When Ian began to teach at Birmingham City University in 2006, almost immediately something began to trouble him. His students, and even some of his colleagues, showed a puzzling ignorance of a large swath of recent British history.
The Oz trials, the Battle of the Beanfield, Swampy, Greenham Common, RD Laing, the I Ching, Crass, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; all these things, so fundamental to Marchant’s understanding of the world, elicited nothing more than a baffled “huh?” from anyone under the age of 40.
Which is why, to give the book its full subtitle, he decided to write A Hero for High Times: A Younger Reader’s Guide to the Beats, Hippies, Freaks, Punks, Ravers, New-Age Travellers and Dog-on-a-Rope Brew Crew Crusties of the British Isles, 1956-1994 (and dedicate it to his granddaughters.)
Delectable cultural historian Travis Elborough will be in conversation with Ian.
Get a signed copy for Father’s Day or rather, Grandfather’s Day!
Tickets £3