X Marks the Box: How to Make Politics Work for You

by Daniel Blythe, Martin Bell

Politics sets the agenda. Climate change, education, crime, housing - these are political issues, but for many, party politics is still a turn-off. Daniel Blythe negotiates the political maze from the citizen's point of view. Why should we vote? What do politicians do and why does it make a difference? Are you a Diehard, a Bloody-Noser or a Tactical? What can your MP do for you? And just why do they avoid answering direct questions? Along the way, we examine the most fun general elections and the under-rated politicians; the sauciest scandals and the bizarre sexiest MP polls; the biggest political victories, the U-turns and betrayals; the issues on the street, the part played by your choice of newspaper and what manifestos really mean; how to make your vote count, how to protest, and why you should care about by-elections.Whether you are disenchanted or a ballot-box regular, an activist or a floating voter, this is a book to amuse, inform and entertain. Irreverent, topical, skeptical a

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2009

About the author

Daniel Blythe was born in Maidstone and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and St John’s College, Oxford. He is the author of three Doctor Who novels including Autonomy, as well as the novels The Cut, Losing Faith and This Is The Day. He has also written the non-fiction books The Encyclopaedia Of Classic 80s Pop, I Hate Christmas: A Manifesto for the Modern-Day Scrooge, Dadlands: The Alternative Handbook For New Fathers, the irreverent politics primer X Marks The Box and the collectors' guide Collecting Gadgets and Games from the 1950s-90s. In 2012, Chicken House published his book for younger readers, Shadow Runners. His Emerald Greene books for younger readers are also out now. Daniel now lives in Yorkshire, on the edge of the Peak District, with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little light-hearted (and somewhat lightweight) introduction to the British political system, parties and jargon.

[Robo Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining enough with some interesting anecdotes, stories and statistics but more or less fluff. Enjoyable but not exactly politically heavyweight.