A history of Britain in the 1980s

Graham Stewart, Atlantic Books, 560 pages, hardback, £25

Some celebrated, some mourned. But love her or hate her, we can all agree that the death in April of former Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher brought back the sharp divides that characterised the 1980s.

For many it was the 1984-85 miners’ strike that defined the decade but this book covers much, much more. In 1981 an explosion of riots rocked England’s cities: 6,000 print workers struck at Wapping; the Falklands war raged; and there was a re-escalation of “the troubles” in Northern Ireland culminating in the famous hunger strikes, the death of Bobby Sands and the Brighton bombings.

It was also the decade that sowed the seeds of New Labour, mass privatisation, deregulation of the financial markets and marked the beginning of the period of neoliberalism. Culturally, indie pop, ska and house music got people dancing, shoulder pads were in, Channel 4 was born and alternative comedy hit the stage.

This comprehensive and engaging book is a timely reminder that the 1980s continue to shape modern Britain.

It is not just a miserable trawl through depressed communities and collapsed industries, it skanks and raves, and takes you underground to capture the spirit of the decade.

Reviews contributed by the Bookmarks socialist bookshop. Order online at www.bookmarksbookshop.co.uk