Book of the week: The Radical Potter by Tristram Hunt
In this exceptional biography, Hunt shows that Josiah Wedgwood was the Steve Jobs of his day
This “small book” is based on Michaela Coel’s 2018 MacTaggart Lecture to “the bigwigs of the television industry”, said Fiona Sturges in The Guardian.
In it, the actor and screenwriter – best known for her 2020 series I May Destroy You – laid out her struggles as a “black working-class woman” in an industry dominated by white middle-class men. She detailed the racism she’d encountered, and the complacency of TV executives, who so often dismissed her concerns with the words “that’s the way it is”.
Although intended as a wake-up call to “those in charge of our television networks”, the lecture will be interesting to non-specialists for its “startling glimpse into the mind and practices of a remarkable talent”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Captivating and funny as Coel’s lecture was, I’m not sure it should have been turned into a book, said Tomiwa Owolade in the London Evening Standard. You can watch it in its entirety on YouTube; this repackaging, with a brief introduction and afterword, “adds nothing worthwhile”.
I disagree, said Rosie Kinchen in The Sunday Times. Coel’s voice – “razor-sharp” and very funny – deserves to reach the widest possible audience. She herself may be less of an outsider these days – but her lecture’s message still feels relevant.
Ebury 128pp £9.99; The Week Bookshop £7.99
The Week Bookshop
To order this title or any other book in print, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk, or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835. Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Horror stories of women having to carry nonviable fetuses'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Haiti interim council, prime minister sworn in
Speed Read Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns amid surging gang violence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 26, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - teleprompter troubles, presidential immunity, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published
-
Amanda Montell's 6 favorite books that will expand your knowledge
Feature The linguist recommends works by Mary Roach, Alice Carrière, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Rowan Beaird recommends 6 compelling books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Patricia Highsmith, Shirley Jackson, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes with great rec rooms
Feature Featuring a suspended fireplace in Arizona and a marine-themed home in Maine
By The Week Published
-
Recipe: gnocchi di spinaci (spinach gnocchi)
The Week Recommends Forget the potatoes for this gnocchi made of the 'classic combination' of spinach and ricotta
By The Week UK Published
-
Stephen Graham Jones' 6 scary books with deeper meanings
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Stephen King, Sara Gran, and more
By The Week US Published