The Middle Class

A compelling and entertaining history of the British middle class

'Wonderful' Financial Times
'A magisterial, sweeping history' Herald
'An enchanting compendium' TLS
'Full of fascinating quotations and figures' Literary Review
**'**A rollicking, affectionate romp' The Times
'Gripping and illuminating' Spectator

This is the story of the great powerhouse of British history - the middle class. The death of feudalism, the advancement of democracy, the spread of literacy, the coming of the industrial and sexual revolutions, the development of mass media - the middle class is never far away, pushing for change, engaging in philanthropy, while always mindful to protect its own interests.

In this account, renowned historian Lawrence James reveals a group so familiar to many of us yet so often
misunderstood - disparate and constantly changing, with a materialism and hunger for advancement that are a chronicle of Britain's evolution.