The enemies within: The story of the Miners' Strike, 1984-5

by Ian MacGregor

The Enemies The Story of the Miners' Strike, 1984-5

Genres: History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 1986

Reviews

[David Robert Bloomer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a slog to read. The material about the strike must have been substantial for Mr MacGregor as he was one of the main protagonists; this book though is all over the place. You think it's headed in a nice linear way and then it jumps back to months before. There's no central timeline that gets uncovered, it's given to the reader in chunks and then retraced.
I read it primarily to get a different perspective on the strike rather than the usual one shown in the media. It didn't give me anything new to understand but it filled in some gaps.

It could have been a lot better if it had been edited in a better way. The story of MacGregor is vital in understanding one of its key players but this book is hard going. Needed a more focused and keeping events together rather than spreading them out, then retreating the ground with slightly different information.
Only recommended to people with a real interest in the Miners strike from the other side. Otherwise I'd leave it.

[Michael Macdonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

self-serving menoir