ROBERT HARRIS: stranger than fiction politics

Robert Harris started out in journalism, became political editor of The Observer, and had a ringside seat for the rise of New Labour. But, after striking gold with Fatherland, Robert launched a second career as a novelist and never looked back.Robert’s latest best-seller - Act Of Oblivion - is set in a country that’s divided after the English Civil War. It’s a fictionalised account of the greatest manhunt of the 17th century. And the pursuit - across continents - of the men responsible for the execution of King Charles I.Robert describes it as a “curiously contemporary novel”. And the past often calls to him when it has some relevance to the present day. Because - while he may not miss writing a column - Robert remains very much a political animal. And in this conversation, he reflects on two successful careers, and the political characters and rhetoric of the present day. Related links:Act Of OblivionRobert's other books Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.