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Isabel Oakeshott, Sunday Times
'Like gambolling through a summer meadow in your underpants --
daft, a little risqué and great fun . . . Hilarious' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
daft, a little risqué and great fun . . . Hilarious' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Jonathan Bouquet, Observer
'Beautifully written . . . The author admits to being a friend,
but pulls no punches' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
but pulls no punches' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book was good in the end. When I started reading it I thought it was going to be horribly sycophantic, and the author's rose-tinted view of his mate. It wasn't, and the analysis seems pretty believable (apart from the Boris being PM bit).
I was attracted to this book because Boris is an entertaining character, but clearly has a serious side. I think he can do well in journalism and politics, but I have a funny suspicion that it could unravel the more senior he becomes. Simply refusing to engage with awkward questions, to me, seems to be a major flaw that people will get tired of.
He's an amusing character, and the world of politics and journalism would be much poorer without him.
Well done to the author for getting something out there, as curiosity is bound to rise over the next year.
I was attracted to this book because Boris is an entertaining character, but clearly has a serious side. I think he can do well in journalism and politics, but I have a funny suspicion that it could unravel the more senior he becomes. Simply refusing to engage with awkward questions, to me, seems to be a major flaw that people will get tired of.
He's an amusing character, and the world of politics and journalism would be much poorer without him.
Well done to the author for getting something out there, as curiosity is bound to rise over the next year.
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
For anyone who's interested in Boris Johnson, or even the British Conservative Party, this is a great book. It's a fantastically fun read, full of interesting facts and insight into Britain's most colorful Tory politician. I particularly liked the book because it doesn't try too hard. Unlike some 500-page biographical monsters, which read like a PhD history theses, "Boris" doesn't cover ever nook and cranny of its subject's life. We get the main points - family history, childhood, school, journalism, jokes, affairs - told in Andrew Gimson's very readable and unpretentious writing.
The book's short but not superficial. Gimson knows Boris well. They worked together on the Spectator magazine and Gimson is friends with a lot of the main players in Boris's life. It shows. There are several revelations. More importantly, Gimson shows great psychological insight. Boris comes across as an extremely intelligent, well-educated and energetic man - who adopts an amusing but slightly ridiculous joke-persona to cover up for a complete lack of discipline.
I finished the book rather liking Boris, and amazed he's gotten as far as he has. He really can be a prat. Some of the best stories include: how he had to leave the Times for making up a quote; the exaggeration in his Brussels coverage for the Telegraph; the fact he didn't write the anti-Liverpool Spectator editorial which he was crucified, and who did; that he saw his mistress Petronella Wyatt after breaking off their affair.
The only reason I haven't given this book five stars is because I think the top rating should be reserved for the very best books. If you'ld like to know what life is like for the conservative media and political establishment, this book is a fun place to start.
The book's short but not superficial. Gimson knows Boris well. They worked together on the Spectator magazine and Gimson is friends with a lot of the main players in Boris's life. It shows. There are several revelations. More importantly, Gimson shows great psychological insight. Boris comes across as an extremely intelligent, well-educated and energetic man - who adopts an amusing but slightly ridiculous joke-persona to cover up for a complete lack of discipline.
I finished the book rather liking Boris, and amazed he's gotten as far as he has. He really can be a prat. Some of the best stories include: how he had to leave the Times for making up a quote; the exaggeration in his Brussels coverage for the Telegraph; the fact he didn't write the anti-Liverpool Spectator editorial which he was crucified, and who did; that he saw his mistress Petronella Wyatt after breaking off their affair.
The only reason I haven't given this book five stars is because I think the top rating should be reserved for the very best books. If you'ld like to know what life is like for the conservative media and political establishment, this book is a fun place to start.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Boris Johnson is an enigma. One watches him on have I Got News For You and wonders is this man for real? Is it all a big act? Andrew Gimson writes well and gives us the answers. He knows this funny eccentric man very well. He shows us a brilliant scholar and journalist, a man who wants to be liked and is admired by many. It also shows an extremely ambitious politician whose one really dominating principle seems to be the promotion of Boris. He has not treated the women in his life with respect nor has he kept promises to others. Could he ever be entrusted with the leadership of his party? I think not. An entertaining informative book about an amazing man.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Boris - predictable in his unpredictability
Finished this biography which I found amusing and informative, giving a more rounded view of Boris and making him more humane than he otherwise appears: spontaneous, refreshing,... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Constantin ROMAN
Minimal waffle and maximum impact.
I really enjoyed this book. It provides a fascinating insight into Boris Johnson's background and upbringing. Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2010 by Billie T
Neither Comedy Nor Tragedy
Boris Johnson is often described as "privileged". This is true notwithstanding the fact that he in fact was not born into heavy wealth, despite attending both Eton and Oxford. Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2009 by Ian Millard
More a hagiography than a serious critique
Reads like a fan-letter - not surprising, given the author is a good friend of the subject - hardly ideal for a biographer. Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2008 by Mr. David Sawyer
Excellent fun
Highly entertaining biography written in sprightly style and full of affection (sometimes too much) for its subject. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2007 by Charles
Boo To Grown-Ups
Boris Johnson; should be a perfectly risible proposition and yet isn't. In an age disproportionately populated with slithering spin-merchants, Johnson cuts a peculiarly refreshing... Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2006 by L. MONKS
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