Books podcast: The war on the old

Is there a war on the old? Yes, says John Sutherland, the respected author and critic who is currently Emeritus Professor of Modern Literature at UCL.

His new book, The War on the Old, posits the idea that an ‘intergenerational conflict’ has risen to the surface in recent years, compounded by the discrepancies in voting intentions brought to light by Brexit. As he faces up to impending old age, Sutherland despairs for the NHS and its focus on cures, rather than quality of life.

Sutherland joins the podcast this week to discuss these issues and much more. His book is the latest in a series of so-called ‘provocations’ and there’s no doubt that many of the ideas he espouses are provocative. You can listen to his conversation with Sam Leith, Literary Editor of the Spectator, here:

And if you enjoyed that discussion, please subscribe to the Spectator Books podcast on iTunes for a fresh episode every Monday.