The Invention of Essex: The Making of an English County

(Paperback, Main)

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE EAST ANGLIAN BOOK AWARD 2023

'Exceptionally well-written and intelligent ... if you are interested in this remarkable microcosm of England, the book will grip you; if you aren't, it will make you realise that you jolly well should be.' Simon Heffer, Spectator

'A deeply sensitive and engaging portrait of a misunderstood county and its people' Financial Times

'A stellar performance' Jonathan Meades

Essex. A county both famous and infamous: the stuff of tabloid headlines and reality television, consumer culture and right-wing politicians. England's dark id.

But beyond the sensationalist headlines lies a strange and secret place with a rich history: of smugglers and private islands, artists and radicals, myths and legends. It's where the Peasants' Revolt began and the Empire Windrush docked. And - from political movements like Brexit to cultural events like TOWIE - where Essex leads, the rest of us often follow.

Deeply researched and thoroughly engaging, The Invention of Essex shows that there is more to this fabled English county than meets the eye.

Reviews

'A deeply personal book .... part-memoir, part-travelogue and part-political tract .... a lucid and erudite guide, [Burrows] is good company' - The Sunday Times

'Exceptionally well-written and intelligent ... this is a thoughtful, atmospheric book of genuine insight and erudition ... if you are interested in this remarkable microcosm of England, the book will grip you; if you aren't, it will make you realise that you jolly well should be.' - Simon Heffer

'A journey out into strange territory ... Burrows does not disappoint' - FT

'[A] heartfelt evocation of the county ... appealingly conversational and unpretentious' - Andrew Motion

'Richly researched and written with vim and humour, this book will change the way you see the infamous county' - iPaper

Author Bio

Tim Burrows is a journalist, who has written about society, culture and place for the Guardian, New Statesman, Vice, the Daily Telegraph, Dazed & Confused, the Quietus and Somesuch Stories, among others. A recurring subject in his work is Essex and the Thames Estuary. His Guardian longread 'The Invention of Essex' was published to widespread acclaim. He lives in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.