The Great British Dream Factory The Strange History of Our National Imagination (Audible Audio Edition) Dominic Sandbrook David Thorpe Audible Studios Books
Download As PDF : The Great British Dream Factory The Strange History of Our National Imagination (Audible Audio Edition) Dominic Sandbrook David Thorpe Audible Studios Books
Britain's empire has gone. Our manufacturing base is a shadow of its former self; the Royal Navy has been reduced to a skeleton. In military, diplomatic and economic terms, we no longer matter as we once did. And yet there is still one area in which we can legitimately claim superpower status our popular culture.
It is extraordinary to think that one British writer, J. K. Rowling, has sold more than 400 million books; that Doctor Who is watched in almost every developed country in the world; that James Bond has been the central character in the longest-running film series in history; that The Lord of the Rings is the second best-selling novel ever written (behind only A Tale of Two Cities); that the Beatles are still the best-selling musical group of all time; and that only Shakespeare and the Bible have sold more books than Agatha Christie.
To put it simply, no country on Earth, relative to its size, has contributed more to the modern imagination. This is a book about the success and the meaning of Britain's modern popular culture, from Bond and the Beatles to heavy metal and Coronation Street, from the Angry Young Men to Harry Potter, from Damien Hirst to The X Factor.
The Great British Dream Factory The Strange History of Our National Imagination (Audible Audio Edition) Dominic Sandbrook David Thorpe Audible Studios Books
Dominic Sandbrook has certainly proved his credentials as a sound compiler of contemporary history. This book is an enjoyable departure from his narratives of recent British history. The book started out as a 'book of the TV series' to accompany yet another BBC documentary from Mr Sandbrook, however he has really gone the extra mile in producing a 688 page thumper of a volume.Sandbrook either saw this book as a more informal volume (hopefully) or his Daily Mail column writing is making him a bit overconfident in presenting his own opinions. The personal voice is certainly strong, however it makes for a good read in what is a bit of a less serious history. Those who criticise the book should read the preface where Sandbrook promises that conehead cultural historians will "search in vain for the opaque theoretical discussions, invented abstract nouns and interminable references to obscure Continental theorists". The book also has no intention of being encyclopedic. The focus is set very much on the popular and middle of the road. This is an interesting decision as a pure celebration of cultural output and the "national imagination" isn't automatically going to focus on 'low brow' output. Sandbrook in his preface narrows his interest to 'popular culture' although isn't interested in endlessly complex definitions of this term. He quotes United States Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart's definition of pornography: "you know it when you see it". In Sandbrook's case you'll find the Beatles, Agatha Christie and Doctor Who but no Harrison Birtwistle (a modernist classical composer that I admit I had to look up).
The focus on the popular would be justified by the hint in the title that part of his argument is that the 'cultural industry' has indeed been seen as a replacement for the mass production of British industry up until the mid-twentieth century. Sandbrook makes surprisingly little of the argument that Britain's "punching above its weight" culturally has been a compensation for the loss of empire and industrial supremacy.
He is more interested in the considerable amount of continuity between the Victorian era and today.
This well written book is an enjoyable meander through very popular culture. The structure is pretty loose - or a jigsaw puzzle in the author’s words. Part One generally explores the transition from making things to telling stories. Part Two contends that popular culture generally supports the established order, examples ranging from sections on 1960s stars like the Rolling Stones buying country homes (I was never quite sure how this section really fit in although it was interesting) to Harry Potter as a derivation from the traditional nineteenth century school story. Part Three continues in a similar theme in a sense, exploring cultural artefacts ranging from Doctor Who to Lord of the Flies, and how they derive from Dickens and Welles. The fourth part looks at the cult of the individual which Sandbrook traces back to Self Help by Samuel Smiles.
The book is deliberately provocative in places. Sandbrook rehabilitates Catherine Cookson for example, commending her raw and real portrayal of the struggles of working class life despite her lack of popularity with intellectual critics, who were outraged at her portrayal. The section which seems to have garnered the most furious responses online however is that dealing with John Lennon. Sandbrook pulls no punches: “Whatever you think of Lennon’s talent, his sheer narcissism is hard to overstate”. His coverage has attracted cries of being “hateful trash”. Yet while I would say that as elsewhere Sandbrook is writing with verve and attitude to entertain to some extent, everything he says is verifiable. He does point out that “far more than any other rock star of his generation, and more even than his fellow Beatles, John Lennon is a figure of colossal symbolic importance”. Also despite Lennon’s motivations often being driven by a desire to be rich and notorious, he does acknowledge that there is a reason for his success - his undeniable talent. I strongly disagree with his assessment of Imagine - it might be hypocritical but as Sandbrook states elsewhere, the public have voted repeatedly in the charts and polls. Its a great song!
