Political leaders and leadership Books

Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe New York Times-bestselling author of Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, and Together Is Better offers a bold new approach to business strategy by asking one question: are you playing the finite game or the infinite game? In The Infinite Game, Sinek applies game theory to explore how great businesses achieve long-lasting success. He finds that building long-term value and healthy, enduring growth - that playing the infinite game - is the only thing that matters to your business.

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Book SynopsisStatesman, pre-eminent leader and founder of the free world's then largest and most formidable trade union, Ernest Bevin was one of the greatest and most inspirational figures of the twentieth century. Minister of Labour in the wartime coalition during the Second World War, he was at Churchill's right hand, masterminding the home front while the war supremo commanded the battle front. Following the war, he was Foreign Secretary at one of the most pivotal moments of international history, responsible for keeping Stalin and communism out of Western Europe, and for creating West Germany, NATO and the transatlantic alliance, all of which underpin European democracy and security to this day. Born into abject poverty, an orphan farm boy from Bristol with virtually no formal education, Bevin's remarkable rise to fame and power is unmatched by any leader to this day. In this insightful and wide-ranging new biography, Andrew Adonis examines how 'the working-class John Bull' grew to a position of such authority, and offers a critical reassessment of Bevin's life and influence. Skilfully bringing to life this extraordinary figure, Adonis explores Bevin's powerful legacy and lessons for our own age, restoring this charismatic statesman to his rightful place among the pantheon of Britain's greatest political leaders.Trade Review"An excellent book which rescues Bevin from 'the condescension of posterity', capturing an extraordinary political figure." - Gordon Brown "Far more people, in my experience, have heard of Bevan than Bevin. Luckily, with this timely biography, Andrew Adonis restores Bevin to his rightful place as not only a Labour Party legend but a giant of twentieth-century history. In this brilliant and most entertaining portrait, Adonis demonstrates the qualities of historian and experienced politician that have made him one of the most quotable commentators of the day." - William Keegan, senior economics commentator, The Observer "Adonis brilliantly captures Bevin's creative genius, propagandist skill and sheer chutzpah." - John Bercow "A biography brimming with colour and insight that brings both the character of the man and his many achievements vividly to life." - Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer "Andrew Adonis writes rivetingly." - Alan Johnson, The Spectator "As a reintroduction to a forgotten giant this is a fine work... Someone should definitely slip a copy of this book into Keir Starmer's backpack." -Robert Shrimsley, FT "Bevin's extraordinary origins and path to politics are captured beautifully in Adonis's account." - Stewart Wood, The Oldie

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Book SynopsisAfter studying history at Oxford and the University of Pennsylvania, Jonathan Powell worked for the BBC and Granada TV before joining the Foreign Office in 1979. In 1994 Mr Blair, then Leader of the Opposition, poached him to join his`kitchen cabinet' as his Chief of Staff. When Labour achieved its landslide victory in 1997 Powell was at the heart of the Downing Street machine. He was the only senior member of staff to remain at Blair's side throughout his time at the top of British politics. He has always maintained a low profile and has never before told his story.Trade ReviewIntriguing and engaging book... sets up fascinating parallels that prove there is really nothing new in politics * Financial Times *A gloriously indiscreet political memoir... From a unique vantage point he gives brilliantly observed and witty accounts of the vanity of modern European princes... The merit of Powell's memoir is precisely that it lacks the intrusive ego of the big politician -- Dominic Lawson * Sunday Times *It's a quirky, thoughtful take on the impact of The Prince on modern politics -- Anne McElvoy * New Statesman, Books of the Year *Anyone who wants an insider's account of what makes politicians tick should read this book -- Peter Mandelson * Guardian, Books of the Year *It tells us a great deal about the era that has just passed -- Chris Mullin * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *

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Book Synopsis''I would choose this account over and above the rest. It is a fabulous book: full of perceptive insight that conveys all the tragedy, triumph, humour and intense drama of Churchill''s time as wartime leader; and it is incredibly moving as a result'' James Holland, Literary ReviewIn this vivid biography, #1 bestselling historian Max Hastings tells the story of how Churchill led a nation through its darkest hour.A moving, dramatic narrative of crisis and fortitude, Hastings offers one of the finest biographies of one of Britain's finest men.When Churchill took power as Prime Minister in 1940, it was with the unprecedented support of the nation. People rallied behind their new commander in extraordinary fashion, but thereafter, as Hastings argues, there came a deep divide.Churchill was a hero, a dogged worker dedicated to steering the country through the war. He expected more from the British people than they were perhaps able to deliver.Taking us on an intimate, stirring journey throughTrade Review'One of the best books ever written about Churchill … Hastings's efficient, soldierly prose marches along at a brisk pace and carries the reader with it. He has drawn on copious original sources and consulted experts familiar with them, enabling him to cast fresh light on familiar episodes … a magnificent performance.' Sunday Times 'The book's portrait of Churchill is scrupulously fair and often deeply moving … in fact Hastings excels with all his character portraits, especially with Roosevelt and Stalin. Hastings is truly a master of strategy and high command.' Antony Beevor, Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2022Superb' The TimesEngrossing and revelatory'' ObserverPowerful, compelling and meticulously researched' New StatesmanA new book from the award winning author of In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz,Do Not Disturb explores the controversial career of Paul Kagame and the legacy of the Rwandan genocideDo Not Disturb is a dramatic recasting of the modern history of Africa's Great Lakes region, an area blighted by the greatest genocide of the twentieth century. This bold retelling, vividly sourced by direct testimony from key participants, tears up the traditional script.In the old version, an idealistic group of young rebels overthrows a genocidal regime in Kigali, ushering in an era of peace and stability that makes Rwanda the donor darling of the West, winning comparisons with Switzerland and Singapore. The new version examines afresh questions which dog the recent past: Why do so many ex-rebels scoff at official explanations of who fired the missile that killTrade Review Praise for Do Not Disturb: ‘A withering assault on the murderous regime of Kagame, and a melancholy love song to the last dreams of the African Great Lakes … very driven, very impassioned’ John Le Carre ‘Superb … an epic tale of blood, bitterness and betrayal … a gripping tale’ The Times ‘She has chosen to ignore that “Do Not Disturb” sign and, in an overdue book that takes the injunction as its title, she rips off the [Rwandan] regime’s veil of respectability to expose the horrors beneath… [a] powerful, compelling and meticulously researched book’ New Statesman ‘Engrossing and revelatory … part murder mystery and part sweeping history of an extended family tragedy spread over two countries, three wars, four decades and a genocide’ Observer '[A] brave and tremendous book … [Michela Wrong] has produced a classic, her own journalistic complicity in the hollowness at the heart of power to rival Rian Malan’s My Traitor’s Heart and Gitta Sereny’s Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth’ Spectator ‘In this extremely important and profoundly disturbing book, Michela Wrong sets out all the miss-steps that were ignored, all the flagrant human rights abuses that were overlooked and all the criminality for which excuses were found, until the new horrors that have been visited upon that country were perpetrated.’ Archbishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize ‘A damning j’accuse on many fronts. An extraordinarily brave piece of reporting’ Financial Times ‘Extraordinary and utterly gripping, an excoriating work of immense courage and commitment, one that will surely make waves’ Philippe Sands, author of The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive ‘One of the most far-reaching historical revisions of Kagame and his regime. Meticulously researched, with substantial new material and interviews’ Guardian

