Legacy: The Remarkable History of J Lyons and the Family Behind It

(Paperback)

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A panoramic new history of modern Britain, as told through the story of one extraordinary family, and one groundbreaking company. 'I was riveted- this is a fascinating social history.' NIGELLA LAWSON 'Five stars... history on a scale at once intimate and grand.' TELEGRAPH A panoramic new history of modern Britain, as told through the story of one extraordinary family, and one groundbreaking company. This is the story of how a family transformed themselves from penniless immigrants to build a company that revolutionised the way we eat, drink and are entertained. For over a century, Lyons was everywhere. Its restaurants and corner houses were on every high street, its coffee and tea in every cup, its products in every home. But it was a victory that was not easily won. Told through the lives of five generations, Legacy is at once intimate and sweeping, charting the tragedy and unimaginable success of one of Britain's most famous families. It is also an illuminating new exploration of Britain and its place in the world, from the bestselling author of Hanns and Rudolf and The House by the Lake. 'A magnificent book... endlessly fascinating.' JEWISH CHRONICLE 'How the Lyons company took on the world... a satisfying slab of dynastic history.' GUARDIAN, 'Book of the Day' 'Written with love and imagination... a masterclass in historical empathy.' TLS 'An affectionate and colourful family history.' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Rich... Fascinating... Harding is to be congratulated on this panoramic history.' EVENING STANDARD 'Endlessly fascinating and hard to put down... this is a tour de force.' JULIA NEUBERGER

Reviews

I was riveted: this is a fascinating social history. * Nigella Lawson *
A magnificent book what a story this is. Endlessly fascinating. * Jewish Chronicle *
This story of the family behind the Lyons Corner Houses and many other ventures, its rise and its business demise, is endlessly fascinating and hard to put down. I read it all in one sitting, enjoying the colour and grandeur, whilst spitting with fury at how women were kept out of the financial loop. Full of character and characters, this is a tour de force.
Enthralling... fascinating. Nearly half a century on, the Lyons name and Corner Houses have faded, quite forgotten. I dream of them still. * Observer *
Five stars. History on a scale at once intimate and grand extremely readable. * The Telegraph *
A satisfying slab of dynastic history... a brisk, accessible account of how one Anglo-Jewish dynasty provided twentieth-century Britain with the materials it required to imagine itself fondly as a land of cosy comfort. * Guardian, 'Book of the Day' *
Written with love and imagination a masterclass in historical empathy. * TLS *
Ably combines his story with British political and social history... [an] affectionate and colourful family history. * Financial Times *
A monumental history of the rise and fall of the Lyons empire Its a terrific story and Harding is surely right to describe the Glucksteins and Salmons as pioneers, democratising luxury and globalising taste. * The Times *
Legacy is the biography of the extraordinary family who put the respectable teashop on the corner, the hamburger on the high street, plus the cuppa and Ready Brek on your breakfast table... Thomas Harding is a researcher of the first rank. Nobody quite stirs the soup of historical detail like Harding. * Daily Express *

Author Bio

Thomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than 16 languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian, among other publications. He is the bestselling author of HANNS AND RUDOLF, which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; BLOOD ON THE PAGE, which won the Crime Writers' Association "Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction" and FUTURE HISTORY, which was shortlisted for the German Children's Literature Award 2021. His next book, WHITE DEBT, was published in January 2022. You can follow Thomas on twitter @thomasharding