Jimmy Reid: Walking with History : The Autobiography of Jimmy Reid

Jimmy Reid: Walking with History is the posthumousautobiography of the legendary Scottish trade union leader and orator. Drawnfrom fourteen years of conversations, it offers a firsthand account of theUpper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in and the ideas behind his world-famousspeeches.

Jimmy Reid: Walking with History is thelong-anticipated posthumous autobiography of one of the most influentialpolitical voices of the twentieth century. Compiled from fourteen years of in-depth conversations withjournalist and close collaborator Brian McGeachan, the book captures Reid'slife as trade union leader, orator, broadcaster and political activist. Bestknown internationally as the leading figure in the Upper Clyde Shipbuilderswork-in of 1971-72, Reid helped secure thousands of jobs and demonstrated apowerful alternative to industrial conflict through workers' control anddiscipline. Born in Govan during the Depression, Reid's life intersectedwith the major political currents of his age: communism, labour politics,nationalism and the struggle for social justice. His election as Rector of theUniversity of Glasgow in 1971 led to his famous 'rat-race' address, laterdescribed by The New York Times as "the greatest speech since theGettysburg Address." Its critique of alienation, inequality and moralcompromise continues to resonate across generations. Reid went on to become a respected journalist andBAFTA-award-winning broadcaster, engaging global audiences throughdocumentaries and debates while remaining rooted in the experiences ofworking-class Scotland. With a Foreword by Neil Kinnock and contributions fromfigures including Tony Benn and Billy Connolly, Walking with History isboth an intimate personal narrative and a vital historical record of modernBritain.