Lighter both on the purse and in the hand, paperbacks offer a practical reading solution this spring: here is an assorted batch from Biteback.
The Good Friday Agreement, by Siobhán Fenton
Twenty-five years on from the historic accord, journalist Siobhán Fenton revisits the Good Friday Agreement, exploring its successes and failures, assessing the extent to which Northern Ireland has been able to move on from the Troubles, and analysing the challenges of power-sharing.
Snakes and Ladders: Navigating the ups and downs of politics, by Andrea Leadsom
Much of the coverage of the EU referendum and the battle for Brexit has focused on a few, often male, figures. Redressing the balance, Andrea Leadsom’s personal account tracks the ups and downs of a political career, including her leading role in the Leave campaign, and features wisdom and encouragement for others, particularly women, wanting to serve in public life.
Get It On: How the ’70s Rocked Football, by Jon Spurling
A brash new era in English football dawned in the 1970s, with a new generation of larger-than-life players and managers emerging, appearing on television sets in vivid technicolour for the first time. Set against a backdrop of strikes, political unrest, freezing winters and glam rock, Get It On tells the inside story of how commercialism, innovation, racism and hooliganism rocked the national game throughout the decade.
Last Trains: Dr Beeching and the Death of Rural England, by Charles Loft
During the course of the 1950s England lost confidence in its rulers and convinced itself it must modernise. Along came Dr Beeching with his diagnosis, and suddenly branch-line Britain was gone for ever. In this superbly researched examination, Charles Loft exposes the political failures that bankrupted the railways and lays bare the increasing alienation of bureaucrats from the public they were trying to serve.
No Excuses: Turning around one of Britain’s toughest schools, by Alison Colwell
Charming, touching and full of brilliant leadership advice, this is the diary of the woman the Daily Mail labelled Britain’s strictest head teacher. Throughout her journey to turn around a failing school, Alison Colwell establishes herself as a tenacious, uncompromising leader who is determined to clear out the rot and revitalise the life chances of the children of an entire community.