That said Sandbrook deserves plenty of credit for this book. Much more than a book of the TV series, this is a well researched and informative wander through the pleasures of British popular culture.
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The Great British Dream Factory The Strange History of Our National Imagination (Audible Audio Edition) Dominic Sandbrook David Thorpe Audible Studios Books Reviews
I have always enjoyed Dominick Sandbrook’s books and was looking forward to reading this, his latest. Subtitled, “The Strange History of our National Imagination,” it is an examination of British culture. Or, as the author puts it, the shared culture of the English speaking world. Put simply, it describes the way that, after the Industrial Revolution, the country gradually stopped being a success in exporting manufactured goods, but gradually became successful in cultural exports – television, music, the arts and literature. I suspect though, that some of us in England would question whether much of what we make is produced for the American market, rather than our own, especially in terms of television drama. Obviously, though, it has always been the case that British artists have longed to be a success in the States, which is so financially lucrative – the Beatles, “I want to hold your hand,” was written with the American market in mind and drama’s such as, “Downton Abbey,” while popular in the UK were obviously set in a past that appeals to US audiences and confirms their tourist board picture of the country.
The book begins with the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. I recall, along with the author, how media expectations were low and many were taken by surprise at the success of a ceremony which showed the country’s rural and industrial heritage, as well as nods to comedy and homages to music and literature. What is interesting is how well known so many of those featured would be recognised around the world and it is the ‘popular’ that the author centres on. So, he tends to ignore the highbrow (no Bloomsbury Set), but Catherine Cookson, James Bond and Elton John all feature highly.
As always, Sandbrook’s style is very readable. He looks at the country from ‘Workshop of the World’ to ‘Cultural Superpower’ by examining the birth of Heavy Metal –seamlessly linking Black Sabbath to the Industrial Revolution and comparing Hollywood movie moguls to the British equivalent , J. Arthur Rank; committed Methodist and the father of British cinema. Along the way, he considers why the States in particular was so attracted to certain films or television shows, so looks in depth at Rank’s assault on Hollywood with “Henry V” for example, or why “The Avengers” eventually proved so popular.
Although this book obviously cannot cover everything, this book ranges from fashion, with Mary Quant, through advertising, the strange success of British designed computer games, country houses, school stories, Charles Dickens, Dr Who, soap operas, Ealing comedies, Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, Agatha Christie, Tolkien, H.G. Wells and more… It is, though, in his examination of music that Sandbrook has caused most controversy. From punk rock to glam rock, through heavy metal and the giants of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, Sandbrook looks at the huge success of British popular music.
Of course, you cannot discuss British popular music without the Beatles and here, I will immediately say, they are my favourite group of all time and I have read literally hundreds of books about them. The Beatles kick-started the British Invasion, which led to other groups assaulting the American charts with such success and, rightly, the author gives a lot of time to both them and the Stones as the most important bands in the Sixties. Much of his time on the Stones is spent on the drugs bust at Redlands and his musings on the various country houses of each band member. However, with the Beatles there is quite a lot of Lennon bashing. Usually, it is Paul who seems to be targeted in such books, but this is a bit of a role reversal and much of what is written seems both a little churlish and fails to understand Lennon’s character.
The Beatles never said they were anything other than ambitious and all the members were open – even in early interviews – about their wish to make money. Paul happily says that he and John sat down to write a “swimming pool,” and makes no secret of their desire to be successful. Both Paul and John were ferociously ambitious and John always took the band seriously, even in the very early days – demanding commitment and ousting even good friends if he felt they were not adding anything to the band (indeed, when Paul’s father forced him into a job, a worried Lennon threatened to throw him out too, unless he gave it up and attended lunchtime sessions at the Cavern – hanging around the gates where Paul attempted to earn a wage and doing all he could to draw his chosen partner back on side). If you are a Beatles fan then you might wish to skip the section on Lennon – if not, then you have been warned that much of it is unfair and unnecessary and most of the criticisms of Lennon he would openly accept in his own lifetime.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, although much of it read as a rather indulgent exercise on self congratulation. I did not always get the sense of why so much of British popular culture has been so successful around the world, just that it was. As such, this was a rather mixed bag of tricks, but it was very readable and I learnt much – especially about the early days of British cinema – that I did not know before.