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Book Synopsis''Wonderful ... among military historians, Roberts is Britain''s crown gem'' Wall Street Journal Taking us from the French Revolution to the Cold War and the Falklands, celebrated historian Andrew Roberts presents us with a bracingly honest and insightful look at nine major figures in modern history: Napoleon Bonaparte, Horatio Nelson, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, George C. Marshall, Charles de Gaulle, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Margaret Thatcher.Each of these leaders fundamentally shaped the outcome of the war their nation was embroiled in. How were they alike, and in what ways did they differ? Was their war leadership unique, or did these leaders have something in common, traits and techniques that transcend time and place and can be applied to the fundamental nature of conflict?Meticulously researched and compellingly written, Leadership in War presents readers with fresh, complex portraits of leaders who approaTrade ReviewRoberts is superbly well-qualified to write about these extraordinary leaders. Roberts teaches not just through analysis, as indeed he does, but by example. Each of his chapters is a finely crafted gem of communication. Roberts's description offers vivid detail, spare prose, immortal rhetoric, and a touch of humor. His chapters offer masterly, magnificent portraits of what it takes to steer an army or a nation through a crisis. Any leader would envy the chance to have Roberts as his or her speechwriter or Director of Communications. Every reader can be grateful for such a thrilling and succinct account of leadership. -- Barry Strauss * The New Criterion *A condensation of a wonderful series of lectures Mr Roberts delivered to the New-York Historical Society ... Among military historians, Mr Roberts is Britain's crown gem, and his pithy insights compiled in 'Leadership in War' reflect decades of diligent, patient study. -- Jonathan W. Jordan * Wall Street Journal *Meticulously researched and full of revelations, this is a fascinating read. * Sun *Leadership in War is an understated treasure of 2019...a tour de force of historical portraiture. -- Barnaby Crowcroft * National Review *Leadership in War has the enjoyable feel of a lively dinner table conversation. -- Thomas E. Ricks * New York Times *illuminating experiences are presented in easily digestible form in Andrew Roberts's new book, Leadership in War, a collection of nine portraits of wartime leaders, from Napoleon Bonaparte to Margaret Thatcher. These portrayals were originally delivered as lectures by Roberts, a prolific historian of World War II and biographer of Napoleon and Churchill. The profiles of Napoleon and Dwight D. Eisenhower are the most salient for business readers, but it is not difficult to find insight in nearly all of them -- Daniel Akst * Strategy & Business *Few authors compare to Andrew Roberts. He dips his pen in the most eloquent ink to bring to life figures who have heaps of lessons to teach us -- Marc Nadeau * Bookmarc *Roberts has a gift for finding the anecdote or quotation which reveals an essential truth about his subject. -- Nigel Jones * History Today *Few authors compare to Andrew Roberts. He dips his pen in the most eloquent ink to bring to life figures who have heaps of lessons to teach us -- Marc Nadeau * Bookmarc *His analyses of the criteria needed for success are succinct and... convincing. ... The mysteries of leadership in times of conflict probably evade ultimate explanation, but Roberts, the biographer of Napoleon and Churchill, does much to throw new light on them, -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis**Winner of the 2020 PARLIAMENTARY BOOK AWARDS for Best Political Book by a Non-Parliamentarian**A Times Political Book of the Year'An entertaining, thorough and informative canter through the characters and stories of prime ministers past.' - New Statesman 'A wealth of enjoyable insights into three centuries of Westminster politics... It is a most elegant hardback volume, with a gilded cover that looks a little like the famous front door of No. 10 itself; the ideal Christmas gift.' - Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman'This is a timely study of UK Prime Ministers and Iain Dale has done the subject a great service with this measured and thoughtful labour of love which offers a fascinating set of insights into the history of Britain, politics, the role of Prime Minister, and elite and establishment power... a superb guide to the times we have lived through and are living in.' - Gerry Hassan, Scottish ReviewIt has almost been 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole arguably became the first holder of the office of Prime Minister in 1721 - an office which today is under scrutiny like never before. The Prime Ministers, edited by leading political commentator Iain Dale, brings to life all 55 of Britain's 'First Among Equals' with an essay for each office holder, written by key figures in British politics. From the obscure 18th-century figures like the Earl of Shelburne to 20th-century titans like Churchill and Thatcher, this book provides a much-needed reminder about their motivations, failures and achievements.

