Cards Of Identity is a 1955 novel by Nigel Dennis. A scathing satire of psychology, identity theory and class prejudice, the novel is centred around the 'Identity Club', a group of men calling themselves psychologists, who meet annually to present 'case histories' promoting their chosen theory of identity, which are, in fact, fictional representations of a character in line with their theoretical biases, rather than analyses of real patients. Surrounding this plot is an equally compelling story of the local townspeople who are brainwashed into being servants for the convention, and end the book with a show-stopping non-canonical Shakespearian play. The novel has gained more attention in Britain recently as the debate over a British identity card bill rages.
The novel was highly praised when it first came out. The Times said 'One of the funniest, most intelligent and far-reaching pieces of satire.', Hilary Corke writing in The Listener said 'It is the cleverest novel, and the most intellectually formidable, that I have read for many years. It is also one of the funniest.' W.H. Auden said 'I have read no novel published in the last fifteen years with greater pleasure and admiration.'