Talk

I read What a Carve Up by Jonathan Coe many years ago (so I can't remember everything about it) but I remember it was caustic about Thatcherism and capitalism while being brilliant and brilliantly funny.

The Northern Clemency is a possibility - I have it on my shelf but I need a solo holiday before I can tackle it!

I definitely think Cooper's a great idea - Riders and Rivals go hand in hand for me so I couldn't read just one

I love reading about the eighties (and seventies) too, will look up What a Carve Up and others mentioned above.

I also enjoyed Where Did It All Go Right? and Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now by Andrew Collins, quite funny and great for reminiscing!

Fab thanks I will look up your suggestions

If you can cope with US instead of UK - bonfire of the vanities.

Yes to the Andrew Collins books. Also the Adrian Mole books.

An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi is set in the eighties, and is about the Lloyds crash. There's a Princess Di style character who ditches her public school husband and runs off with an Essex boy upstart city trader. Lots of shoulder pads and Thatcherism, tis fab. Penny V's booms are normally way too soppy for me, but I enjoyed this one due to its eighties vibe.

Lace!

kazzawazzawoo Jonathan Coe is fantastic on the 70s too - The Rotter's Club follows a group through their 70s schooldays & it's great. I'm fairly sure it either has a story inspired by Julie Burchill & Tony Parsons & their NME escapades or it has a wee cameo from them (read it almost 20 years ago so memory is unclear!)

TheCountessOlenska IIRC Money by Martin Amis is very 80s too - though I didn't enjoy it at all, it was too unpleasant for me at a delicate age. I suspect I could handle it much better now I'm old. Bonfire of the Vanities & Lace also sprang to mind & I seem to remember Judith Krantz's I'll Take Manhattan does a magnificent job of being ridiculous & completely bonkbustertastic 80s excess.

Ooh sorry, Adrian Mole is not glamorous!

Thanks I'll take a look at The Rotters Club.

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell is a good one about a teenager growing up in the early 80s. It rang lots of bells for me, I was born in 74. Found it took me right back!

I do adore Adrian Mole though jimmy

I was born in 1974 too. Think I might read some of these for a blast from the past. Adrian Mole matches my life more though

I liked Other Names by Zoe Fairburns. There is an eighties one by Tim Lott too.

I've just remembered Starter for Ten which is, arguably, better than One Day and is very 80s.

Princess Daisy!

I was going to say Bonfire of the Vanities too. Pure 80s, albeit New York 80s.

rumours of a hurricane

amazing book. sad though

Marking my place as love 80s so will read some of these

Just reread Maragret Drabble's Radiant Way: very eighties

Also, Sally Beaumann, her earlier novels.

Stark, by Ben Elton.

i think it was his first book, and I had snuck off with my mum's copy in 1989. thatcher, regan, gorby, multinational companies are all present and in the firing line.

i need to dig it out from whichever bookshelf it is buried in as i recall it is still pretty relevant today.

The first half had me in stitches.

I've read some of Ben Elton's other books, but not that one, so will look out for that.

Also marking place and was going to suggest the Andrew Collins ones which I love.

There's a non-fic called Rejoice about the Thatcher years (not just politics though, the general culture/zeitgeist of the 80s as well) Was good.

Just remembered another book I enjoyed, I think it's called Growing Up Again.