Richard Beard’s book, Sad Little Men, shines an uncomfortable light on the private school system.

He argues that boarding school education left an indelible mark on the psyches of the young pupils who grew into the politicians and businesspeople of today.

He asks what type of leader this system produces, and how they, in turn, shape society through policies and decisions informed by their schooling.

He is joined by Peter Francis, director of Gladstone’s Library who, like Richard, attended a boarding school, and was troubled by both the teaching and the experience of being separated from his family at a tender age.

In his recently published memoir, The Widening Circle of Us, Peter wrote about the imperialist tone of the curriculum, and the distorting effects of privilege.

This event will be in-person only, but audio recordings will be available to Friends of the library via the Digital Archive after the talk.