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Book SynopsisDid you know that Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka was the first woman in the world to become a democratically elected prime minister? That Tina Anselmi was a wartime resistance fighter who became the first woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Italy? Or that Sylvie Kinigi of Burundi was the first woman to serve as a prime minister in Africa? It is high time these extraordinary women who helped shape our world became household names, and this book brings them at last to the fore.Women Who Won is a celebration of 70 women from the last 100 years: politicians from around the globe who fought for election in a man’s world… and won. Beautifully illustrated by artist Emmy Lupin, it features well-known figures, including Kamala Harris, Benazir Bhutto, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Jacinda Ardern and Julia Gillard, alongside lesser-known women whose stories are ready to be heard: Shidzue Katō, one of the first women elected to the Diet of Japan Yulia Tymoshenko, the first woman prime minister of Ukraine Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the US Congress Peri-Khan Sofieva, the first democratically elected Muslim woman Ethel Blondin-Andrew, the first Indigenous woman elected to Canadian parliament Women of the past, but also women of the present and future. Women who smashed the political glass ceiling. Women who fought to leave a positive legacy for future generations. Women who paved the way for girls of today to become women who won.

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Book SynopsisBefore he was president, he was senator. Written two years prior to the election that would change the face of the United States, The Audacity of Hope discusses the importance of empathy in politics, Obama's hopes for a different America and how the ideals of its democracy can be renewed. With intimacy and self-deprecating humour, he describes his experiences balancing his family life with his public vocation. A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a sceptic, Barack Obama has written a book of transforming power that will inspire people the world over.Trade ReviewYou can sense instinctively why Obama invites devotion -- Peter Preston * * Observer * *At a time when America's standing in the world has sunk to unprecedented depths . . . his book aims at a missile of decency at the White House -- Nicolas Shakespeare * * Telegraph * *Offers readers on this side of the Atlantic a window not just into the mind of one of America's most exciting politicians, but into the political landscope of the post-Bush era -- DAVID LAMMY * * Guardian * *It conveys a rare frankness and humility. The Audacity of Hope is light years ahead of his rivals -- Mary Fitzgerald * * New Statesman * *A model of how a political book for a mass market ought to be written * * Guardian * *An essential book for anyone who would like to know about what the man, who could well be the next president of the United States, in thinking. -- Alice Oswald * * Insight * *

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES BIOGRAPHY OF THE DECADEWINNER OF THE 2013 SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONWINNER OF THE 2013 COSTA BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEARThe story of Gabriele D'Annunzio, poet, daredevil and Fascist.In September 1919 Gabriele D'Annunzio, successful poet and occasional politician, declared himself Commandante of the city of Fiume in modern day Croatia. His intention to establish a utopia based on his fascist and artistic ideals. It was the dramatic pinnacle to an outrageous career.Lucy Hughes-Hallett charts the controversial life of D'Annunzio, the debauched artist who became a national hero. His evolution from idealist Romantic to radical right-wing revolutionary is a political parable. Through his ideological journey, culminating in the failure of the Fiume endeavour, we witness the political turbulence of early 20th century Europe and the emergence of fascism.In The Pike', Hughes-Hallett addresses the cult of nationalism and the origins of political extremism and at the centre of the book stands the charismatic D'Annunzio: a figure as deplorable as he is fascinating.Trade Review‘Hard to beat … a biographical tour de force … a rich, voluptuous treat … a triumph, the biography of the year’ Robert McCrum, Observer, ‘Books of the Year’ ‘[The Pike] dramatically extends biography’s formal range to encompass a daunting theme’ TLS, ‘Books of the Year’ ‘This is a magnificent portrait of a preposterous character … deplorable, brilliant, ludicrous, tragic but above all irresistible, as hundreds of women could testify. His biographer has done him full justice’ Francis Wheen, Daily Mail ‘A cracker of a biography, an extraordinary story of literary accomplishment, passionate war-mongering and sexual incorrigibility… In less skilled hands this could have been a disaster; in fact it works wonderfully well’ Spectator, ‘Books of the Year’ ‘Beautiful, strange and original … an extraordinarily intimate portrait’ New Statesman ‘Hugely enjoyable … Hughes-Hallett has a great talent for encapsulating an era or an attitude …That almost 700 pages flew by bears testimony to how pleasurable and readable those pages were’ Sunday Times ‘A splendid subject for a biography … Hughes-Hallett dances her way through this extraordinary life in a style that is playful, punchy and generally pleasing … In death, as in life, the amazing story of D’Annunzio is painted in primary colours, but with the darkest shadows’ Observer ‘A riveting biography … It must have been so tempting to be judgmental, but Hughes-Hallett allows us to judge for ourselves’ Antonia Fraser, Daily Mail, ‘Books of the Year’ ‘Not only an inspired telling of a life that becomes more repellent with each page, it illuminates early 20th-century Europe in brilliant, unexpected ways’ Observer ‘Electrifying … a fascinating portrait … Hughes-Hallett relates his journey from romantic idealist to Right-wing warmonger with flair and insight’ Daily Express

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Book SynopsisAn MSNBC political analyst and former Hillary Clinton staffer examines the past and present problems of the Left—and makes a compelling case for how to take back our government and secure a better future for America.In the entire history of the United States of America, we've never elected a woman as our president. And we've only had one president who was not a white man.After working on two presidential campaigns (for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton), MSNBC political analyst and SiriusXM host Zerlina Maxwell gained first-hand knowledge of everything liberals have been doing right over the past few elections-and everything they are still doing wrong. Ultimately, these errors worked in President Donald Trump's favor in 2016; he effectively ran a campaign on white identity politics, successfully tapping into white male angst and resistance. In 2020, after the Democratic Party's most historically diverse pool of presidential candidat

