Tom McTague – författare

**Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction**This is the definitive history of Britain’s tumultuous relationship with Europe – as it’s never been told before.'Powerful, precise, morally engaged, wonderfully alert to character, context and the greater purpose of political life' – Rory Stewart, author of Politics on the Edge'A lucid, thoughtful and richly provocative book' – Dominic Sandbrook, The Sunday TimesIn a story of ambition and underhand politics, of nation, identity and belief, acclaimed political writer Tom McTague chronicles the battle of ideas, events and personalities that first took the country into the Common Market in 1973. Only to take it out of the European Union in an explosive referendum a little over forty years later.Drawing on unpublished sources and exclusive interviews, McTague unearths the roots of ideological conflict that raged between the leading politicians of the twentieth century as they fought for the future of Europe – Charles de Gaulle, Harold Macmillan, Jean Monnet, Enoch Powell and Margaret Thatcher.Alongside these famous figures are the lesser-known actors in Britain’s great post-war drama: a coterie of Eurosceptic student radicals, Cold Warriors, eccentric billionaires and political strategists who turned the tide of history.A riveting story of the clashing ideals that have pulled at Britain’s public imagination for more than seven decades, Between the Waves raises that most elemental of questions: who are we?'A sweeping, impressive and ambitious history of modern Europe' – Helen Lewis, author of Difficult Women'Compelling, hugely well-informed . . . will stand for many years as the authoritative political history’ – David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain, 1945-1951

Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-FictionA Book of the Year in The Times, TLS and Prospect The definitive history of Britain’s tumultuous relationship with Europe – as it’s never been told before.‘Thought-provoking’ - The Sunday Times'Mesmerising' - LRB'A great big entertaining sweep of a book' - The Guardian'Excellent' - The Telegraph'Rich and incisive' - The Economist‘Powerful, precise, morally engaged’ - Rory Stewart‘The authoritative political history’ - David Kynaston'Sweeping and ambitious' - Helen LewisIn this lively history, acclaimed writer Tom McTague chronicles the battle of ideas, events and personalities that first took the country into the Common Market in 1973, only to take it out of the European Union in an explosive referendum a little over forty years later.A riveting story of the clashing ideals that have pulled at Britain’s public imagination for more than seven decades, Between the Waves illuminates the conflicts between leading twentieth century politicians and the lesser-known actors in this great post-war drama: the Eurosceptic student radicals, Cold Warriors, eccentric billionaires and political strategists who turned the tide of history.Ultimately, this book raises that most elemental of questions: who are we?