The Downing Street Years [Paperback]

Thatcher intermingles in-depth policy discussions with informative accounts of her relationships with other MP's and associates in this interesting account of her years as Prime Minister. With Thatcher leading a revived Tory party conservative policies are given an authority that they did not always have with Heath or Major (though to be fair, their periods in office were somewhat different.) Persuasiveness matched with occasional flashes of keen insight characterize this book's better moments. What she truly did well is here - a crusader against the Soviet Bloc, moderating union power, and privitizing nationalized industry. Explanations of these and other issues are intertwined among a broad spectrum of historical narrative.

Margaret whipped some unnecessarily bureaucratic mindsets into line, and more streamlined governing was the result - one interesting proof of that shift can be seen after Blair came to power; he moved the labour party right, abandoning several of His parties far left ideas which Thatcher's successes discredited.

Margaret generally made good headway during her tour as PM, but she never really had absolutely clear sailing - we are given several glimpses of what seems to be a rotating set of her own MP's displeased with some aspect of her leadership. Its a sad and fast paced accounting that Mrs. Thatcher gives of her final period days in Number 10. We would all hurry through our embarrassing moments, but to her credit she lingers long enough to give the story - of her Downing Street Years - a proper and not-so-happy ending. Her words just before the final vote - "I fight on, I fight to win," - I remember well.

Some will perhaps underestimate Thatchers ultimate influence. This work is a good, though not perfect, reminder of that influence and history. It is interesting to read of her late night debates with Gorbachev at Number 10, Husband Dennis' advice, her relationship with Mr. Reagan, speech preparation and policy "white papers", and her rotating inner-circle. As I have mentioned in another review ("Path to Power") it is a bit sad to read of several of her Tory MP confidants falling out of her favor. One is given view's of a variety of policy battles in "Path," while there tends to be more expression given to policy formulation and refinement in "Downing Street". All the narrative on her travels and relations with foreign leaders has its place, but it never seems to overshadow her most effective role as policy maker and communicator. In "The Downing Street Years," Mrs. Thatcher extends that role in a thought provoking and memorable way.

I am far too young to be able to remember Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister. However, I have done extensive research into her, and whilst I would never have voted for her, I do respect the fact that she was a great leader, public speaker and had the strength to carry out her convictions. I might be of the opinion that she did more bad than good, but I'm not narrow-minded enough to see her considerable strengths.

I read 'The Downing Street Years' several years ago, and despite it being perhaps a little too long, I thought that it was an excellent political memoir, and a fascinating insight into the mind of Britain's first woman Prime Minister.

The book is self serving (but would you expect anything else?), but it is also very well written, frank and quite honest. All of the many important events that took place during her leadership are spoken about in great detail and are very interesting to read. Her final days in office also make for fascinating reading.

This is a book that I recommend to anyone with an interest in modern political history. If you are looking for an account of Thatcher's early life and how she became Prime Minister, you need her other book: 'The Path To Power'.

Margaret Thatcher died yesterday, love her or loathe her, she will be remembered (for both good and bad) forever.

It is often said that hind sight is 20/20, and the Ex-Prime Minister has made good use of this theory when writing.

Her recollection of the events frequently tie badly with the recollections of others, and of the media at the time. The book is self justifying, and unfortunately often finds her so desperate to vindicate criticism against her that the actual history is lost. I would not suggest that this is deliberate, but rather a product of a person completely convinced of her own correctness.

There can be no denying that Thatcher was a strong and highly driven leader. The reader follows the story from the start of her leadership experience, displacing Ted Heath as leader, following her through mounting confidence in her own decisions and ability to govern, and developing into an absolute belief in her own ability. The final chapters deal with a Margaret Thatcher so convinced of her own invulnerability, that she completely fails anticipate the seriousness of the plot against her, and is overthrown in the same manor that she overthrew Heath.

Any reader of this book will find illumination shed on the current state of the Tory Party, as the party loses all internal cohesion under Thatcher's and subsequently falls apart when she is deposed.

When read in conjunction with other books covering Thatcher's reign the biography sheds light more on the character of this world famous leader and the contest in which it developed than on any actual reliable historical record.

Readers may also wish to read Woodrow Wyatt's biography which displays a Thatcher racked by doubts and feeling besieged by enemies. Perhaps a combination of both characters may be more accurate!