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Book SynopsisAn Independent Book of the Month Edith Summerskill was a remarkable politician, feminist, physician, campaigner and writer. At a time when there were few powerful women in public life, Dr Edith, as she was known, served in Clement Attlee''s transformational post-war Labour government and oversaw the National Insurance scheme which solidified the welfare state in Britain. Here, Labour MEP Mary Honeyball, provides the first biography of this remarkable early pioneer for women in politics. Honeyball shows how Edith Summerskill''s direct campaigning was instrumental in promoting women''s causes throughout her life and lays out her remarkable achievements in securing the equal rights of housewives and divorced women over property. This is an uplifting and enlightening account of a forgotten Labour hero.Trade ReviewLike many, I knew of Dr Edith Summerskill but didn’t really know about her. The recently published, very readable biography by former Labour MEP, Mary Honeyball, soon put a stop to that … I can thoroughly recommend this book on the life of the exceptional Edith Summerskill. -- Debbie Abrahams MP * The House *Thoroughly researched and written with real affection, Mary Honeyball's book finally gives this great Labour woman the biography she deserves. A worthy tribute, full of inspiration and insight. * Rachel Reeves, MP *A fascinating account and a much-needed contribution to the field of socialist feminist historiography. -- Steven Andrew * The Morning Star *A timely reminder of [Summerskill’s] contribution to women’s rights … this brilliantly evocative, informative and thoughtful biography not only tells the story of a heroic and inspirational person, but traces the changes in our society over the eight decades of her life, from the cramped social mores of Victorian Britain to the recognisably post-Elizabethan world of today. -- Dan Carrier * Camden New Journal *Essential ... Honeyball argues a hugely compelling case for why the life, career, and achievements of Edith Summerskill must be remembered. -- Scott Cresswell * Tides of History *Edith Summerskill was a pioneering champion of women’s rights, a successful minister in Clement Attlee’s post-war government, and an influential figure on Labour’s National Executive Committee. Yet she was neglected by historians – until now. Mary Honeyball’s fine biography restores Summerskill as a substantial figure in the Labour Party’s history. It deserves to be widely read. * Nick Thomas-Symonds, MP *Mary Honeyball’s timely and enjoyable biography of Edith Summerskill is a valuable addition to the growing body of literature about forgotten Labour women, illuminating the contribution of one of the first feminist MPs to the long and ongoing struggle for women’s rights. * Nan Sloane, author of 'Uncontrollable Women' and 'The Women in the Room' *This book has increased my admiration of Dr Edith, and provokes admiration of its author Mary Honeyball who has amassed a great deal of evidence about the achievements and life of this feminist pioneer. -- Fiona Mactaggart * Order! Order! *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Early Life Chapter 2: Apprenticeship Chapter 3: The House of Commons Chapter 4: The Second World War Chapter 5: Parliamentary Secretary Chapter 6: Promotion Chapter 7: Labour in Opposition Chapter 8: An Unstable World Chapter 9: The House of Lords Index

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Book SynopsisIf you want to be the best, you have to have the right skillset. From decision making and motivating people to vision and inspiration, THE ULTIMATE LEADERSHIP BOOK is a dynamic collection of tools, techniques, and strategies for success. Discover the main themes and key ideas, and bring it all together with practical exercises.This is your complete course in leadership. ABOUT THE SERIESULTIMATE books are for managers, leaders, and business executives who want to succeed at work. From marketing and sales to management and finance, each title gives comprehensive coverage of the essential business skills you need to get ahead in your career. Written in straightforward English, each book is designed to help you quickly master the subject, with fun quizzes embedded so that you can check how you''re doing.

