"David Marquand's quest to understand our times and so reinvent theBritish liberal tradition has been one of the most importantinfluences on British politics over the last ten years - and on mepersonally. The New Reckoning assembles some of his mostchallenging and thought-provoking writing - and it is as subtle,intelligent and persuasive as I have come to expect. Anotherimportant contribution from the master." Will Hutton
"David Marquand is that very rare bird these days - a politician(somewhat ex - by his own choice) who is more interested in ideasthan in the gossip of who's in and who's out. As however he writeswith a flair and even a raciness which should make most gossipcolumnists green with envy, he is immensely readable. He alsowrites with a rigorous and disinterested intellectual courage. Hefollows his argument where it takes him, without regard to whichpolitical interests it offends or supports. This book of essays,some old and some new, would be worthwhile just for its brilliantintroduction (significantly entitled Journey to an UnknownDestination) alone. But it also has much else of wisdom on thedilemmas of modern societies." The Right Hon. Lord Jenkins ofHillhead
"No observer of Labour's postwar evolution is more perceptive ormore deeply reflective than David Marquand. The result is one ofthe most arresting and thought-stirring books on politics to haveappeared for many years. It has the rare merit of combiningtheoretical and historical vision with an intimate understanding ofpolitical practice. It is also a fascinating fragment of politicaland intellectual autobiography." The New Statesman andSociety
"David Marquand's latest offering will not disappoint: hiseloquent style, rigorous analysis and challenging commentarycharacterises The New Reckoning. [It] engages the reader ina thought-provoking, intelligent debate from which few of us willescape without new insights to the political era over which theBlair government presides." The Stakeholder
"David Marquand is an engaging and stylish political thinker,who moves adventurously across academic frontiers and straddles theworlds of scholarship and politics." Prospect
"Marquand has fluently channelled some of his most challengingand thought provoking arguments into what promises to be one of themost influential contributions to modern British politics."Social Science
"The next instalment from this reflective mind will be worthwaiting for." The Economist
"It is the work of Britain's most scrupulous liberal commentatoron politics ... producing essays of clarity and fine judgment."The Times Literary Supplement
"Comparative and international in his perspective, non-sectarianin his argument, clear in his prose, Marquand brings together acommand of political economy, history and political culture and acommitment to the people that belongs to that time. In his writinghe makes the fusion that he calls for in British politics." TheGuardian
"A fascinating account of his own intellectual development."Government and Opposition
"Marquand's arguments and interpretations are lucid, thoughtprovoking and undeniably pertinent." InternationalAffairs