Britain in the 70s and 80s

[Hot Pepsi]

Any recommendations on a good book that explains why Britain was supposedly so shit in the 70s and then why it elected Thatcher and only got worse for most people?

[WOM]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

I think this might be what you're after.

http://www.wsc.co.uk/forum-index/32-books/325129-when-the-lights-went-out-britain-in-the-seventies?limitstart=0

[Hot Pepsi]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Thanks so much. What got me thinking about it was that I just listened to a two-year-old interview with Nick Hornby talking to Chris Hardwick. He was talking about the 70s three-day work weeks and how neighborhood kids had to figure out who would have power on which days to sort out their tv-watching plans.

Not sure if that was widespread.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

From memory, I think it affected the whole country, but as I recall only for a couple of short spells (a few weeks each?) in, I thnk, 1973 (but not 100 per cent sure on that). No doubt the Andy Beckett book (or indeed Wikipedia) will have chapter and verse on that. I was 9 years old in 1973, and can remember my parents making sure we had a stock of candles for light during the power cuts. Vague memories of the short weeks too, I think the general feeling among most people was "woo-hoo, extra days off work/school".

[Benjm]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

I can just about remember the power cuts, in an impressionistic way. They were quite exciting.

I wonder whether that programme where a bunch of social workers went to live in an Iron Age hut for a year was popular at the time because people thought it was a glimpse into the future.

[San Bernardhinault]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

I remember the power cuts, and having candles. But I don't remember them being scheduled, and I certainly never planned when to go to a friend's house to watch TV if my house was without power - but then, it's possible that I was just too young to think of that stuff, and to know about scheduling.

[Duncan Gardner]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

In NI, we had the UDA-organised general strike just in case the 3 Day Week wasn't enough of a pain.

I was at boarding school. Fun, fun, fun (or rather spam, spam, spam). Every day for a facking month, like.

[Hot Pepsi]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

I ordered it used for a few bucks on Amazon.

From what I read, it all comes backs to inflation. The miners needed better wages to keep up with inflation, and the government wanted to suppress wages to fight inflation.

[WOM]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Someone on another thread mentioned reading the '80s version of this book, but I can't find it right now. And I'm not sure if it was an actual sequel or by the same author or anything.

[WOM]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

It's by the same author and called Promised You A Miracle.

Relevant thread here...

http://www.wsc.co.uk/forum-index/32-books/1148460-promised-you-a-miracle

[Gerontophile]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Hot Pepsi wrote: Thanks so much. What got me thinking about it was that I just listened to a two-year-old interview with Nick Hornby talking to Chris Hardwick. He was talking about the 70s three-day work weeks and how neighborhood kids had to figure out who would have power on which days to sort out their tv-watching plans.

Not sure if that was widespread.

Is that the Nerdist podcast HP?

[Gangster Octopus]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Hot Pepsi wrote: I just listened to a two-year-old interview with Nick Hornby talking to Chris Hardwick. He was talking about the 70s three-day work weeks and how neighborhood kids had to figure out who would have power on which days to sort out their tv-watching plans.

I remember doing that.

[Hot Pepsi]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Gerontophile wrote:

Thanks so much. What got me thinking about it was that I just listened to a two-year-old interview with Nick Hornby talking to Chris Hardwick. He was talking about the 70s three-day work weeks and how neighborhood kids had to figure out who would have power on which days to sort out their tv-watching plans.

Not sure if that was widespread.

Is that the Nerdist podcast HP?

Yes

[Gerontophile]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

One of the few I haven't yet listened to. I had a binge session before christmas of all the comedians, and that lasted for more than a month.

[WOM]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Comedians are usually good guests. Same experience on Maron's WTF podcast.

The worst? Musicians, by a fair margin.

[Hot Pepsi]

Britain in the 70s and 80s

Yeah, I started to listen to the Violent Femmes one but it was really dull.

The one with Mike Judge is good.