WTF: A Times top 10 bestseller

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THE TOP 10 BESTSELLER

'Richly argued and brilliantly written... a deeply thoughtful analysis that should be mandatory reading for anyone seeking to understand where we have gone wrong.' Vernon Bogdanor, Financial Times

In WTF Robert Peston draws on his years of experience as a political, economics and business journalist to show us what has gone bad and gives us a manifesto to put at least some of it right.

Framed by two letters to his father (who died in early 2016) WTF is Robert Peston's highly personal account of what those who have ruled us for years got so badly wrong, and what we need to do to mend the terrible fractures in our society.

With characteristic passion and clarity he looks at what must happen to prevent democracy being subverted by technocratic geniuses with the ability to manipulate social media, how and whether it is possible to make a success of leaving the EU, what the lessons should be of the appalling Grenfell Tower tragedy, whether robots can be stopped from taking our work, what can be done to staunch the widening gap between rich and poor, and how to raise living standards for all.

WTF is a trenchant, often entertaining account of the recent past. It is also a call to action, giving hope to all of us who believe that taking back control is not only vital, but possible.

'A manual for our times that everyone should read.' Matthew d'Ancona

Reviews

It is richly argued and beautifully written... WTF has the prime virtue of encouraging the reader to reflect and argue. Peston has the journalist's gift of the striking turn of phrase, the telling anecdote, and the ability to explain complex economic problems in straightforward terms. But his book is far more than clever journalism. It is a deeply thoughtful analysis that should be mandatory reading for anyone seeking to understand where we have gone wrong. - Financial Times

A work of meticulous analysis that is also an inspiring, and often moving, manifesto for change. Beautifully-written, it is a manual for our times that everyone should read.

Informed, personal, angry and funny: Peston lets rip in an immensely readable and thought-provoking book.

Essential reading. - Stylist

This is a more radical, more passionate, swearier book than I would have expected from Peston - and the better for it... WTF is a great primer on how we ended up here. To escape this mess, we must first understand that. - London Evening Standard

WTF is a well-argued and comprehensive account of how we became the divided nation that is post-EU referendum Britain and it suggests some thoughtful policy levers that future governments might pull to bring us back together. - Express

This gripping and persuasive account of the mess facing liberal democracy ends with some optimism that politicians will rise to the challenge of responding to the tide of hopelessness. - i newspaper

WTF is possibly the best summary of Britain's problems to be released in recent years. - Young Fabian

Author Bio

Robert Peston is ITV's political editor, presenter of the politics show Peston on Sunday and founder of the education charity, Speakers for Schools (www.speakers4schools.org). He has written four books, How Do We Fix This Mess, Who Runs Britain, Brown's Britain and WTF. For a decade until the end of 2015, he was at the BBC, as economics editor and business editor. Previously he was City editor at the Sunday Telegraph, political editor and financial editor at the FT, a columnist for the New Statesman, and at the Independent in various roles. Peston has won more than 30 awards for his journalism, including Journalist of the Year from the Royal Television Society. His blog is itv.com/robertpeston, on Facebook he is facebook.com/pestonITV and he is @peston on Twitter.