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Book SynopsisHarold Wilson is the only post-war leader of any party to serve as Britain''s Prime Minister on two separate occasions. In total he won four General Elections, spending nearly eight years in Downing Street. Half a century later, he is still unbeaten, Labour''s greatest ever election winner. How did he do it - and at what cost?Critics then and now have painted him as an opportunistic political calculator, even as a Soviet secret agent. In this powerful new portrait, drawing on previously unavailable sources and first-hand parliamentary insight, acclaimed biographer Nick Thomas-Symonds reveals a more complex figure. Wilson was a new kind of politician but, in his own way, this media-savvy harbinger of modernity was also a deeply traditional man, whose actions often suggest nothing less than a spiritual mission.In an intriguing paradox, Wilson, influenced by the distinctively democratic faith of his Yorkshire boyhood, united a fractured Labour Party, ushering in the culTrade ReviewThis comprehensive, carefully researched and very readable biography aims to establish Wilson's place in history - not as the neurotic schemer often reported during his sad last years, which were blighted by dementia, nor even as the supreme political fixer portrayed by Pimlott, but as a decent, honourable man, as well as a very clever one, who was in politics to do something, not just to be someone. He was, Thomas-Symonds concludes, one of our greatest prime ministers, who, given the political circumstances, had a remarkable record of solid achievement. -- Francis Beckett * THE SPECTATOR *Wilson was one of the most remarkable British political figures of the 20th century ... Nick Thomas-Symonds, in his entertaining and assured biography, paints a portrait of a man who embodied all the contradictions of the movement he led -- Daniel Finkelstein * THE TIMES *Very well written ... Wilson, as Thomas-Symonds says, was an underestimated social reformer who expanded higher education and the social services, and made Britain a more pleasant place to live in through such measures as outlawing race and sex discrimination, equal pay for women, maternity leave, safety at work and, above all, the Open University, of which he was particularly proud -- Vernon Bogdanor * DAILY TELEGRAPH *A well-researched, fair-minded and enjoyable read -- Dominic Sandbrook * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Excellent -- Andrew Marr * NEW STATESMAN *A timely new biography -- Andrew Pierce * DAILY MAIL *In the past there would be weighty figures all over the place who wrote books...Roy Jenkins, Michael Foot...Tony Crosland... [Nick Thomas-Symonds] carries that mantle ..in a way Wilson is his most interesting subject so far -- Steve Richards * ROCK & ROLL POLITICS *With political biographies it is easy to praise and criticise with the benefit of hindsight. Nick Thomas-Symonds avoid this by also understanding the political mood at the time - and, in having access to new material is able to take a broader view. I'd make it compulsory reading! -- Baroness Angela Smith * HOUSE MAGAZINE *In this account, Wilson's concern for the poor, his disgust at racial intolerance and his belief that the prosperity of Britain would best be protected in a European Common Market are the enduring aims of his political life. The Harold Wilson of these pages is not just a dry winner. He is a man animated by passions...Along the way, the reader has a lot to enjoy. The author has a keen eye for the telling story that has not been wearied by repetition...Thomas-Symonds also has a crisp way with vital issues. -- Philip Collins * FINANCIAL TIMES *The Labour frontbencher Nick Thomas-Symonds - a rare parliamentarian who can write - offers an unashamedly revisionist and readable account of the man who led Labour to four election victories. So often derided as a shameless opportunist, Wilson here shines through as a quick-witted, silver-tongued master strategist -- Patrick Maguire * THE TIMES 'Books of the Year' *In this riveting and very readable biography, Thomas-Symonds con­firms that Wilson's governments created a kinder, fairer, and forward-thinking Britain. Above all, as any­one on Scilly would agree, Wilson was a man of the people -- Canon Anthony Phillips * CHURCH TIMES *[Wilson] is the subject of a superb new biography by the distinguished historian and Labour frontbencher Nick Thomas-Symonds. It is a book that has all the more resonance because so many of the problems that confronted Wilson are the same ones that the present Government faces... This compelling...excellent biography shows that Wilson was a much bigger figure than the traditional negative caricature suggests... As Thomas-Symonds argues, Britain under him became a more free, equal, tolerant and open society -- Leo McKinstry * DAILY EXPRESS *I would heartily recommend The Winner to anyone interested in postwar British politics. Mixing anecdote and fact, Thomas-Symonds paints a vivid picture of the era that is hard to find elsewhere -- Victoria Honeyman * HISTORY TODAY *This comprehensive, carefully researched and very readable biography aims to establish Wilson's place in history - not as the neurotic schemer often reported during his sad last years, which were blighted by dementia, nor even as the supreme political fixer portrayed by Pimlott, but as a decent, honourable man, as well as a very clever one, who was in politics to do something, not just to be someone. He was, Thomas-Symonds concludes, one of our greatest prime ministers, who, given the political circumstances, had a remarkable record of solid achievement. -- Francis Beckett * Spectator *Well-researched, fair-minded and enjoyable -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *Nick Thomas-Symonds' excellent new biography puts Harold Wilson in his rightful place as a crucial figure in Labour Party history, winning four General Elections and introducing important reforms that have endured. It deserves to be widely read not only as a fine work of history but also for its lessons in how Labour wins -- Keir StarmerEntertaining and assured....makes a convincing case that Wilson had a solid record of achievement. -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the British Book Awards History Book of the YearLonglisted for the Samuel Johnson PrizeThis thrilling biography of Stalin and his entourage during the terrifying decades of his supreme power transforms our understanding of Stalin as Soviet dictator, Marxist leader and Russian tsar. Based on groundbreaking research, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals in captivating detail the fear and betrayal, privilege and debauchery, family life and murderous cruelty of this secret world. Written with extraordinary narrative verve, this magnificent feat of scholarly research has become a classic of modern history writing. Showing how Stalin''s triumphs and crimes were the product of his fanatical Marxism and his gifted but flawed character, this is an intimate portrait of a man as complicated and human as he was brutal and chilling.Trade ReviewOne of the two outstanding books of the year ... the most civilised and elegant chronicle of brutality and ruthlessness I have ever read, its prose cool and clear but never indifferent * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Horrific, revelatory and sobering ... triumph of research and should be required reading in Russia. Book of the Year -- John Le Carre * OBSERVER *This grim masterpiece, shot through with lashes of black humour ... The personal details are riveting -- Antonia Fraser * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Fascinating ... [Montefiore] concentrates, as any good historian should, on pushing forward the boundaries of our knowledge of the subject ... [He] provides rich detail of daily life and family relationships in a world of human values turned inside out ... scrupulously fair in the way he describes Stalin's qualities - including his ability to charm, his uncanny grasp of geopolitical issues, his brilliant handling of foreign statesmen and his genuine passion for literature -- Antony Beevor * SUNDAY TIMES *Masterful and terrifying account of Stalin ... seldom has the picture been put in finer focus than by Sebag Montefiore. It is partly through his diligent interviews with the children of survivors and his admirable combination of history and gossip that one sees the awful banality, the brutal crudity of the men who carelessly sent so many millions to their senseless deaths * THE TIMES *This magnificent portrait ... Montefiore has mined the rich veins of recent Russian writing on the Stalin age and of newly opened archives to give us an intimate history ... The stifling, contiguous life of the Soviet elite in and around the Kremlin is wonderfully conveyed, in some of the most striking and literary passages in the book ... A wonderfully rich and vibrant portrait of the Stalinist elite who lived in the shadow of a remarkable and dangerous colossus * LITERARY REVIEW *Read it or face social Siberia ... a cross-over success. Academically and intellectually rigorous, it's also a riveting read ... it takes a great writer to make it seem fresh. And Sebag Montefiore certainly does that ... his greatest achievement has been to "humanise" Stalin. Uncle Joe was a mass murderer and a paranoid sociopath. But he was also charming, friendly and flirtatious -- 100 Best Things in the World Right Now * GQ *Grimly brilliant -- Andrew Marr * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Excellent ... This book is like a vast Russian novel full of characters, colour, terror, passion and treachery ... love affairs, marriages, divorces, imprisonments and killings -- Susannah Tarbush * AL-HAYAT *Montefiore has managed to get inside the mind of the 20th century's worst mass murderer. What he has found there will affect your view of human nature ... a thoughtful book of first-class scholarship as well as a transfixing narrative ... vividly recreated by Montefiore's caustically witty prose -- Andrew Roberts * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Its extraordinary revelation of the evil - the complete amorality - at the heart of the dictator's court will change the way historians approach the great historical questions about the Stalinist regime -- Orlando Figes * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Montefiore drives his story forward with breathless enthusiasm ... in a work of great importance. Scholars will read it for the valuable new evidence it assembles. Others will enjoy it as a fascinating page-turner and an everyday saga of extraordinary Kremlin folk * FINANCIAL TIMES *Gripping and timely ... [Montefiore] had the bright idea of examining the letters, telegrams and diaries of [Stalin's] intimate associates. As a result, this is a book based on extraordinary primary research ... one of the few recent books on Stalinism that will be read in years to come. The devil is in the detail * GUARDIAN *An extraordinary book... he has managed to persuade a whole generation of little old ladies and elderly men - the wives, granddaughters, servants, nieces and nephews of Stalin's henchmen - to give him a series of extraordinary interviews and, in some cases, lend him their hand-written memoirs... For anyone fascinated by the nature of evil - and by the effects of absolute power on human relationships - this book will provide new insights on every page -- Anne Applebaum * EVENING STANDARD *Montefiore's STALIN, I should imagine, will be the standard work on this twentieth-century monster for years to come -- Jeremy Paxman * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *The most revealing account of the inner circles of tyranny since Albert Speer's inside story of Hitler's bunker. Book of the Year * EVENING STANDARD *Enlivened by sharp pen portraits and grisly anecdotes, Montefiore's study ... was admired for its elegant prose as well as its grotesque cavalcade of monsters -- Books of the Year * THE WEEK *Brings alive that many-sided monster ... the first book that has given me grounds for thinking it might be possible to understand how Stalin got away with his enormities * SPECTATOR *Montefiore's masterful study of Stalin and his entourage provides the best personal portrait to date of the man and his group * JEWISH CHRONICLE *Enormously readable and even grimly amusing ... the details of the cruelty and depravity ... are incredible -- Miriam Gross * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *One of the two outstanding books of the year ... the most civilised and elegant chronicle of brutality and ruthlessness I have ever read, its prose cool and clear but never indifferent -- Ruth Rendell * Daily Telegraph *Horrific, revelatory and sobering ... triumph of research and should be required reading in Russia. Book of the Year -- John Le Carré * Observer *This grim masterpiece, shot through with lashes of black humour ... The personal details are riveting -- Antonia Fraser * Mail on Sunday *Fascinating ... [Montefiore] concentrates, as any good historian should, on pushing forward the boundaries of our knowledge of the subject ... [He] provides rich detail of daily life and family relationships in a world of human values turned inside out ... scrupulously fair in the way he describes Stalin's qualities - including his ability to charm, his uncanny grasp of geopolitical issues, his brilliant handling of foreign statesmen and his genuine passion for literature -- Antony Beevor * Sunday Times *Masterful and terrifying account of Stalin ... seldom has the picture been put in finer focus than by Sebag Montefiore. It is partly through his diligent interviews with the children of survivors and his admirable combination of history and gossip that one sees the awful banality, the brutal crudity of the men who carelessly sent so many millions to their senseless deaths -- Alistair Horne * The Times *This magnificent portrait ... Montefiore has mined the rich veins of recent Russian writing on the Stalin age and of newly opened archives to give us an intimate history ... The stifling, contiguous life of the Soviet elite in and around the Kremlin is wonderfully conveyed, in some of the most striking and literary passages in the book ... A wonderfully rich and vibrant portrait of the Stalinist elite who lived in the shadow of a remarkable and dangerous colossus -- Richard Overy * Literary Review *Read it or face social Siberia ... a cross-over success. Academically and intellectually rigorous, it's also a riveting read ... it takes a great writer to make it seem fresh. And Sebag Montefiore certainly does that ... his greatest achievement has been to "humanise" Stalin. Uncle Joe was a mass murderer and a paranoid sociopath. But he was also charming, friendly and flirtatious -- 100 Best Things in the World Right Now * GQ Magazine *Grimly brilliant -- Andrew Marr * Daily Telegraph *Excellent ... This book is like a vast Russian novel full of characters, colour, terror, passion and treachery ... love affairs, marriages, divorces, imprisonments and killings -- Susannah Tarbush * Al-Hayat *Montefiore has managed to get inside the mind of the 20th century's worst mass murderer. What he has found there will affect your view of human nature ... a thoughtful book of first-class scholarship as well as a transfixing narrative ... vividly recreated by Montefiore's caustically witty prose -- Andrew Roberts * Daily Telegraph *Its extraordinary revelation of the evil - the complete amorality - at the heart of the dictator's court will change the way historians approach the great historical questions about the Stalinist regime -- Orlando Figes * Sunday Telegraph *Montefiore drives his story forward with breathless enthusiasm ... in a work of great importance. Scholars will read it for the valuable new evidence it assembles. Others will enjoy it as a fascinating page-turner and an everyday saga of extraordinary Kremlin folk -- Rodric Braithwaite * Financial Times *Gripping and timely ... [Montefiore] had the bright idea of examining the letters, telegrams and diaries of [Stalin's] intimate associates. As a result, this is a book based on extraordinary primary research ... one of the few recent books on Stalinism that will be read in years to come. The devil is in the detail -- Robert Service * Guardian *An extraordinary book... he has managed to persuade a whole generation of little old ladies and elderly men - the wives, granddaughters, servants, nieces and nephews of Stalin's henchmen - to give him a series of extraordinary interviews and, in some cases, lend him their hand-written memoirs... For anyone fascinated by the nature of evil - and by the effects of absolute power on human relationships - this book will provide new insights on every page -- Anne Applebaum * Evening Standard *Montefiore's STALIN, I should imagine, will be the standard work on this twentieth-century monster for years to come -- Jeremy Paxman * Sunday Telegraph *The most revealing account of the inner circles of tyranny since Albert Speer's inside story of Hitler's bunker. Book of the Year -- Norman Lebrecht * Evening Standard *Enlivened by sharp pen portraits and grisly anecdotes, Montefiore's study ... was admired for its elegant prose as well as its grotesque cavalcade of monsters -- Books of the Year * The Week *Brings alive that many-sided monster ... the first book that has given me grounds for thinking it might be possible to understand how Stalin got away with his enormities -- David Pryce-Jones * Spectator *Montefiore's masterful study of Stalin and his entourage provides the best personal portrait to date of the man and his group -- Daniel Beer * Jewish Chronicle *Enormously readable and even grimly amusing ... the details of the cruelty and depravity ... are incredible -- Miriam Gross * Sunday Telegraph *I'm currently reading Simon Sebag-Montefiore's excellent biography of the Soviet monster [Stalin] 'the Court of the Red Czar' which I heartily recommend -- Matthew Gwyther * MANAGEMENT TODAY *

