This text presents a fictional representation of political power in the first half of the 20th century. Amongst the main themes explored are the lure of political romanticism and the construction of the distinctly British political identity. A survey of the political preoccupations of the time is provided, with separate chapters on imperialism, nationalism, sexual politics, violence, law and technopower, each beginning with a summary of key political issues.

This study provides an interdisciplinary examination of contemporary American writing using the example of New York City. The book challenges the simplified view that postmodernism ended modernist critique and left political opposition.