Salt to publish Jason Cowley 'chronicle'

Salt is to publish what it calls a "major" chronicle of the last decade by New Statesman editor Jason Cowley, titled Reaching for Utopia.

Reaching for Utopia brings together "insightful" essays and profiles chronicling the remarkable political and cultural transformations of the last decade – from the fall of Blair to the rise of Corbyn and Brexit. Cowley is said to be fascinated by the men and women who are creating the history of our era as well as those who document it. He has met and interviewed all the major political players shaping and changing the way we live today.

The book features "fascinating, wide-ranging" narrative profiles of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, the Miliband brothers, Jeremy Corbyn, Alex Salmond, Nigel Farage, David Cameron, George Osborne and Theresa May. The book also showcases literary-political assessments of some of the "major writers of our time", including Philip Roth, Martin Amis, Ian McEwan, John le Carré and Kazuo Ishiguro.

The profiles have previously appeared in the New Statesman and elsewhere over the years. The book will be a thematic compilation that explains, through personal interviews with key politicians and others, how the country got to the position it's in now with Brexit looming and competing visions for what Britain may look like in the aftermath.

Publishing director Jennifer Hamilton-Emery said: "This is an essential book for anyone wishing to understand the turbulent new times in which we live".

Crowley said: "I discussed this project with no other publisher – because I admire the ethos, independence and quality of the Salt list. The last decade, from the financial crisis to Brexit, has been utterly fascinating. As editor of the New Statesman and in my journalism, I’ve attempted to make sense of the forces driving this age of upheaval."

Cowley has consistently been included in the London Evening Standard's list of the 1,000 Most Influential People in London. He was named among Britain's most influential 500 people by Debrett's 500 in association with the Sunday Times in 2015.

The publisher acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to the title which will be published on 1st September 2018 and formally launched over the Party Conference season.