Status Anxiety | 12 November 2011

I knew I shouldn’t have gone to the Economist’s end-of-summer party last month. Within seconds of arriving, I was buttonholed by Venetia Butterfield, publishing director of Viking. Two years ago I signed a contract with Viking to write a book about class and education, but I got sidetracked by the West London Free School. The due date came and went and I’ve been dodging Venetia ever since.

‘Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the book you owe me,’ she said, jabbing me in the chest. ‘But I’ve thought of a way you can make amends. Penguin are publishing a series of short e-books this Christmas and I wondered if you’d like to do one on how to set up a free school?’

I was feeling so guilty I said yes immediately without thinking. The following day my agent called, having been sent a contract by Penguin. ‘You didn’t really say yes to this, did you?’ she said.