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Book Synopsis*The memoirs of Boris Johnson, complete and unabridged, including all the great material he had to take out for being either too incendiary or too obviously made up*Ghostwritten by Lucien Young, while Boris was sunbathing on a donor's private island.Offering a comprehensive account of his meteoric rise (and even more meteoric fall) we follow Boris from Eton and the Bullingdon club, via stints in journalism and as London mayor, before finally making it into Number 10 via slick and sophisticated campaign tactics such as lying and hiding in a fridge. It will outline in bonce-combusting detail the up and downs - but mostly ups! - of his tenure in Downing Street, from Getting Brexit Done and battling the Wizards of Woke, to nearly dying because he shook too many hands. This is BoJo as you've never seen him before.

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Book Synopsis'A perfect mirror to its subject... should be compulsory reading' ObserverVladimir Putin is a pariah to the West.He has the power to reduce the West to nuclear ashes. He invades his neighbours, meddles in western elections and orders assassinations. His regime is autocratic and corrupt. Yet many Russians continue to support him. Under Putin's leadership, Russia has once again become a force to be reckoned with.Philip Short's magisterial biography explores in unprecedented depth the personality of Russia's leader and demolishes many of our preconceptions about Putin's Russia.To explain is not to justify. Putin's regime is dark. But on closer examination, much of what we think we know about him turns out to rest on half-truths. This book is as close as we will come to understanding Russia's ruler.'Short's pushback against lazy, convenient myth-making is refreshing' The Times'Elegantly written and pacy' Financial Times 'Extensively covers the dark moments of Putin's career.... The Putin of Short's book is not someone you would invite to dinner' New York TimesTrade ReviewMagisterial... based on access to a Who's Who of senior politicians, diplomats and intelligence sources. * Guardian *An exhaustive profile * Daily Telegraph, *Books of the Year* *Exceptional... unlikely to be matched as a study of the man... It is readable, judicious, critical but balanced and focused on Putin the person rather than on the Putin regime * The Irish Times *[A] revealing and compellingly granular biography * Times Literary Supplement *Anyone wanting to learn more about Putin's personality, ideas, power and the threat he has come to pose to world peace should read this outstanding biography -- Ian Kershaw

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Book SynopsisThe words of a man. The message of a people.Bringing together a new introduction by Volodymyr Zelensky with his most powerful war speeches, this book recounts Ukraine's war through the words of its president. It is the story of a people valiantly defending themselves from Russian aggression. And it is a battle cry for us all to stand up, support Ukraine and fight for democracy.'The Ukraine president's storytelling skills and sense of moral purpose elevate his war speeches in this compelling collection . . . The tribune of freedom.' ObserverIncludes a new preface plus three additional speeches selected by President Zelensky.Trade ReviewThe incredible speeches Zelensky wishes he'd never had to give . . . A remarkable book * The Times *The Ukraine president's storytelling skills and sense of moral purpose elevate his war speeches in this compelling collection . . . The tribune of freedom * Book of the Week, Observer *Genial, witty, personable, scathing . . . I read every single one * Telegraph *Read this book -- John SweeneyA book that everybody should read . . . Everyone should have a copy under the Christmas tree -- Andrew Marr * LBC *

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Book SynopsisAt the end of an industrious political career in conflictriven Italy, the Florentine diplomat Niccolo Machiavelli composed his masterpiece The Prince, a classic study of power and politics, and a manual of ruthlessness for any ambitious ruler. Controversial in his own time, The Prince made Machiavelli's name a byword for manipulative scheming, and had an impact on such major figures as Napoleon and Frederick the Great. It contains principles as true today as when they were first written almost five centuries ago.Trade ReviewWe are much beholden to Machiavelli and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do. -- Francis Bacon Machiavelli is a pivotal figure in the history of political thought. His views of human nature, society and government mark a break with medieval philosophy and sixteenth-century political thought based on assumptions about God's purposes for man. * New Statesman * Machiavelli was a pioneer of political science. He was a republican and a patriot. His prose style was as clear as Julius Caesar's. He was a literary genius. * The Times * In his 1513 work, The Prince, Machiavelli created a monster that has haunted politics ever since... The Prince is not a practical advice manual aimed at any specific individual - rather it creates a fantastic creature, a kind of armoured colossus bestriding (and in Machiavelli's precocious dream, uniting) Italy. * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when the President of the United States engages in criminal activity? He runs for re-election.Donald Trump's campaign chairman went to jail. So did his personal lawyer. His long-time political consigliere was convicted of serious federal crimes, and his National Security Advisor pleaded guilty to several more. Multiple Russian spies were indicted in absentia. Career intelligence agents and military officers were alarmed enough by his actions as President that they alerted senior government officials and ignited the impeachment process. Yet despite all this, a years-long inquiry led by Robert Mueller, and the third Presidential impeachment trial in American history, Donald Trump survived to run for presidency again. Why?Jeffrey Toobin's highly entertaining, definitive account of the Mueller investigation and the impeachment of the President takes readers behind the scenes of the epic legal and political struggle to call Trump to account for his misdeeds. Toobin recounts the mind-boggling twists and turns in the case – Trump's son met with a Russian operative promising Kremlin support; Trump paid a porn star $130,000 to hush up an affair; Rudy Giuliani and a pair of shady Ukrainian-American businessmen got the Justice Department to look at Russian-created conspiracy theories. Toobin shows how Trump's canny lawyers used Mueller's famous integrity against him, and how Trump's bullying and bluster cowed Republican legislators into ignoring the clear evidence of the impeachment hearings.Based on dozens of interviews with prosecutors in Mueller's office, Trump's legal team, Congressional investigators, White House staffers, and several of the key players, including some who are now in prison, True Crimes and Misdemeanours is a revelatory narrative that makes sense of the seemingly endless chaos of the Trump years. Filled with never-before-reported details of the high-stakes legal battles and political machinations, the book weaves a tale of a rogue President guilty of historic misconduct, and how he got away with it.Trade ReviewToobin's eye for details is entertaining -- Gerard Baker * The Times *

