Hope and Glory: The Days that Made Britain

[Mark Hone]

I saw this newly-published paperback in Waterstone's. I find Maconie an engaging and whimsical broadcaster and have enjoyed some of the TV films he has done on walks in the North West. The book covers significant days in recent British History and walks and visits connected with them. One of them is the First Day of the Somme. I only read this chapter so it may not be representative of the whole. My heart sank. Most of the Historical 'facts' seem to be off the top of Maconie's head; he doesn't appear to have done any real research. It simply retails the standard legends and half-truths about the Somme. You can guess the slant: callous and cowardly Old Etonians sending the poor working class herd to their deaths while sheltering safely in chateaux. 'Not a single General died on the first day of the Somme' we are told darkly. Maconie also seems to think that officers and generals are synonomous. Haig's tactics on the first day were obviously stupid, the men were told not to run as they usually did etc. etc. 'A few revisionist Historians' have questioned this interpretation, but no detail of this is given. I hasten to add that I'm not questioning his right to push the 'Lions Led By Donkeys' argument; it's a perfectly legitimate viewpoint. I just couldn't escape the impression that this was a hastily-concocted potboiler the research for which had consisted of watching a couple of 'Blackadder' episodes and leafing through 'Forgotten Voices of the Great War'. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh on him.

[nigelcave]

"Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh on him."

I doubt it.

[Dawson]

My thoughts exactly, I did see the book in my local Waterstones, like you I jumped to the Somme part, then put the book back on the shelf.

A shame, but they are more books that I can take on holiday, without muttering to myself around the pool.