<p><em>&nbsp;&nbsp; Coningsby</em> is the first of Disraeli&rsquo;s trilogy of political novels set against a background of real events in England following the enactment of the Whigs&rsquo; Reform Bill in 1832.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; The story follows the fortunes of Harry Coningsby &ndash; the orphaned grandson of the Marquis of Monmouth &ndash; from a boy at Eton to a young man of twenty-two. The luxurious life of the aristocracy, with their balls and lavish entertainments, is part of Coningsby&rsquo;s heritage but he is a serious and thoughtful hero, the accepted leader of the &ldquo;New Generation&rdquo; who, unlike their more laissez-faire elders, recognise the need for social and political change in a newly industrialised nation.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Disenchanted with both Whigs and Tories, Coningsby sets out to forge a new political force, one that aims to reinvigorate Britain&rsquo;s three great institutions &ndash; the monarchy, the Church and the people. The author&rsquo;s voice rings loud and clear here and also through his other central character, Sidonia, a wealthy and highly accomplished Jew who is both a man of the world and a man of no nation, a position that gives him unique insights into human nature and politics. If Coningsby wants change, advises Sidonia, then he should revive the national spirit and aim to inspire: &ldquo;To believe in the heroic makes heroes.&rdquo; Bold as he is, the path is a thorny one for Coningsby, especially when he falls in love with a beautiful woman from the &ldquo;new money&rdquo; class.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Disraeli&rsquo;s solutions for inept political systems may belong to another era but his insightfully drawn characters &ndash; the self-serving fixer, the bloated elitist, the clever manipulator of events and public opinion &ndash; live on today and will ever endure. In that sense, <em>Coningsby</em> is timeless.</p>