About This Event

It’s the heart of the Sixties in Britain – the Beatles and the Stones vie at the top of the charts, England win the World Cup, and optimism and patriotism percolate through the streets. But this is not the full story of mid-Sixties Britain. Disaffection on the political left increasingly focuses on the escalating Vietnam War; and the ambitious hopes of Harold Wilson’s Labour government start to founder on the precarious state of the pound. It is a time of looking both backwards and forwards – sweeping reforms to secondary education, huge swathes of urban redevelopment and the irresistible rise of a confident, free-spending youth culture. Yet everyday life for many, especially beyond the big cities, bears a striking resemblance to decades earlier. Legendary historian, David Kynaston, discusses the latest instalment in his landmark Tales of a New Jerusalem series, Deep Into the Sixties: Britain 1965–66, which paints a richly nuanced picture of unrivalled detail, revolutionising how we see post-war Britain and the so-called Swinging Sixties. He’ll be in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed, whose new BFI Film Classics book on the Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night similarly explores the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s Britain. David Kynaston has been a professional historian since 1973 and is the author of nineteen critically acclaimed books. His continuing history of postwar Britain, Tales of a New Jerusalem, has so far comprised Austerity Britain, Family Britain, Modernity Britain, On the Cusp and A Northern Wind. He has also written several books on aspects of cricket history including the award-winning Arlott, Swanton and the Soul of English Cricket (with Stephen Fay) and Richie Benaud’s Blue Suede Shoes (with Harry Ricketts). Samira Ahmed is a journalist, writer and BBC broadcaster. She presents Front Row on BBC Radio 4, Newswatch on BBC One, and has made acclaimed documentaries including Art of Persia (BBC Four), Disgusted, Mary Whitehouse, and I Dressed Ziggy Stardust (BBC Radio 4). In 2020, she was named Audio Presenter of the Year by the Broadcasting Press Guild. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Observer, and New Humanist, where she also writes a regular column. A Hard Day’s Night is her first book. Our events programme is presented in partnership with Hakluyt & Company, the global strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors. Books by both speakers will be available to buy at the event and online from our partner bookshop Hatchards. This event will take place in person at The London Library. Doors (and the bar) will open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Please see our Event Access Guidelines before you arrive. London Library events are subject to Terms & Conditions

Staying overnight?

Hotels within walking distance of The London Library.

Frequently asked questions