This Land: The Story of a Movement

This Land examines the rise and fall of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the UK Labour Party from 2015-2020. The book provides an inside account of the key events, internal conflicts, and external pressures that shaped this period in British political history. Drawing on interviews with party insiders and firsthand observations, Owen Jones reconstructs the battles within Labour over ideology, Brexit, antisemitism allegations, and electoral strategy. The narrative covers both the initial momentum that propelled Corbyn to party leadership and the subsequent challenges that emerged. The book tracks the movement's trajectory through two general elections and multiple party crises, documenting the roles of politicians, activists, media figures, and campaign organizers. Jones combines political analysis with behind-the-scenes reporting to detail how various factions competed for control of Labour's direction. Beyond its immediate subject matter, This Land explores broader questions about the viability of left-wing politics within established institutions and the tensions between populist movements and traditional party structures. The book serves as both a chronicle of a specific political moment and an examination of how transformative change succeeds or fails within democratic systems.

Readers found the book provided inside details about Labour's internal workings and Jeremy Corbyn's leadership period, but many felt it lacked sufficient balance and objectivity. Positive reviews highlighted: - Deep access to key Labour figures and staffers - Clear explanations of internal party dynamics - Detailed chronology of events - Strong research and sourcing Common criticisms: - Too sympathetic to Corbyn - Insufficient analysis of Labour's electoral failures - Repetitive writing style - Focus on Westminster drama over grassroots movement Review scores: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (207 ratings) Amazon UK: 4.1/5 (326 reviews) Several readers noted Jones' proximity to events affected objectivity. One Amazon reviewer wrote: "The author's personal involvement makes for compelling insider details but clouds critical analysis." Goodreads reviewers frequently mentioned the book works better as a contemporary account than a definitive history, with one noting: "More journalism than analysis, but valuable for documenting this period."

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🔷 Owen Jones wrote this detailed account of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the UK Labour Party while simultaneously covering these events as a journalist for The Guardian. 🔷 The book's title references the Labour Party anthem "The Red Flag," which includes the line "This land shall witness victory." 🔷 The author conducted over 200 interviews for the book, including exclusive conversations with Jeremy Corbyn himself and most of his senior team. 🔷 The book explores how Corbyn, who began as a 200-1 outsider in the Labour leadership contest, managed to become the party's leader in 2015. 🔷 Despite being one of Britain's prominent left-wing voices, Owen Jones was often critical of Corbyn's leadership strategy, making the book a notably balanced account rather than a purely sympathetic one.