10,000 Not Out: The History of The Spectator 1828 - 2020

(Paperback)

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There is no journal with a livelier and richer history than The Spectator. As well as being the worlds oldest current affairs magazine, none has been closer to spheres of power and influence in Britain. Since its first appearance in 1828, during the dying days of the Georgian era, The Spectator has been ready to spar with the Tories and their Prime Minister, the Duke of Wellington, with a corrupt political system, and with the lacklustre literary world of the day. Over the subsequent 54 Prime Ministers, The Spectator has not just watched the world go by but has waded into the fray: it has campaigned on consistently liberal lines, fighting for voters rights, free trade, the free press and the decriminalisation of homosexuality, while offering open-minded criticism of every modern taboo and orthodoxy. 10,000 Not Out marks the magazines 10,000th issue by recounting the turbulent and tortuous tale of its history, of 192 years chock-full of crises and campaigns, of literary flair and barbed wit. Eight chapters chart the evolution of the title from radical weekly newspaper, to moralising Victorian guardian, to wartime watchdog, to satirical magazine, to High-Tory counsellor, to the irreverent but influential Spectator of the twenty-first century. The book weaves together copious quotations from the magazines unparalleled archive, the contemporary press, private letters and staff anecdote.

Reviews

"Butterfield's highly readable romp through its history reminds members ofThe Spectatorclubit has always had a very clubby feelingof editorial triumphs and disasters, commercial horrors and some remarkable luck." * Literary Review *
"Few journals have cut such a dash through history and culture as The Spectator, and none have lasted as long. David Butterfield has immersed himself to excellent effect in the British magazines billion-word digitized archives, paying tribute to a unique institution as influential now as at any time in its 10,000 issue history. . . .Butterfields book demonstrates that [The Spectator] has simultaneously helped make and mirror the British psyche, and to read it is not just to read the mind of the British right, but also the heart of a complex country." * Chronicles *
"The Spectator: the greatest magazine in the English language." -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson
"A gem of a bookin the hands of a superb writer. Butterfields attention to detail is fabulous, his storytelling magnificent and his playful affection for these often larger than life characters makes them leap off the page. A delight." -- Emily Maitlis, Newsnight (UK)
"More than individually surprising discoveries about people and their strange ways, this history presents an intriguing moving picture of life inside Britains oldest weekly." -- Christopher Howse, Daily Telegraph (UK)
"A rich and beautifully crafted chronicle, often hilarious and always informative." -- A. N. Wilson, author of Prince Albert: The Man Who Saved the Monarchy
"The Spectatorhas always had its own mindand its own life. David Butterfield has written a first-class biography of thatlife: the highs and lows, the feuds and affairs, the best jokes, the worst decisionsit's a treasure trove. A brilliantly readable history of the magazine, its life and its times." -- Fraser Nelson, editor of The Spectator

Author Bio

David Butterfield is a Fellow of Queens College, Cambridge, and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Classics. His academic research covers Latin literature, ancient philosophy and the history of scholarship. Previous books have studied the philosopher-poet Lucretius, the polymath Varro and the scholar-poet A.E. Housman. Outside the classical world, he has written regularly on any subject other than politics for The Spectator, where he is a contributing editor.