Best of the Spectator The Book Club: Alice Loxton
Jun 4, 2025
Alice Loxton, a historian and author of 'Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives,' brings history to life through the lens of youth. She discusses the significance of turning 18, the shifting definitions of adulthood across eras, and the untold stories of figures like Jacques Francis, a Tudor diver. Loxton examines how childhood hardships and mentorship shaped historical icons like Elizabeth I and Vivienne Westwood. Her passion for making history accessible challenges the old-fashioned views of historians, making it relatable for today.
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History Through Young Eyes
- Alice Loxton explores history through the lens of 18-year-olds to reveal their vulnerabilities and formative struggles.
- This approach makes history relatable, showing that historical figures were once young with uncertainties like us.
Eighteen Is Arbitrary Age
- Age 18 as adulthood is historically arbitrary and a modern social construct.
- The rise of education and the teenager as a distinct phase reshaped the age of majority to 18.
Historical Age Perceptions Differ
- Life expectancy skews perceptions of age; many died young, but survivors after childhood often lived much longer.
- Biological imperatives like timely childbearing forced early adulthood responsibilities historically.
