Ludo and the Power of Book

An in-depth and fascinating biography of Ludovic Kennedy, British journalist and humanist, best known for his tireless pursuit of social justice. 'A worthy memorial to a man whose campaigning against injustices was, probably more than any other single influence, responsible for the abolition of the death penalty in Britain' Literary ReviewRichard Ingrams, co-founder of Private Eye and founding editor of The Oldie, first met Ludovic Kennedy in 1963; it was a friendship that would last for over four decades.After a naval career and a failed attempt to become an MP, Ludo eventually found what came to be his true calling - the examination and exposé of miscarriages of justice. Ludo would stop at nothing to get justice, prepared to risk his reputation, popularity and social standing on these cases. It was Ludo who, better than anyone else, revealed the fallible nature of the British judicial system, the police force and the politicians who oversaw them, and confronted the cruel realities of capital punishment.In Ludo and the Power of the Book Ingrams brings to life - drawing on Ludo's own writings and interviews with his friends and colleagues - Ludo's most renowned cases, which were some of the most scandalous and ignominious trials in the history of British justice: the Derek Bentley case of 1952; the hanging of Timothy Evans, falsely accused of killing his wife and child at 10 Rillington Place; the case of Patrick Meehan; the Luton post office murder; and the kidnapping and murder of baby Lindbergh.Ludovic Kennedy believed reverently in the power of the book and Richard Ingram's fascinating and sensitive portrayal of him is a fitting testament to that.'A lucid and affectionate portrait of one of the great journalists of his day' Observer'Elegantly written, thought-provoking' The Lady 'Stirring' Roger Lewis, Daily Mail, BOOK OF THE WEEK'A warm and worthy tribute' The Times'Elegantly written, thought-provoking' The Lady'A lucid and affectionate portrait of one of the great journalists of his day' ObserverSir Ludovic Kennedy was a British journalist, television personality, humanist and author. Following a brief naval career, Ludo devoted his life to what he referred to as his 'lifelong obsession with miscarriages of justice' and he fought this cause tirelessly, until he died in 2009. He is best known for re-examining cases such as the kidnapping of American toddler Charles Lindbergh, about which he wrote his most ambitious book on injustice, The Airman and the Carpenter. Ludo's writings and work on other cases such as the murder convictions of Timothy Evans and Derek Bentley were unique in that they often dispelled the breeding ground for conspiracy theories and regularly heralded dramatic changes of public opinion. Ludo is considered to be hugely influential in the abolition of the death penalty in the UK as well as other legal reforms, most notably the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) which obligated police to tape-record the questioning of suspects. His life story is one that deserves to be remembered and celebrated.Richard Ingrams first met Ludovic Kennedy in 1963 and the pair quickly bonded over their shared goal of exposing the fallible nature of the British justice system. Ingrams interweaves this biography with detailed analysis of the cases to which Ludo dedicated his life, vividly recapturing the spirit of his friend and colleague.