Issue No.
46
July 2011
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| Welcome to July’s review of books |
 Tim Black
Once it was largely only those blue-rinsed and ruddy-cheeked conservatives who shouted: 'I blame the parents!' They blamed mums and dads for pretty much everything, from anti-social behaviour to educational failure. Yet those old-style parent-bashers have nothing on today's supposedly radical and edgy authors and activists who have added some spit and polish to the 'I blame the parents' approach and turned it into a literary industry. They have declared a war of words on the baby boomers, branding them 'The Worst Generation'. This month, Frank Furedi takes them to task, challenging the idea that the boomers are responsible for all sorts of modern mayhem. Yet in some ways the boomers brought this on themselves, he argues, by denigrating the institution of adult authority. Also this month, I ask 'What is the point of Ed Miliband?', Nathalie Rothschild looks into nanny statism in Sweden, Ben Pile finds Mark Lynas's turn away from radical environmentalism interesting but unconvincing, and Fifi Adelsmythe sings the praises of Caitlin Moran. Enjoy! [Cover illustration by Jan Bowman.] |
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