'One stupendous starburst of wild brilliance' SIMON SCHAMA 'Aphoristic and acutely provocative: a crash course in civilization' J. M. COETZEE Organized from A through Z, and containing over 100 essays, Cultural Amnesia is the ultimate guide to the twentieth century. 'This is a beautiful book. James proves himself not only to be in possession of a towering intellect, but a singular ability to communicate his passions' Observer 'Witty, insightful and unashamedly erudite, the book is a superb miscellany of 20th-century cultural and political subjects' The Sunday Times 'Over the past forty years James has been scribbling notes in the margins of the books he has read . . . and this is the result. Clever, contentious and funny' Guardian 'An eclectic journey through the 20th century, as Clive James explores the careers of luminaries such as Charles de Gaulle and Charlie Chaplin' Daily Express