be a common response, too, to The Evolution of Everything, which braids Smith and Darwin, among others, into a general theory.
Some snotty reviewers can’t see past the fact that Matt Ridley is an Old Etonian, a Thatcherite and a hereditary peer. They grudgingly accept that he might have a point when talking about the evolution of, say, genes or technology (Ridley’s remarkably idea is that technology evolves on its own, moving to the next “adjacent possible”, almost regardless of the people involved: if Edison hadn’t come up with the lightbulb, one of the eight other more-or-less simultaneous inventors would have got the credit); but they baulk at extending his thesis to politics or economics.
In fact, Ridley’s logic is inexorable: just as the human body evolved without any overall plan, any grand designer, so too did cities, musical instruments, languages, markets, the Internet and pretty much everything else. Do read this book. At the end, you’ll feel wiser and, oddly, happier
The Evolution of Everything: How Ideas Emerge. Matt Ridley, Fourth Estate, RRP £20
Daniel Hannan, Conservative Member of the European Parliament | @DanHannanMEP
"A Hobbit, A Wardrobe and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship and Heroism" by Joseph Loconte
This is a powerful and moving book – a compelling story of the partnership between two of the greatest British writers of the 20th Century, whose works are cherished by millions across the world. It is a book about faith, friendship, sacrifice and heroism forged on the battlefields of the First World War, with important lessons for today’s generation in the face of mounting threats to Western civilization. Professor Loconte’s account of the bonds that tied Tolkien and Lewis is beautifully written, and cannot fail to inspire anyone who reads it.
A Hobbit, A Wardrobe and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship and Heroism. Joseph Loconte, Thomas Nelson, RRP £16.49
Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C | @NileGardiner
"The Public Wealth of Nations" by Dag Detter and Stefan Folster
One of the most cheering reads of the year was The Public Wealth of Nations. The authors believe we are all richer than we think. They argue that most countries have a host of valuable assets but politicians are hopeless at maximizing them. If they were removed from the political arena, ring fenced in sovereign wealth funds run by experts, the profits would start flowing, whether from more efficient forestry or better utilized properties. The UK government is waking up to this but there is a lot further to go. Making the assets really sweat would yield far more than the £27 billion that was serendipitously discovered down the back of the sofa!
The Public Wealth of Nations. Dag Detter, Palgrave, RRP £24.99
Patience Wheatcroft, Conservative Member of the House of Lords
"Hall of Mirrors: The Great Depression, The Great Recession, and the Uses - and Misuses - of History" by Barry Eichengreen
Since the global financial crisis, it has been common to reflect back on the Great Depression and to draw parallels between 1929 and 2008. Economic history is back in fashion. A little bit of knowledge of the past can, however, be just as dangerous as having none at all, leading to knee-jerk policy responses that fail to respond to the underlying “problems”. Having completely transformed our understanding of the Great Depression in his book Golden Fetters (1992), Barry Eichengreen’s latest work shows that whilst we managed to avoid a repeat of the devastation of 1929, we still have a lot more to learn. Whether you are an optimist or a pessimist when it comes to the economy in 2016 and beyond, Hall of Mirrors should be at the top of your Christmas list.
Hall of Mirrors: The Great Depression, The Great Recession, and the Uses-and Misuses-of History. Barry Eichengreen, OUP, RRP £20.00
Victoria Bateman, Economic Historian and Fellow in Economics, Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, and Fellow of the Legatum Institute | @vnbateman
The Courtauld Gallery’s summer show
In a year of sifting the tens of thousands of books published in the UK it can be surprising what leaves a lasting mark. The publication that made the most impact on me was not a conventional book at all, but a modest exhibition catalogue. The Courtauld Gallery’s summer show of self-portraits by the eighteenth century painter, critic and collector Jonathan Richardson was a revelation on many levels – not just about the artist but also about the self-regarding modernity of the eighteenth century (in some ways the early Georgians seem closer to us than the Victorians). Including a short and perfectly-pitched essay by Susan Owens, Jonathan Richardson By Himself is an example of the under-celebrated quality of British catalogues. Apart from that, I also liked Blake Morrison’s new poetry collection Shingle Street, which seems lightweight only at first. The poems travel the eroding Suffolk coast, but grow in the mind.
Richard Walker, Journalist and communications advisor | @riwalker101
"Elegy" by Andrew Roberts
This outstanding book is also profoundly moving. Andrew Roberts says that while writing it, there were moments when he wept. Readers would be advised to keep tissues at hand. Our author has produced an elegy for doomed youth, and for a vanished age. He is awe-inspired by the courage displayed by the men who went into action on the first day of the Somme, on the tragically-mistaken assumption that the massive British artillery barrage would have cut the German barbed wire and shattered many of the front-line trenches. As it was, the British paladins advanced to their heroic doom.
Most of those heroes were volunteers. They sacrificed themselves because they believed in King and Country. Andrew Roberts has provided a worthy salute to their bravery, and an excellent read
Elegy: The First Day on the Somme. Andrew Roberts, Head of Zeus, RRP £15.00
Bruce Anderson, Political commentator
"SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome", by Mary Beard
“There is no single story of Rome.” True words from historian, academic and unintentional celebrity Mary Beard. But if an over-arching guide to the Roman world is what you’re looking for this Christmas, SPQR does its absolute best. Starting with Rome’s founding myth and continuing through to the groundbreaking decision in 212 AD to grant citizenship to all inhabitants of the Empire, Beard somehow finds room for detours into the corners of Classics rarely discussed in classrooms. Whether its the secret lives of Rome’s favourite authors, or “the other side to the story” of Cicero’s famous victory over Catiline, there is much here to delight newcomers to Classics and experienced Latin scholars alike.
This is a book that cheerfully addresses what we all thought we knew about the Romans, then reveals just how many assumptions we have made. But what stands out most, from the woman who recently took on Boris Johnson defending Rome over Greece, is how much we can still learn from the Romans, even if it’s a case of what not to do. In short, while SPQR is sure to leave the reader with a hundred new questions, it provides a definitive response to those who ask “What’s the point of studying Latin today?”. Answer: everything.
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. Mary Beard, Profile Books, RRP £25.00
Rachel Cunliffe, CapX Deputy Editor | @RachelCapX
Sound Man : A Life Recording Hits with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zepplin, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, The Faces... by Glyn Johns
Sound Man : A Life Recording Hits with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zepplin, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, The Faces… Glyn Johns, Blue Rider Press, RRP £20.00
Iain Martin, Editor, CapX | @iainmartin1
