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NEW TITLE: THE ENCHANTED GLASS: BRITAIN AND ITS MONARCHY By TOM NAIRN Published: 5 DECEMBER 2011 -------------------------------- “An ambitious and ruthless dissection of the most down-market comic opera of our age” – SUNDAY TIMES -------------------------------- New edition of the acclaimed study of British statehood, identity and culture. With a new foreword looking at the Royal Wedding and how Britain’s relationship with its monarchy has changed in the last two decades. “The immense popularity of royalty is undeniable – a national-popular psychodrama which only an arch-philistine could seriously believe had no importance for English and British identity.” So wrote TOM NAIRN in 1988, and, especially after last year’s royal wedding, only an arch-philistine could argue that much has changed. In this acclaimed study of British statehood, identity and culture, the author deftly dispels the conviction that the Royal Family is nothing more than an amusing relic of feudalism or a mere tourist attraction. Instead, he argues that the monarchy is both apex and essence of the British state, the symbol of a national backwardness. In this fully updated edition, Nairn’s powerful and bitterly comic prose lays bare Britain’s peculiar, pseudo-modern, national identity—which remains stubbornly fixated on the Crown and its constitutional framework, the “parliamentary sovereignty” of Westminster. As part of the AYE WRITE literary festival, TOM NAIRN will appear at Mitchell Library, Glasgow on 10 MARCH at 5PM, to talk about the book. For more information, please visit http://www.versobooks.com/events/380-tom-nairn-at-the-aye-write-festival-glasgow --------------------------------- Praise for THE ENCHANTED GLASS “A long and brilliant meditation on the nature of the British state, its identity and national culture…one of the most powerful and original pieces of writing I have ever read on the subject.” – LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS “Dazzling…The first serious study for more than a hundred years to take a coldly analytical look at this most emotion-charged part of our heritage, it reflects a growing sense of the peculiarity of it all.” – OBSERVER --------------------------------- TOM NAIRN'S many books include THE BREAK-UP OF BRITAIN, FACES OF NATIONALISM, AFTER BRITAIN, and THE ENCHANTED GLASS. He writes for, among others, NEW LEFT REVIEW and the LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. --------------------------------- ISBN: 978 1 84467 775 7/ $21.95 / £12.99 / $27.50CAN/ Paperback / 448 pages ----------------------------------- For more information about THE ENCHANTED GLASS, or to buy the book visit: http://www.versobooks.com/books/1036-the-enchanted-glass --------------------------------- Academics can request an inspection copy. For further information please go to: http://www.versobooks.com/pg/desk-copies --------------------------------- Visit Verso’s website for information on our upcoming events, new reviews and publications and special offers: http://www.versobooks.com<http://www.versobooks.com/> Become a fan of Verso on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Verso-Books/205847279448577 And get updates on Twitter too! http://twitter.com/VersoBooks -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. Membership is open to all who teach and research these subjects in HE institutions, via either institutional or individual membership. The field includes film and TV production, journalism, radio, photography, creative writing, publishing, interactive media and the web; and it includes higher education for media practice as well as for media studies. This mailing list is a free service from MeCCSA and is not restricted to members. For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ --------------------------------------------------------