Backbone of the Nation

“Gildea’s book offers an admirably compassionate testament.”—Max Hastings, Sunday Times

“A vivid and evocative panorama for those either interested in the final throes of industrial society or who come from such communities.”—James Graham, The Observer

“A superb new book by the Oxford University historian Robert Gildea.”—John Harris, The Guardian

“Gildea has an ear for everyday oratory, and his interviewees come to life on the page. . . . Gildea’s assessment introduces rare nuance while remaining moving, drawing out memories of conflict as well as co-operation.”—Conrad Landon, Times Literary Supplement

“Drawing on 148 testimonies, Gildea, a University of Oxford historian, teases out a battle not only between the National Union of Mineworkers and Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government, but between different mining traditions and ideologies.”—Johnathan McAloon, Financial Times

“At last, a book about the strike that gives an honest overview of what happened to miners, their families and communities. We entrusted Gildea with our memories, and he has, in return, told our story with dignity and a historian’s eye.”—Siân James, former MP for Swansea East

“Gildea has dug deep and struck the richest of seams. By inviting us to listen carefully to the men and women on the strike’s frontline, he’s created history that is revelatory, gripping, and—best of all—infused with humanity. In short, Backbone of the Nation is a masterpiece.”—David Hendy, author of The BBC: A People’s History

“I’ve been waiting for the definitive oral history of the Miners’ Strike. This is it: the voices of people I spent a year fighting alongside condensed and preserved with rigour and accuracy.”—Paul Mason, author of Live Working or Die Fighting