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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
Kattava henkilö- ja poliittinen kuvaus Angela Merkelistä. Ei kovin kriittinen, mutta en sellaista niin hakenutkaan tältä, ja opin paljon myös esim. Saksan politiikasta.
Kuuntelin suomennetun äänikirjan, ehkä sekin vielä joskus ilmestyy Goodreadsiin painosvaihtoehtona?
Kuuntelin suomennetun äänikirjan, ehkä sekin vielä joskus ilmestyy Goodreadsiin painosvaihtoehtona?
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
fast-paced
A hit job disguised as a biography
This is simply not that deep of a book, first, and second, the repeated indications, that on one tangential subject, Marton is a Nat-Sec Nutsack fellow traveler, make this a one-star book.
By the time of Marton's second reference to Ukraine 2014, and describing scenes with which I'm not familiar (that's sarcasm, if not clear), I knew I would ding her for that. By the third reference, followed by a footnote that she's Richard Holbrooke's wife, which explains a lot, I knew it would be a full star ding. (Obligatory disclosure that I don't support Putin's invasion while I also don't support NATO barking at Russia.)
But wait, it gets worse later on when she addresses the Maidan-era Ukraine and Merkel in detail. She claims Russia was making war on Ukraine. She also falsely claims that Stalin's push for collectivization behind the Holodomor was directed just at Ukraine. It was not, and Ukraine was not the most-affected area of the USSR. By deaths as a percentage of population, the Kazakh SSR, today's Kazakhstan, was. I quickly skipped the rest of that chapter. I will note that Marton doesn't even mention the Minsk Accords, that they were broken by Ukraine as well as Russia, and that they were negotiated by ... GERMANY, Merkel's Germany, Merkel the chancellor with the freedom in foreign policy's Germany, as well as France.
Interestingly, I seem to be the only person over here to rate it below 3.5 stars, and the lowest reviewers here, while mentioning the hagiography, don't mention that this seems to be a bio written for Americans, let alone the two paragraphs above.
Then, near the end of the book, referring to Macron's France, she claims it's the only Western democracy that still holds military parades. Really? Maybe there is no official US equivalent to a Bastille Day parade or whatever, but when you see multiple military vehicles in a small-town Christmas parade, you know that in a "spirit of" sense, this is totally untrue.
Meanwhile, there's bits of iffiness beyond Marton's going out of her way to kick Russia at times where it's totally gratuitous.
There's also the attempt to paint Germany and its federalized Länder (Marton DOES omit umlauts repeatedly) government as something even more federalized than the US, and thus preventing her from doing much domestically. Really? She shut Germany's nuke plants after Fukushima, taking the lead on that. Replaced them with more dirty lignite coal, despite later trying to be the "climate chancellor." Marton dings her for that less than for "selling her soul to Putin" in NordStream, ignoring that, even with the old pipeline, while it might benefit Ukraine a bit, Germany would be just as dependent on Russian gas either way.
One example? If you're going to talk about the GERMAN city, it is Aachen, not Aix-la-Chapelle. Additional ding. Or, in the prologue, get Kohl's chancellorship dates right. (Something else nobody here mentions, but plenty of people at Goodreads caught this, the umlauts and other stuff.)
Also, per other critics, there's little about Merkel's Germany within the European Union. It glosses over Merkel's relationship with China and how Germany, like the rest of the EU, and the US, continue to preach "engagement." Brexit and Merkel's public or private work and comments not only leading up to the British referendum, but the whole spiel of negotiations afterword, isn't even discussed. This, in addition to the repeated hit jobs on Russia even when unwarranted, spell out its American focus and American audience. The mind shudders to think what this book would be like with a 2022 pub date instead of 2021.
Finally, per the chapter on the "COVID Chancellor," Germany's death rate might be better than France, Britain and several other developed countries, certainly better than the US, but it's also worse than others,
The only thing I really learned from this book is that Merkel's father was of half-Polish ancestry.
Her previous book, "Stalin's Last American Spy," was not bad, but now I'm wondering what I missed. I won't read another book of hers.
This is simply not that deep of a book, first, and second, the repeated indications, that on one tangential subject, Marton is a Nat-Sec Nutsack fellow traveler, make this a one-star book.
