Pauperland

'Jeremy Seabrook chronicles the history of the poor with a fine anger and compassion and a deep understanding of his subject. This is a fine book as well as a relevant one.' - Ian Jack, former editor of Granta, 1995-2007 and author of Before the Oil Ran Out: Britain 1977-86 'Nothing changes, the poor are always with us - and so are the punitive attitudes of those who confine others to that condition. From Speenhamland to the work house to Iain Duncan Smith, Jeremy Seabrook's enlightening tour through the sorry history reveals the unceasing need of the comfortable to remoralise the paupers, not themselves.' - Polly Toynbee, columnist for The Guardian and author of Hard Work: Life in Low-Pay Britain PRAISE FOR JEREMY SEABROOK: 'The inspirational Jeremy Seabrook beats any celebrity radical in the art of speaking hard truths through fine prose.' - Boyd Tonkin, The Independent 'Jeremy Seabrook is one of England's most imaginative and creative writers, with a preacher's talent for prophecy and a capacity for righteous indignation reminiscent of George Orwell.' - Richard Gott, The Guardian