Posh Boys
by Robert Verkaik, Oneworld, 400pp, £16.99
In the first few pages of Posh Boys, Robert Verkaik manages, among other things, to give public schools a heavy dusting of Nazism-by-association (on the grounds that some of the German high command prematurely fantasised about sending their offspring to Eton); to populate them with people called Tarquin and Humphrey; and to blame them for producing the politicians who sent Britain “crashing out of Europe”.
Crikey, as Tarquin himself might exclaim – if, that is, you can find him. I have lived in England for 28 years and I’ve met countless former public schoolboys, but I have yet to come across the ubiquitous Tarquin. I’ve met lots of Toms, Matts and Nicks, though; and among the ranks of privately educated Tory MPs (including two Old Etonians) one can find Kwasi, Nadhim, Rishi and Bim. But no Tarquin. Mysterious.
