About This Event

Historian David Kynaston and broadcaster Samira Ahmed take us back to the heart of the Swinging Sixties: the Beatles and the Stones vie for the top of the charts, England win the World Cup and patriotism fills the streets. It was a time of extraordinary cultural confidence. British fashion, film and music captivated the world, epitomised by the 1964 Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night which offered a snapshot of a newly confident youth culture. Sweeping reforms reshaped secondary education and urban redevelopment projects transformed cities. Yet beneath the optimism, political tensions over the Vietnam War and economic uncertainty revealed a country grappling with rapid change. Everyday life for many, especially beyond the big cities, bore striking resemblance to decades earlier. This is the story of the transformation of Britain as it arrived at the brink of a new world. There will be a book signing after this event. Get ahead of your Festival reading and visit the Waterstones Cheltenham Literature Festival bookshop and support Cheltenham Festivals with every purchase.

Staying overnight?

Hotels within walking distance of Montpellier Gardens.

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