Anthony Seldon, the renowned biographer of prime ministers, recommends Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad by Daniel Finkelstein. This profoundly moving book delves into the extraordinary story of Finkelstein’s parents as they endured the horrors of the Holocaust. Seldon praises it as “beautifully written, deeply researched, and profoundly moving.”
Andrew Gimson, biographer of Boris Johnson, highlights Disraeli by André Maurois. He describes this concise biography of the 19th-century British prime minister as “brilliant” and full of insights into English thought. Gimson notes the intriguing contrast between rivals, observing: “Disraeli, the doctrinaire, prided himself on being an opportunist; Gladstone, the opportunist, prided himself on being a doctrinaire.”
Chris Bryant, creative industries minister and author, selects The Scapegoat by Lucy Hughes-Hallett. This compelling book chronicles the story of George Villiers, the favorite and lover of King James I. Bryant calls it “a brilliant evocation of the life of a man who loved a king not wisely but too well.”
Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP, recommends The Deluge by Stephen Markley. Set in a near-future world grappling with the dual threats of far-right extremism and severe climate change, the novel follows a cast of diverse heroes and misfits. Chowns describes the tale as “deeply engaging” and adds: “I listened to this during the short campaign and found it both sobering and galvanising.”
Seb Payne, Times leader-writer and author, praises Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan. This Dickensian exploration of modern London captures the tensions of wealth and poverty colliding in the capital. Payne remarks: “State of the nation novels are very hard to pull off, but once I picked this up, I couldn’t stop. Having lived in and around Islington for much of the last decade, it completely captures the febrile mix of rich and poor slammed together.”
Andrew Marr, New Statesman political editor, also selects Caledonian Road. Marr lauds the novel as “a proper, big, multi-layered satire on London in our time.”
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