Scan barcode
jimbowen0306's review
4.0
This book is about John Major, the politician who took over from Maggie Thatcher as leader of the Conservative Party and British Prime Minister. She had an intense focus, span her views well, but approached it from what was the extreme right of her party. In many ways, she was the British Ronald Reagan, implementing many of his policies here.
Major was more of a centrist, the sort of leader who wanted to get the trains to run on time. In many ways he was more sensible than his predecessor, but had the misfortune of following a popular leader who had left in difficult circumstances. with a rump in the party liking her, and better promotion from those around her.
The book itself was an interesting book. We do genuinely get a sense of where Major came from, what his vision of the future, and why he did whaat he did. It's just the book is very dated now. It was written in the late 1990s, and looked at things in a very 1990s way. That might have been fine at the time, but 20 year later, you're going to be left feeling like you're looking at history, rather than a recent biography.
Major was more of a centrist, the sort of leader who wanted to get the trains to run on time. In many ways he was more sensible than his predecessor, but had the misfortune of following a popular leader who had left in difficult circumstances. with a rump in the party liking her, and better promotion from those around her.
The book itself was an interesting book. We do genuinely get a sense of where Major came from, what his vision of the future, and why he did whaat he did. It's just the book is very dated now. It was written in the late 1990s, and looked at things in a very 1990s way. That might have been fine at the time, but 20 year later, you're going to be left feeling like you're looking at history, rather than a recent biography.
andrewritchie's review
5.0
A fascinating insight into the workings of government. Covering both external politics as well as internal party wranglings it allows a deep insight into how policy is created and decided. What can we agree on as a party, what will the electorate vote for as well as the additional expectation of international partners.
It is easy to forget how many significant national and international events occured during John Major's time in cabinet and as Prime Minister. He certainly had a huge amount to contend with.
The book deals with major events at a time rather than solely being chronological so the sheer scale of these events unravels as the book progresses, for me a fascinating way of developing events.
Reading this 20 years after publication the way he tried to ward off and prevent some of the divisive views and opinions that still cause huge division today is very interesting. Could he have done things differently and driven better outcomes? We will never know.
Which ever side of the political divide you sit on, I think this is an excellent account of events. As with any political biography it comes with the caveat of telling one person's perspective of events but it is well done.
An excellent book.
It is easy to forget how many significant national and international events occured during John Major's time in cabinet and as Prime Minister. He certainly had a huge amount to contend with.
The book deals with major events at a time rather than solely being chronological so the sheer scale of these events unravels as the book progresses, for me a fascinating way of developing events.
Reading this 20 years after publication the way he tried to ward off and prevent some of the divisive views and opinions that still cause huge division today is very interesting. Could he have done things differently and driven better outcomes? We will never know.
Which ever side of the political divide you sit on, I think this is an excellent account of events. As with any political biography it comes with the caveat of telling one person's perspective of events but it is well done.
An excellent book.
More...