Fall Clash

China—the world's oldest continuous civilization—has undergone an astonishing transformation in a brief span of recent history. Since the collapse of its once-glorious empire in 1911, China has seen decades of epic turmoil and upheavals, emerging in the new century as both an authoritarian megastate and an economic powerhouse, poised to become an imposing global force.

Merlin Holland tells the story of the epic court clash at the Old Bailey in 1895 between his grandfather Oscar Wilde and defence barrister Edward Carson, asking whether the lawyer deserves his reputation as the man who destroyed the playwright and author. With contributions by Gyles Brandreth, Simon Callow and Rupert Everett.