By the time of Marton's second reference to Ukraine 2014, and describing scenes with which I'm not familiar (that's sarcasm, if not clear), I knew I would ding her for that. By the third reference, followed by a footnote that she's Richard Holbrooke's wife, which explains a lot, I knew it would be a full star ding. (Obligatory disclosure that I don't support Putin's invasion while I also don't support NATO barking at Russia.)
But wait, it gets worse later on when she addresses the Maidan-era Ukraine and Merkel in detail. She claims Russia was making war on Ukraine. She also falsely claims that Stalin's push for collectivization behind the Holodomor was directed just at Ukraine. It was not, and Ukraine was not the most-affected area of the USSR. By deaths as a percentage of population, the Kazakh SSR, today's Kazakhstan, was. I quickly skipped the rest of that chapter. I will note that Marton doesn't even mention the Minsk Accords, that they were broken by Ukraine as well as Russia, and that they were negotiated by ... GERMANY, Merkel's Germany, Merkel the chancellor with the freedom in foreign policy's Germany, as well as France.
Interestingly, I seem to be the only person over here to rate it below 3.5 stars, and the lowest reviewers here, while mentioning the hagiography, don't mention that this seems to be a bio written for Americans, let alone the two paragraphs above.
Then, near the end of the book, referring to Macron's France, she claims it's the only Western democracy that still holds military parades. Really? Maybe there is no official US equivalent to a Bastille Day parade or whatever, but when you see multiple military vehicles in a small-town Christmas parade, you know that in a "spirit of" sense, this is totally untrue.
Meanwhile, there's bits of iffiness beyond Marton's going out of her way to kick Russia at times where it's totally gratuitous.
There's also the attempt to paint Germany and its federalized Länder (Marton DOES omit umlauts repeatedly) government as something even more federalized than the US, and thus preventing her from doing much domestically. Really? She shut Germany's nuke plants after Fukushima, taking the lead on that. Replaced them with more dirty lignite coal, despite later trying to be the "climate chancellor." Marton dings her for that less than for "selling her soul to Putin" in NordStream, ignoring that, even with the old pipeline, while it might benefit Ukraine a bit, Germany would be just as dependent on Russian gas either way.
One example? If you're going to talk about the GERMAN city, it is Aachen, not Aix-la-Chapelle. Additional ding. Or, in the prologue, get Kohl's chancellorship dates right. (Something else nobody here mentions, but plenty of people at Goodreads caught this, the umlauts and other stuff.)
Also, per other critics, there's little about Merkel's Germany within the European Union. It glosses over Merkel's relationship with China and how Germany, like the rest of the EU, and the US, continue to preach "engagement." Brexit and Merkel's public or private work and comments not only leading up to the British referendum, but the whole spiel of negotiations afterword, isn't even discussed. This, in addition to the repeated hit jobs on Russia even when unwarranted, spell out its American focus and American audience. The mind shudders to think what this book would be like with a 2022 pub date instead of 2021.
Finally, per the chapter on the "COVID Chancellor," Germany's death rate might be better than France, Britain and several other developed countries, certainly better than the US, but it's also worse than others,
The only thing I really learned from this book is that Merkel's father was of half-Polish ancestry.
Her previous book, "Stalin's Last American Spy," was not bad, but now I'm wondering what I missed. I won't read another book of hers.
Angela Merkel's transition from science to politics always fascinated me. I wanted to know more. Yet I deliberately waited until Angela Merkel retired and for someone to write a biography that covers her entire tenure. I am glad that I did. Kati Marton stays true to her word like Angela Merkel and delivers a human account of the chancellor rather than a "political portrait." I enjoyed how the chapters were organized, and each introductory photo was perfect. The photo for the "Dictators" chapter is priceless.
I felt like I got to know the Bundezkanzlerin even though she has managed to shield her personal life from the outside world. However, I crave more detail. Marton mostly highlights key events and relationships -- which were all well-written -- but still left me feeling like there's so much more. For now I await the publication of her memoirs. In the meantime, this book is an excellent overview of the challenges and accomplishments of a phenomenal leader. She's too cool.
