High Minds by Simon Heffer
Simon Heffer's new book forms an ambitious exploration of the making of the Victorian age and the Victorian mind.
"Heffer has written a stunning overview of the great and the good – and the not-so-good – of Victorian society and of the changes which a largely benevolent capitalism brought about" * Sarah Bradford, The Literary Review *
"High Minds is worthy to the task: serious, scholarly, grand and determined...an excellent guide to the aesthetics of the age." * Tristram Hunt, New Statesman *
"[I]t is really a whole bookshelf of books. If you want a succinct volume on the Clarendon Commission and the debates on education, there is a not-so-slim volume embedded here. There is another on the desperate case of the formidable Caroline Norton and the battle to give women rights...another on the great philanthropists; another on crime and punishment; another (wonderfully detailed and compelling) on the Great Exhibition and the foundation of Albertopolis; another on the sewers; a terrific essay on the struggle between Gothic and Italianate architecture; and of course plenty of politics...This is a great sweeping, confident book, demonstrating the self-same energy and passion as do the Victorian heroes Heffer celebrates. It is a magnificent achievement." * William Waldegrave, The Times *
"[A] stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable book...[Heffer] is sometimes tendentious but never unreasonable, writes notably well and provides an admirable introduction to a period of history which many of us will think that we know quite well but have never considered from this point of view before." * Philip Ziegler, The Spectator *
"High Minds is partly social history, partly a history of ideas. It is the personalities involved that contribute such liveliness to this assured and magisterial narrative." * Matthew Dennison, The Sunday Telegraph *
"There is something enormously refreshing about reading a history book with such a passionate moral agenda, as well as one with such scope, energy and intellectual clarity. High Minds is a book Heffer’s heroes would have loved – and perhaps there is no higher compliment than that." * Dominic Sandbrook, The Sunday Times *
"[A]bsolutely riveting . . . As dramatic as he is bold, as droll as he insightful, Heffer keeps his foot firmly on the throttle throughout, ensuring the narrative never flags." * John Preston, Daily Mail *
"Magnificent... [A] gloriously detailed narrative." -- S J D Green * Standpoint *
"This important book provides a detailed overview of 40 years in the Victorian era in which British life was transformed beyond recognition ... The book demonstrates a depth of research … letting the evidence speak for itself ... this pacy account will have you gripped." * Daily Mail *
"A rich, readable and unashamedly moralistic anti-Strachey." * Sunday Times *
"High Minds is worthy to the task: serious, scholarly, grand and determined...an excellent guide to the aesthetics of the age." * Tristram Hunt, New Statesman *
"[I]t is really a whole bookshelf of books. If you want a succinct volume on the Clarendon Commission and the debates on education, there is a not-so-slim volume embedded here. There is another on the desperate case of the formidable Caroline Norton and the battle to give women rights...another on the great philanthropists; another on crime and punishment; another (wonderfully detailed and compelling) on the Great Exhibition and the foundation of Albertopolis; another on the sewers; a terrific essay on the struggle between Gothic and Italianate architecture; and of course plenty of politics...This is a great sweeping, confident book, demonstrating the self-same energy and passion as do the Victorian heroes Heffer celebrates. It is a magnificent achievement." * William Waldegrave, The Times *
"[A] stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable book...[Heffer] is sometimes tendentious but never unreasonable, writes notably well and provides an admirable introduction to a period of history which many of us will think that we know quite well but have never considered from this point of view before." * Philip Ziegler, The Spectator *
"High Minds is partly social history, partly a history of ideas. It is the personalities involved that contribute such liveliness to this assured and magisterial narrative." * Matthew Dennison, The Sunday Telegraph *
"There is something enormously refreshing about reading a history book with such a passionate moral agenda, as well as one with such scope, energy and intellectual clarity. High Minds is a book Heffer’s heroes would have loved – and perhaps there is no higher compliment than that." * Dominic Sandbrook, The Sunday Times *
"[A]bsolutely riveting . . . As dramatic as he is bold, as droll as he insightful, Heffer keeps his foot firmly on the throttle throughout, ensuring the narrative never flags." * John Preston, Daily Mail *
"Magnificent... [A] gloriously detailed narrative." -- S J D Green * Standpoint *
"This important book provides a detailed overview of 40 years in the Victorian era in which British life was transformed beyond recognition ... The book demonstrates a depth of research … letting the evidence speak for itself ... this pacy account will have you gripped." * Daily Mail *
"A rich, readable and unashamedly moralistic anti-Strachey." * Sunday Times *
Simon Heffer was born in 1960. He read English at Cambridge and took a PhD at that university in modern history. His previous books include: Moral Desperado: A Life of Thomas Carlyle, Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell, Nor Shall My Sword: The Reinvention of England, Vaughan Williams, the highly successful Strictly English and A Short History of Power. In a career of nearly 30 years in Fleet Street he has written columns for and held senior positions on the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and the Spectator.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781847946775 |
| ISBN 10 | 1847946771 |
| Title | High Minds |
| Author | Simon Heffer |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Cornerstone |
| Year published | 2013-10-03 |
| Number of pages | 896 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |