He had a religious upbringing, yet was imbued with what it meant to be English.

Cricket, in particular, played a big part in the latter — and Daniel retains a passion for the gentleman’s game to this day.

The social and cultural historian’s long and active life has led him to interact in countless ways with the wider world and with some of its most renowned inhabitants.

And his new book, Just Passing Through: Interactions With The World 1938-2021 (Brown Dog Books), evokes those experiences via a series of vivid literary vignettes.

“I’d written a lot of books and was forever thinking about history, and at some people’s ignorance about history,” said Daniel, who has worked as the BBC’s chief producer (features).

“For instance, how can you debate Brexit without knowing how the European Union came about?

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