'The book, which begins with Wallas and Hobhouse rejecting the church, ends with Barbara Hammond and Gilbert Murrray having doubts almost as severe about the modern world, and about trade unionism and working-class materialism. The presentation of the activity of thinking provides biographical threads to the book, and Clarke teases them out and plaits them with a skill in writing which conceals the historian's achievement in bringing together so much elusive and delicate material. The book is written with ease and is often amusing.' The Political Quarterly

• Preface; System of references; Prologue: original sin and the modern state; 1. The passion for improving mankind; 2. Good men fallen among Fabians; 3. Imperialism; 4. The State and the Nation; 5. Human nature in politics; 6. War; 7. Hobson's choice; 8. The bleak age; Epilogue: sans everything; Bibliographical notes; Appendix; Index.

'The book, which begins with Wallas and Hobhouse rejecting the church, ends with Barbara Hammond and Gilbert Murrray having doubts almost as severe about the modern world, and about trade unionism and working-class materialism. The presentation of the activity of thinking provides biographical threads to the book, and Clarke teases them out and plaits them with a skill in writing which conceals the historian's achievement in bringing together so much elusive and delicate material. The book is written with ease and is often amusing.' The Political Quarterly

• Preface; System of references; Prologue: original sin and the modern state; 1. The passion for improving mankind; 2. Good men fallen among Fabians; 3. Imperialism; 4. The State and the Nation; 5. Human nature in politics; 6. War; 7. Hobson's choice; 8. The bleak age; Epilogue: sans everything; Bibliographical notes; Appendix; Index.