There are many things one can criticize about the Beatles, but it’s become an obsession with this author, almost pathological. When he manages to take timeout from this, there are some interesting things. Nothing very new.
Very much enjoyed his previous books but this is an undisciplined, boring, rambling 600 pages plus, without a central theme. It indulges the authors personal interests which in no way reflect the book's title. All a bit self-indulgent, and indeed smug. What the point of the book is escapes me. The only consistent feature is the dedicated and self-righteous side-swipes at John Lennon. Need a psychiatrist to figure that one out. It also clear that while the author has many talents, he did not live through the 60s during his formative years. Not his fault, but as one who did, he has still to put into writing the essence of that exciting decade. Recommend you skip this volume, and watch paint dry instead.
Dominic Sandbrook has certainly proved his credentials as a sound compiler of contemporary history. This book is an enjoyable departure from his narratives of recent British history. The book started out as a 'book of the TV series' to accompany yet another BBC documentary from Mr Sandbrook, however he has really gone the extra mile in producing a 688 page thumper of a volume.
Sandbrook either saw this book as a more informal volume (hopefully) or his Daily Mail column writing is making him a bit overconfident in presenting his own opinions. The personal voice is certainly strong, however it makes for a good read in what is a bit of a less serious history. Those who criticise the book should read the preface where Sandbrook promises that conehead cultural historians will "search in vain for the opaque theoretical discussions, invented abstract nouns and interminable references to obscure Continental theorists". The book also has no intention of being encyclopedic. The focus is set very much on the popular and middle of the road. This is an interesting decision as a pure celebration of cultural output and the "national imagination" isn't automatically going to focus on 'low brow' output. Sandbrook in his preface narrows his interest to 'popular culture' although isn't interested in endlessly complex definitions of this term. He quotes United States Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart's definition of pornography "you know it when you see it". In Sandbrook's case you'll find the Beatles, Agatha Christie and Doctor Who but no Harrison Birtwistle (a modernist classical composer that I admit I had to look up).
The focus on the popular would be justified by the hint in the title that part of his argument is that the 'cultural industry' has indeed been seen as a replacement for the mass production of British industry up until the mid-twentieth century. Sandbrook makes surprisingly little of the argument that Britain's "punching above its weight" culturally has been a compensation for the loss of empire and industrial supremacy.
He is more interested in the considerable amount of continuity between the Victorian era and today.
This well written book is an enjoyable meander through very popular culture. The structure is pretty loose - or a jigsaw puzzle in the author’s words. Part One generally explores the transition from making things to telling stories. Part Two contends that popular culture generally supports the established order, examples ranging from sections on 1960s stars like the Rolling Stones buying country homes (I was never quite sure how this section really fit in although it was interesting) to Harry Potter as a derivation from the traditional nineteenth century school story. Part Three continues in a similar theme in a sense, exploring cultural artefacts ranging from Doctor Who to Lord of the Flies, and how they derive from Dickens and Welles. The fourth part looks at the cult of the individual which Sandbrook traces back to Self Help by Samuel Smiles.
The book is deliberately provocative in places. Sandbrook rehabilitates Catherine Cookson for example, commending her raw and real portrayal of the struggles of working class life despite her lack of popularity with intellectual critics, who were outraged at her portrayal. The section which seems to have garnered the most furious responses online however is that dealing with John Lennon. Sandbrook pulls no punches “Whatever you think of Lennon’s talent, his sheer narcissism is hard to overstate”. His coverage has attracted cries of being “hateful trash”. Yet while I would say that as elsewhere Sandbrook is writing with verve and attitude to entertain to some extent, everything he says is verifiable. He does point out that “far more than any other rock star of his generation, and more even than his fellow Beatles, John Lennon is a figure of colossal symbolic importance”. Also despite Lennon’s motivations often being driven by a desire to be rich and notorious, he does acknowledge that there is a reason for his success - his undeniable talent. I strongly disagree with his assessment of Imagine - it might be hypocritical but as Sandbrook states elsewhere, the public have voted repeatedly in the charts and polls. Its a great song!
That said Sandbrook deserves plenty of credit for this book. Much more than a book of the TV series, this is a well researched and informative wander through the pleasures of British popular culture.
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