I felt like I got to know the Bundezkanzlerin even though she has managed to shield her personal life from the outside world. However, I crave more detail. Marton mostly highlights key events and relationships -- which were all well-written -- but still left me feeling like there's so much more. For now I await the publication of her memoirs. In the meantime, this book is an excellent overview of the challenges and accomplishments of a phenomenal leader. She's too cool.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
While I love all things political, I have come to realise that I ought to expand my knowledge related to some of the world leaders outside North America. When I noticed that Kati Marton penned a biography of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, I leapt at the opportunity to learn more about her and how Europe’s most powerful leader during her tenure kept the trains running on time. Marton does a fabulous job explaining the life of Merkel, as well as those topics that make her tick. Well worth a read by those who love political biographies.
Angela Merkel spent her early years as a pastor’s daughter in East Germany, behind the Berlin Wall. Her time living in a communist regime allowed Merkel to see how she did not want to live life, but would also provide insight in the Russian ethos, which would prove useful when dealing with the likes of Putin. Merkel used her time behind the Wall honing her life skills and becoming a top-rate scientist, choosing to question the world around her.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Merkel sought a new career for herself, finding a spot in the first united German cabinet. Merkel may not have had a great deal of political experience, but she made up for it in determination and a passion to see change in the new and fragile German Republic. Merkel was known for not fitting in and challenging norms, but never stopped trying to make changes that would help those around her. One of her key attributes that followed Merkel throughout her public life was a push to remain private. Many did not know the personal Angela Merkel, nor did she try to flaunt her life. She remained grounded and quiet, keeping to herself outside the role as Chancellor, which would baffle many as time progressed.
As she rose through the ranks of her party, Merkel found herself in a position of power and would become a rarity in German politics, a woman in a position of power. Merkel climbed into the role of Chancellor while others around her whispered their doubt that she would last. However, Merkel was less concerned about what others thought, choosing to turn her attention to fixing many aspects of the German state. As Marton explains throughout the tome, Merkel made an impact as she moved to change the way Germany was seen within the European community, as well as on the world scene. She stopped at nothing to push for economic reforms and a stronger sense of equality within the German Republic, turning away from the dark stain that was the Nazi regime.
One thing that Marton makes clear throughout the biography is that Merkel would stop at nothing to ensure the world did not slip back into the perils of authoritarianism or leave any part of the population homeless. Her own experiences resonated loudly and she would not stand for any bullying. Facing off against the likes of Putin and Trump, Merkel stood her ground and made sure not to let their snide remarks go without a response. Marton does contrast this with a softer view on China, one of Germany’s great trading partners. One can suppose that economic output would supersede human rights violations.
While Merkel never saw herself staying in power forever, she did have a list of things that she wanted to accomplish. Merkel served four terms as chancellor, buoyed by parliamentary governments who supported her enough to stay in the job. Merkel saw a great deal of change in the warld, in Europe, and even in Germany throughout her tenure, but also saw the next generation slink onto the scene in the latter years of her fourth term. Merkel may have been very involved in Germany’s progress, but she also had passions all her own that she wanted to share in the latter portion of her public life. Marton hints at some, but is clear that Angela Merkel is a private person and would likely enjoy her privacy as well. A public life well lived, Kati Marton has shown me a new and intriguing side to this woman who appeared to hold Europe together at the seams for long periods of time, while also providing compassion to those around her.
While there are many who purport that they can pen a political biography, only a handful are usually successful. Kati Marton does a formidable job exploring the life and times of Angela Merkel, breathing life and personality into a politician known primarily for her hard-line approach to governing. The tome exemplifies a much more personal side to the woman and her rise to power, as well as the topics into which she delved to keep the country and world together. Pulling on both professional and as many personal experiences as Merkel would allow to come out, Marton builds a strong and all-encompassing narrative well worth the reader’s time. An easy to follow format keeps the book from becoming too sluggish and there are many wonderful anecdotes woven into the larger tome. I must applaud Kati Marton for her detailed approach, which offers a personal side to a woman thought to be all work and little play in the eyes of the world.
Kudos, Kati Marton, for this stellar piece. Your time with Angela Merkel is shown in the great political biography I’ve just finished.
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informative
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I spent the first half of my life in Poland, so Merkel was a familiar figure in politics since I can remember. I’ve never appreciated her ability to wield soft power and make tough decisions until reading this biography. We won’t have a politician like her again.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced