The Edge of Revolution
The General Strike that Shook Britain
Published on 26. March 2026
Book
Hardback
320 pages
978-1-3994-2359-5 (ISBN)
Description
'David Torrance chronicles this decisive moment in British history with colourful, fascinating detail' - The Times
'Compelling ... Vivid ... Fascinating' - Financial Times
'Superb' - The Spectator
The extraordinary story of the General Strike of 1926, from the author of the critically acclaimed The Wild Men.
On Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed tools in the only nationwide all-hands strike ever held in Britain. The General Strike had begun, and the country braced itself for what many believed was a moment akin to the Russian Revolution, which had shaken the world only a decade earlier. Industry was deprived of gas and electricity; the buses, trains and trams all stopped; newspapers ceased publication; and workers abandoned mines and iron, steel and chemical works around the country.
The General Strike has entered our national mythology. Even though it lasted only nine days, it left a legacy of bitterness that has had a profound impact on politics.
Now, a century on, Torrance tells this dramatic story from the perspective of everyone involved, drawing on extensive archival research to recreate those nine days through the accounts of those who lived and breathed it. The result is an absorbing and comprehensive analysis of this unique episode in British history.
'Compelling ... Vivid ... Fascinating' - Financial Times
'Superb' - The Spectator
The extraordinary story of the General Strike of 1926, from the author of the critically acclaimed The Wild Men.
On Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed tools in the only nationwide all-hands strike ever held in Britain. The General Strike had begun, and the country braced itself for what many believed was a moment akin to the Russian Revolution, which had shaken the world only a decade earlier. Industry was deprived of gas and electricity; the buses, trains and trams all stopped; newspapers ceased publication; and workers abandoned mines and iron, steel and chemical works around the country.
The General Strike has entered our national mythology. Even though it lasted only nine days, it left a legacy of bitterness that has had a profound impact on politics.
Now, a century on, Torrance tells this dramatic story from the perspective of everyone involved, drawing on extensive archival research to recreate those nine days through the accounts of those who lived and breathed it. The result is an absorbing and comprehensive analysis of this unique episode in British history.
Reviews / Votes
Compelling ... Vivid ... Fascinating * Financial Times * This is an eminently readable, even-handed and exhaustively researched account of a pivotal moment in modern Britain. It will be the definitive version for years to come, and may even restore the General Strike to its place in our collective consciousness. * The Times * Superb ... The Edge of Revolution is told with equal verve and authority ... Torrance has a superb conception both of the political figures and of the union men ... Torrance has a deep understanding of the British temper -- Simon Heffer * The Spectator * Torrance's account is balanced, solidly researched, and takes the story of the strike further beyond London than many similar histories manage * The Scotsman * Magisterial -- Kevin Maguire * Daily Mirror * Torrance imaginatively recreates a turning point in the UK's political and social history * The Herald * Torrance really excels at vivid pen portraits that bring to life the central characters * The Critic * David Torrance writes with verve and brio about one of the most dramatic events in modern British social, economic and political history. His book brings the events of the general strike alive for a modern readership, a hundred years after it occurred. -- John Bew * Professor of History and Foreign Policy, War Studies, King's College London *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Illustrations
8pp mono plate section
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
542 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3994-2359-5 (9781399423595)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2026
Bloomsbury Continuum
€16.99
Available for download
E-Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Continuum
€16.99
Available for download
Person
Dr David Torrance is a constitutional specialist at the House of Commons Library and a widely published historian of Scottish and UK politics as well as an experienced biographer of political figures such as the SNP politicians Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. He is the author of The Wild Men, published by Bloomsbury Continuum.