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Loading... A Journey (original 2010; edition 2010)by Tony Blair
Work InformationA Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair (2010)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. The book may well be interesting for those with an understanding or knowledge of British politics and politicians, but for me, with only minor interest, I found it hard stay focused. That criticism is not necessarily an indictment of the books quality, but more a caution that unless you're a political junkie with a European bent, you may, like me, not appreciate the book. You certainly won't appreciate the book if you're a Gordon Brown follower either. The reason I selected the book in the first place was with the hope that I'd gain some insight Blair's background, especially dealing with President Bush and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, but that topic wasn't given the in-depth discussion that I sought. ( ) 8/10: As political memoir, Blair's book is better than most. There's the inevitable self-justification of course, but no more than is reasonable, and whether you agree with his policies or not, it's hard not to accept that he surely did his best. The book was as it's most interesting as he reflected on what had been. The final chapters, which look forward as much as back, are much weaker, perhaps because the self-confidence is stronger (strangely, Blair seems to find it easier to be sure about the future than the past). Nonetheless, it remains a 'must-read' if only to try and understand the huge influence that Blair's premiership has been on all of us.
När Tony Blair summerar sin politiska karriär berättar han öppet och energiskt om maktspelet i Labourpartiet och sina alkoholvanor. Svårare får han att förklara invasionen i Irak. Maria Schottenius har läst Blairs memoarer. But since that is what he thinks, he is right to say it. The book is redeemed by such truths. Blair has a world view and is unafraid to describe it, bigger and bolder than anyone else. You can say he was mad. You can say he was a flawed genius. But you can't say he didn't matter. By fighting so hard to transform his party, whether from genuine conviction or pragmatic calculation, Mr. Blair achieved, he believes, the long-sought aim of making Labour the "natural party of governance." "A Journey" provides a priceless glimpse into the mind of the man who devoted himself to that transformation—and who stood by America in some of its darkest recent hours. All these years and political miles later, the man — hailed by The Observer as “one of the most electorally successful and effective party leaders of all time” — remains a curiously opaque figure. And the self-portrait that emerges from his new memoir, “A Journey: My Political Life,” is very much that of a man without a shadow. Distinctions
Tony Blair is a politician who defines our times. His emergence as Labour Party leader in 1994 marked a seismic shift in British politics. Within a few short years, he had transformed his party and rallied the country behind him, becoming prime minister in 1997 with the biggest victory in Labour's history, and bringing to an end eighteen years of Conservative government. He took Labour to a historic three terms in office as Britain's dominant political figure of the last two decades. In this firsthand account, he describes his role in shaping our recent history, from the aftermath of Princess Diana's death to the War on Terror. He explores the challenges of leadership, and the ramifications of standing up, clearly and forcefully, for what one believes in. He also looks ahead, to emerging power relationships and economies, addressing the vital issues and complexities of our global world --Résumé de l'éditeur. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)941.0859092History and Geography Europe British Isles Historical periods of British Isles 1837- Period of Victoria and House of Windsor 1945-1999 1990-1995LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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