A Point of View: An Irreverent Guide to Life in the 21st Century

The BBC Radio 4 series, A Point of View, has been on the air since 2007. Over the years, it's had a variety of presenters - including the national treasure that is Clive James - talking for ten minutes about anything and everything that has captured their imagination, piqued their interest, raised their blood pressure or just downright incensed them that week. Of all the presenters, Clive James was a clear favourite, and now, for the first time, his original pieces - sixty in total - and all new postscripts are collected together in one volume. Read along with Clive as he reflects on everything from wheelie bins to plastic surgery, Elizabeth Hurley to the Olympics, 24 to Damien Hirst, Harry Potter to giving up smoking, car parks to Chinese elections, Britain's Got Talent to the expenses scandal - and plenty more besides. Essentially a chronicle of life in twenty-first century Britain, Clive James A Point of View is informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking - but above all, entertaining. In fact, in short, it's a damn good read From the fierce and funny Clive James, this is Britain in the twenty-first century – from wheelie bins to plastic surgery, and from Britain's Got Talent to contemporary art. Between 2007 and 2009, Clive James wrote and presented A Point of View for BBC Radio 4, providing hilarious and profound thoughts on the matters of the moment. In this volume are presented his original pieces – sixty in total – alongside previously unpublished postscripts. Read along with Clive as he delves deep into television, Elizabeth Hurley, Harry Potter, the Olympic Games, Snoop Dogg and cane toads – and plenty more besides. 'Irreverent and funny, clever without being cynical and not afraid to flex his wits on anything and everything' – Daily Telegraph Clive James (1939–2019) was a broadcaster, critic, poet, memoirist and novelist. His much-loved, influential and hilarious television criticism is available both in individual volumes and collected in Clive James On Television . His encyclopaedic study of culture and politics in the twentieth century, Cultural Amnesia , remains perhaps the definitive embodiment of his wide-ranging talents as a critic. Praise for Clive James: 'The perfect critic' – A.O. Scott, New York Times 'There can't be many writers of my generation who haven't been heavily influenced by Clive James' – Charlie Brooker 'A wonderfully witty and intelligent writer' – Verity Lambert "The BBC Radio 4 series, A Point of View, has been on the air since 2007. Over the years, it's had a variety of presenters ... talking for ten minutes about anything and everything that has captured their imagination, piqued their interest, raised their blood pressure or just downright incensed them that week. Of all the presenters, Clive James was a clear favourite, and now, for the first time, his original pieces - sixty in total - and all new postscripts are collected together in one volume. Read along with Clive as he reflects on everything from wheelie bins to plastic surgery, Elizabeth Hurley to the Olympics, 24 to Damien Hirst, Harry Potter to giving up smoking, car parks to Chinese elections, Britain's Got Talent to the expenses scandal - and plenty more besides. Essentially a chronicle of life in twenty-first century Britain, Clive James's Point of View is informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking - but above all, entertaining"--Back cover 21st century Britain: a point of view from Clive James, one of the fiercest and funniest critics. The BBC Radio 4 series A Point of View has been on the air since 2007. Clive James was one of the most popular presenters, and here his original pieces – sixty in total – and previously unpublished postscripts are collected together in one volume. Read along with Clive James as he offers his informative, thought-provoking and entertaining insights into everything from wheelie bins to plastic surgery, Elizabeth Hurley to the Olympics, Britain’s Got Talent to Damien Hirst, Harry Potter to giving up smoking – and plenty more besides.