Mail Men: The Unauthorized Story of the Daily Mail - The Paper That Divided and Conquered Britain

New
Illustrated
2017
$18.83

A wonderfully gossipy history Sunday Times

Riotously Entertaining New Statesman
Perhaps because of the power and fear that the Daily Mail commands, this is the very first book to provide an unauthorized account of the newspaper with more global readers than any other. With a gripping personality-led narrative, informed by well-placed sources, Mail Men investigates the secret behind the Mail's extraordinary longevity and commercial success, from its first edition on 4 May 1896, to its global MailOnline website today. But, it also examines the controversies that have beset the paper - from its owner's flirtation with fascism in the 1930s to its fractious relationship with liberals, celebrities and politicians today.
Like being a fly on the wall at one of the most influential offices in the land, Mail Men is the unofficial story of an institution that has become the self-proclaimed voice of middle England, and the adversary of liberals everywhere. Journalist Adrian Addison gives us a revealing insight into the colourful cast of senior 'Mail-Men' (yes, nearly all men) who have moulded the paper through the decades - from Alfred C. Harmsworth, the Mail's founder and first owner to Paul Dacre the awkward reporter who has become one of the most feared, hated, secretive, and respected editors in Britain. An absorbing history of one of the most divisive yet successful newspapers in print today, this is an essential read if you wish to understand modern Britain.

Synopsis

A wonderfully gossipy history Sunday Times

Riotously Entertaining New Statesman

Perhaps because of the power and fear that the Daily Mail commands, this is the very first book to provide an unauthorized account of the newspaper with more global readers than any other. With a gripping personality-led narrative, informed by well-placed sources, Mail Men investigates the secret behind the Mail's extraordinary longevity and commercial success, from its first edition on 4 May 1896, to its global MailOnline website today. But, it also examines the controversies that have beset the paper - from its owner's flirtation with fascism in the 1930s to its fractious relationship with liberals, celebrities and politicians today.

Like being a fly on the wall at one of the most influential offices in the land, Mail Men is the unofficial story of an institution that has become the self-proclaimed voice of middle England, and the adversary of liberals everywhere. Journalist Adrian Addison gives us a revealing insight into the colourful cast of senior 'Mail-Men' (yes, nearly all men) who have moulded the paper through the decades - from Alfred C. Harmsworth, the Mail's founder and first owner to Paul Dacre the awkward reporter who has become one of the most feared, hated, secretive, and respected editors in Britain. An absorbing history of one of the most divisive yet successful newspapers in print today, this is an essential read if you wish to understand modern Britain.

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More Information

Format: Illustrated
Pages: 400
Edition: Main
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Published: 16 Mar 2017
ISBN 10: 1782399704
ISBN 13: 9781782399704

Media Reviews

Tremendous... A very timely and important account of a modern phenomenon... A damned good read * Stephen Fry *
Mail Men tells you all you need to know about the inner workings of the paper that brings politicians quaking to beg its favour. This well-informed, diamond-sharp analysis of the Mail phenomenon explains why it dominates England's political culture... A riveting read * Polly Toynbee *
A wonderfully gossipy and detailed account of the paper's history and an assessment of its current success... What a waste nobody has turned the early years of the Daily Mail into a television miniseries * The Sunday Times *
Riotously entertaining... [Many] will find that Addison has written the expose of the Mail that they always wanted to read * New Statesman *
An illuminating history... which charts the Mail's journey from pioneer to pillar of the British media industry * The Financial Times *
A rollicking, often compelling read * Observer *
A gripping and very funny account of the newspaper [that] reveals its brutal brilliance ... surprisingly jaunty... The portrait of the Mail he paints shows that the newspaper is not as bad as some people say: it is even worse. * Prospect magazine *
Excellent... The inside story of how the Daily Mail became a much-feared national institution * Choice magazine *

Author Bio

Adrian Addison is a freelance journalist. He has worked as a staff reporter for the News of the World and The Sun and later as the News Editor on the Today programme and an investigative reporter on the BBC Six O'Clock News. He lives in Barcelona.