British literature in transition 1980 2000 : accelerated times The literature of twentieth century Britains final twenty years represents a crash course in transitional history. In the aftermath of the 1970s the nations hopes of becoming more efficient were high leading to the fundamental domestic shake up that was Margaret Thatchers neoliberal revolution (1979–90). Following the end of the Cold War Europe was undergoing radical rejuvenation while the world as a whole began to thrive on new levels of connectivity and proximity brought through rapid advances in communication technology. Later in the 1990s Britons were asked to countenance not only internal devolution but also the crystallisation of a brand new European and global order. This volume shows how British literature recorded contemporaneous historical change. It traces the emergence and evolution of literary trends as well as enduring transitional shifts in genre tone style and thematic preoccupation.