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  • The Road to Somewhere

  • The New Tribes Shaping British Politics
  • By: David Goodhart
  • Narrated by: Simon Bubb
  • Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (174 ratings)
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The Road to Somewhere cover art

The Road to Somewhere

By: David Goodhart
Narrated by: Simon Bubb
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Summary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Road to Somewhere by David Goodhart, read by Simon Bubb.

Many Remainers reported waking up the day after the Brexit vote feeling as if they were living in a foreign country. In fact, they were merely experiencing the same feeling that many British people have felt every day for years. 

Fifty years ago, people in leafy North London and people in working-class Northern towns could vote for a Labour party that broadly encompassed all of their interests. Today their priorities are poles apart. 

In this groundbreaking and timely book, Goodhart shows us how people have come to be divided into two camps: the 'Anywheres', who have 'achieved' identities, derived from their careers and education, and 'Somewheres', who get their identity from a sense of place and from the people around them, and who feel a sense of loss due to mass immigration and rapid social change.

In a world increasingly divided by Brexit and Trump, Goodhart shows how Anywheres must come to understand and respect Somewhere values to stand a fighting chance against the rise of populism.

©2017 David Goodhart (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Goodhart offers an impeccably sensible and decent exposition of how the political elites have failed their societies ... The book makes compelling reading both for voters and those who want to get elected by them (Max Hastings)
[A] provocative take on the UK's new tribal divisions ... And it broadly works ... The Road to Somewhere has the feel of a book whose timing ... is pitch-perfect (Andrew Marr)
Goodhart's exploration of this underlying divide -- and the question of what might be done -- is not only timely but also offers an accessible, evidence-based and direct account of how these conflicts are reshaping the political world around us (Matthew Goodwin)

What listeners say about The Road to Somewhere

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent analysis of a split UK society

This is one of the most intelligent, well researched and accessible books on the great divide in the UK brought into focus by the Brexit referendum.

It respectfully explodes the myth that those voting to leave the EU are racist and xenophobes, while explaining why those wishing to remain in the EU struggle to see or understand those who do not agree with them.

Most impressive is the author’s grasp and understanding of social psychology which has been ignored by those in power at their peril.

This is a must read for anyone truly wishing to understand the UK’s direction of travel.

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8 people found this helpful

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Fantastic and insightful book

A brilliant book which gets the the heart of Britain's most serious political divides. Emphasises the vital importance of culture and identity for the silent majority.

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6 people found this helpful

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Transformative

This audiobook has completely changed my mind regarding the decision to leave the European Union, the quest for Scottish independence, why the Labour party lost the last election, and why the political landscape does not seem so black-and-white or polarised to the left and right as I always felt it was. Compelling arguments and full of optimism.

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Very insightful

This sums up the current national populist movement seen in America and the EU. For a long time I've been trying to figure out why this is happening and this explains the concerns the somewhere's have. I think any remainer should listen to this who is interested in building bridges.
If you liked this book I can recommend any book by Jonathan Haidt or Yuval Harari.

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could the author just run the country

should be compulsory reading for every politician to help them understand the world outside Westminster

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Today's actual fault line

A persuasive case for why the left-right divide is no longer the most relevant conceptual tool to makes sense of contemporary developments, such as Brexit and Trump; and the somewhere-anywhere divide is a much more useful conceptual tool to understand today's world.

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Informative and Plausible

Time for us “nowheres” to take note of the “somewheres”. Not only sound analysis but sensible sounding solutions.

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the best bit is the end

what a load of rubbish some middle class person from inside the m25 bubble's idea of why they got blown out

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Every Brexit Remainer should read this

This is the only book that I started to listen to again immediately after finishing. I bought the paperback to refer back to. David Goodhart has written a book that captures a considerable slice of the discontent of ordinary people. Well done that man!

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  • Mr
  • 06-05-18

Required reading, if not listening!

A fascinating, stimulating and well told tale. Unfortunately, for me, the plethora of statistics, particularly early in the book, do not transfer well to the listening/audible, vice the reading/visible, environment. So much so that I was close to giving up in the early chapters - I’m glad I didn’t!

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