The Indefatigable Asa Briggs

By: Adam Sisman

Narrated by: Ric Jerrom

Asa Briggs’s energy fuelled him to write more than fifty books, including five formidable volumes on the history of broadcasting. At the zenith of his fame he was one of the best-known historians of his generation, his name on a cover a guarantee of substantial sales.

From humble beginnings in the back streets of Keighley, he rose to become a peer of the realm, one of the Great and the Good. He was Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, the most fashionable of the new universities, and Chancellor of the Open University, the largest. He became President of the Workers’ Educational Association, reflecting his deep commitment to a more equal society. His own life illustrated the power of education to overcome disadvantage.

But for all his success, his was also a story of frustration and disappointment. He took on too much, and in later life was unable to juggle his commitments as once he could. Moreover, the world around him had changed. Once at the centre of things, he found himself on the periphery.

The inner life of Asa Briggs was more turbulent than it appeared from the outside. Even those who thought they knew him well may be surprised by the revelations in this fascinating biography.

©2025 Adam Sisman (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

‘Adam Sisman’s thorough biography The Indefatigable Asa Briggs astutely pieces together what was a more turbulent life than you might expect from one of the best-known historians of his generation'

INDEPENDENT, Best Book of the Month

‘Though his career is not often celebrated today, his life, as Adam Sisman’s measured but compelling biography makes plain, was both busy and remarkable'

TELEGRAPH, four-star review