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Review
"This account of the Blair era, so soon after its end, is likely to be the fullest for many years. It is a solid foundation stone for history. Even so, it does not quite answer the question: who is Tony Blair? No one could have cast a wider net than Seldon and yet his subject, elusive as ever, somehow slithers through its mesh." --"Observer"
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"This account of the Blair era, so soon after its end, is likely to be the fullest for many years. It is a solid foundation stone for history. Even so, it does not quite answer the question: who is Tony Blair? No one could have cast a wider net than Seldon and yet his subject, elusive as ever, somehow slithers through its mesh." --"Observer"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Judging by the footnotes, this book has been meticulously researched. The author evidently had access to Blair's advisors and close team. More of his witnesess are civil servants than politicians. As a result, it is actually a very balanced analysis. The reviews below miss this point, and are both clearly anti-Blair. This book isn't written to verbally bash the man. There is no reason for the author to be biased. He sets outs the facts, as reported by those close to the key events, and lets the reader interpret and judge the man, rather than the author doing it himself. This surely is the purpose of all contemporary biography. Let us leave it to future historians to decide this man's place in British and world politics.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a first rate account of the Blair premiership from the dramatic events of 9/11 through to his final handover to Gordon Brown.
The style of writing is highly impressive - Seldon has written a book that captures all the complexity of being Prime Minister (e.g. policy, strategy, tactics, media, global and home-grown issues and of course the huge number of personal and political relationships) As a result there is enough to satisfy everyone and in a slight disagreement with an earlier reviewer, I believe he has very much captured the human element of the story. For example, the passages of the book concerning complex negotiations and the various ploys of all parties are fast paced and made interesting (even coming to agreement on the EU budget!)
It is a concise, balanced judgement all the more remarkable for such a controversial and contemporary politician. I particularly admire the fact that Seldon does not `rush to judge' Blair on any single issue but neither is this any kind of `whitewash'. He clearly is a skilled political analyst who is able to tell the story through the eyes of people involved and the pages of sources is testament to the access he had to key players.
This is a contemporary political biography of the very highest standard. Until future historians gain access to significantly more information - this book will be hard to beat.
The style of writing is highly impressive - Seldon has written a book that captures all the complexity of being Prime Minister (e.g. policy, strategy, tactics, media, global and home-grown issues and of course the huge number of personal and political relationships) As a result there is enough to satisfy everyone and in a slight disagreement with an earlier reviewer, I believe he has very much captured the human element of the story. For example, the passages of the book concerning complex negotiations and the various ploys of all parties are fast paced and made interesting (even coming to agreement on the EU budget!)
It is a concise, balanced judgement all the more remarkable for such a controversial and contemporary politician. I particularly admire the fact that Seldon does not `rush to judge' Blair on any single issue but neither is this any kind of `whitewash'. He clearly is a skilled political analyst who is able to tell the story through the eyes of people involved and the pages of sources is testament to the access he had to key players.
This is a contemporary political biography of the very highest standard. Until future historians gain access to significantly more information - this book will be hard to beat.
Format:Paperback
Very detailed and meticulously researched but not as 'readable' as Blair (the first volume) possibly because it was a 'project' book - the work of three people over a compressed eight months. Perhaps the subject needed more distance?
For me - count me as one of the thousands who will forever primarily associate Blair with the ill founded decisions re Iraq (Sadly there is nothing in this book that suggests for one moment that Blair was ever considered as much more than Bush's poodle as accused)- it is well balanced and the excellent introduction makes the valid point there is/was more to Blair than Iraq and did have some achievments (Ulster) but what this book and its predecessor drives home is the degree to which government, the country and both Blair and Brown lost out because of the schism beteeen them.
What a pity Blair was never so resolute over Europe and other topics as he was with Iraq because with three terms he had the oppurtunity to secure some significant achievments but again so many issues boiled down to a stand off or fudge because of his relationship with Brown. In retrospect a leadership election in 1994 would have given him a mandate and the country clarity rather than forever have a leader in waiting shackling the hands of the leader which was the reality of much of 1997 - 2007.
For me - count me as one of the thousands who will forever primarily associate Blair with the ill founded decisions re Iraq (Sadly there is nothing in this book that suggests for one moment that Blair was ever considered as much more than Bush's poodle as accused)- it is well balanced and the excellent introduction makes the valid point there is/was more to Blair than Iraq and did have some achievments (Ulster) but what this book and its predecessor drives home is the degree to which government, the country and both Blair and Brown lost out because of the schism beteeen them.
What a pity Blair was never so resolute over Europe and other topics as he was with Iraq because with three terms he had the oppurtunity to secure some significant achievments but again so many issues boiled down to a stand off or fudge because of his relationship with Brown. In retrospect a leadership election in 1994 would have given him a mandate and the country clarity rather than forever have a leader in waiting shackling the hands of the leader which was the reality of much of 1997 - 2007.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The picture says it all
Having seen the picture of Mr Blair on the book cover, I felt that it was safe to assume that this book would not be a whitewash or an attempt to alter history. Read more
Published on 17 Nov 2009 by Peter Gordon
White trash
Fascinating to see what in effect is an official account of Blair. The sources are largely anonymous interviews and it's amusing to think of the rubbish deposited at the Bodleian. Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2009 by Rerevisionist
Thorough, balanced, very good... but not an all time great
This is a very readable book - I enjoyed it and chomped my way through it in no time at all. (Bite sizes structure made it splendid reading on the loo in fact!). Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2008 by Ch0pski
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