I picked up two autobiographical books by Mark Steel as I've always enjoyed his standup and various radio shows.
What's Going On details his experiences of being on the hard left of politics from the Thatcherite 80's to the inevitable disappointment of Tony Blair in number 10. He was a member of the Socialist Workers Party who were regulars at any demo but spent most of their time arguing with each other and splintering into smaller factions over footling points of ideology. He has much to say about the difficulty of organising a popular mass socialist movement when just a handful of people actually turn up to meetings.
His gradual falling out of love with the SWP is paralleled with the slow breakdown of his long term relationship with his partner. Both of these threads end with him moving out and making a fresh start, hopefully with an air of optimism.
The second book is less jokey, but more personal and deals with his experience of being diagnosed with cancer after discovering a lump in his throat. He learns to cope with the nasty side effects of the treatment with a mix of stoicism and humour, with his views about the invaluable care provided by the NHS as well as some of its many problems which as he puts it might not be immediately solved by throwing money at them but it would go a long way to helping.
There is also the joy of tentatively starting a new relationship as he is at his lowest ebb which is good to read after the previous book.
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