The Magic Box by Rob Young for Buzz Magazine

The Magic Box - Rob Young - From Buzz Magazine

A book review on behalf of Buzz Magazine of The Magic Box by Rob Young.

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THE MAGIC BOX

Rob Young (Faber)

Rob Young’s The Magic Box takes us on a terrestrial British journey from the 1950s into the 1980s. The eclectic mix of television programming during this time shines a light on British culture, politics and history. As Young navigates his way through a library of personal memories, he perfectly captures the zeitgeist of the golden age of screen.

Young describes the typical 1970s household television as “a three-dimensional box. It took up space in the room, it wasn’t generally moved around, and you could arrange ornaments on top of it”. The image of the fixed position and status of the TV – its three channels offering programmes that, once watched, may never be seen again – signify the importance of this televisual past life.

Many of the programmes you would likely expect to be discussed, such as Dr Who, The Wicker Man and The Canterbury Tales, share space with some lesser-known programming of that time. Young’s relatably patchy memory also gives him space to defer to the research and underlines that British TV established itself as part of who we are and the culture we grew up in. The Magic Box is a joyride into the past, and a highly entertaining read.