For centuries, the House of Lords has provoked blind adoration, blind rage and often public merriment. Acclaimed writer, actor and man of the theatre John Wells now tells the entertaining story of this extraordinary institution from its dramatic past to the modern political arena where its importance is once again in question. This is a history of the House of Lords, from its inception in Anglo-Saxon times, through Henry VIII, the Civil War, the Commonwealth to the 1960s. Both entertaining and instructive, THE HOUSE OF LORDS is a fascinating and delightful work of history. Praise for The House of Lords: 'A good history and great entertainment from first page to last. It could not be handled better. A brilliant, informative performance' - Claire Tomalin in the Express 'His irony and humour are as good as Gibbon's and his scholarship equal to that of Macaulay . This book should be essential reading for all would-be changers' - Michael Onslow in the Literary Review 'Wells catches brilliantly the fustiness, pomposity and yet curious distinction of this bizarre anachronism' - Philip Ziegler in the Daily Telegraph 'A brilliantly informative and hilarious history of the House of Lords .

A highly enjoyable book' - John Mortimer in the Guardian 'Enormous fun to read . Marvellously vivid and amusing' - John Grigg in The Sunday Times John Wells (1936-98) was a founder-editor of Private Eye in which he wrote with Richard Ingrams two long-running political satires, Mrs Wilson's Diary and The Dear Bill Letters. He contributed sketches to That Was The Week That Was and was a columnist on The Spectator. His books included The Exploding Present, Masterpieces, Princess Caraboo: Her True Story and Rude Words, a history of the London Library.