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Book SynopsisChosen as a Book of the Year in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail'A masterpiece' Frederick Forsyth 'Beautifully written... unlikely to be surpassed' Simon Heffer'Superb' Daily Mail, Book of the Week'Terrific' ObserverThroughout history there have been many long-running rivalries between party leaders, but there has never been a connection like that between Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, who were leaders of their respective parties for a total of thirty-five years. Brought together in the epoch-making circumstances of the Second World War, they forged a partnership that transcended party lines, before going on to face each other in two of Britain's most important and influential general elections. Based on extensive research and archival material, Attlee and Churchill provides a host of new insights into their remarkable relationship. From the bizarre coincidence that they shared a governess, to their explosive wartime clashes over domestic policy and reconstruction; and from Britain's post-war nuclear weapons programme, which Attlee kept hidden from Churchill and his own Labour Party, to the private correspondence between the two men in later life, which demonstrates their friendliness despite all the political antagonism, Leo McKinstry tells the intertwined story of these two political titans as never before. In a gripping narrative McKinstry not only provides a fresh perspective on two of the most compelling leaders of the mid-twentieth century but also brilliantly brings to life this vibrant, traumatic and inspiring era of modern British history.Trade ReviewSuperb... A timely parable about the necessity for cooperation, concession and compromise in politics. * Daily Mail, 'Book of the Week' *This book stands out in the sea of Churchilliana with its highly original portrait of Winston's close wartime partnership with the Labour leader. * Daily Telegraph, '50 Best Books of 2019' *Dual biographies are a tricky endeavour. McKinstry rises to the challenge brilliantly. His account is elegantly structured, his prose is lucid, he explains complex events with clarity, his anecdotes are telling and often funny, his judgments are assured and he brings to gripping life the characters of the leading men and the rest of the cast. -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *Excellent... McKinstry shows how the two men's contrasting talents and personalities combined at their nation's time of greatest need. * Daily Mail, Books of the Year *In this superb dual biography Leo McKinstry brilliantly describes both men, what they did and how they reacted to each other... Most of us know quite a lot about Churchill. Attlee, calm, soft-spoken, an MC-winner in World War I, self-effacing, remains for many a forgotten man. Until now... A masterpiece. * Frederick Forsyth *Until now, arguably the most significant political relationship of the twentieth century has awaited its definitive study. Leo McKinstry, through exhaustive research and detailed analysis, has provided an intensely scholarly and beautifully written account of it that is unlikely to be surpassed. * Simon Heffer, author of The Age of Decadence *Leo McKinstry's fine book on the relationship between Churchill and the Labour leader Clement Attlee is a subtle and nuanced work full of illuminating insights.... First-class * Literary Review *Attlee and Churchill really does get to the heart of a complicated but fascinating relationship. * Scotsman *Leo McKinstry's biographical pairing of Attlee and Churchill serves to hymn a vanished golden age of bipartisan collaboration and respectful rivalry. * New Statesman *Leo McKinstry is a first-class historian who has produced a scholarly and very well-written account of the fascinating relationship between arguably the two most significant premiers of the twentieth century. His recognition of the mutual respect - indeed admiration - that lay at its core is highly insightful. Never in our world of fractious, contempt-driven politics has a book like this been needed more. * Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny *A masterful account of the collaboration, rivalry and conflict between two remarkably different leaders who shaped Britain's fate in the second half of the twentieth century. * Tom Bower, author of Dangerous Hero *A superb account of two utterly different men whose lives entwined to preserve freedom. * Joshua Levine, author of Dunkirk *By turns fascinating and illuminating, this is a gripping exploration of the intertwined lives of these two great men - so fundamentally different and yet as McKinstry demonstrates, perhaps in some ways not quite so far apart as all that... In the course of following Attlee and Churchill's parallel progressions from youth to maturity, from bloodied battlefields to the corridors of Number 10, McKinstry affords us beguiling new angles and new insights - with vivid, powerful stories, admirable balance and flashes of terrific humour. * Sinclair McKay, author of The Secret Life of Bletchley Park *From start to finish, an enthralling and original story of two great statesmen from an age when political giants still walked the earth. * Emeritus Professor Tim Blanning, University of Cambridge *I can count on the fingers of one hand history books which are both superbly researched and sublimely written - I have just discovered another. * Emeritus Professor David Wilson, Birmingham City University *In this highly readable and well-researched volume, McKinstry reveals the length, complexity and nuance of the relationship between these two great figures. * Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre *A delight to read... This is an entrancing book. Yet it is also a melancholy one. Comparing these titans, both devoted to the service of country and nation, with the pygmies of today is to be constantly reminded of our national decline. -- Allan Massie * Catholic Herald *Studying each of these men goes a long way towards enlightening us, and some preconceptions are neatly pricked along the way... McKinstry offers much to inform and intrigue. -- Sonia Purnell * The Oldie *Table of Contents1: Contenders 1: Blenheim and Putney 2: Lancashire and Stepney 3: Sidney Street 4: Gallipoli 5: Plugstreet and Kut 6: Limehouse and Dundee 7: Treasury 8: India 9: Germany 10: Fort Belvedere 11: Munich 12: Admiralty 2: Comrades 13: Norway 14: Dunkirk 15: Empire and Commonwealth 16: Atlantic 17: Washington and Singapore 18: Russia and Egypt 19: Downing Street 20: Conference and Cabinet 21: Normandy and Italy 22: Britannia 3: Competitors 23: Campaign 24: Potsdam and Palace 25: Fulton and Zurich 26: New Jerusalem 27: Woodford and Walthamstow 28: Europe and Korea 29: Abadan 30: Summit 31: Commons 32: St Paul's and Temple

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisOne of the great figures of the twentieth century, Chairman Mao looms irrepressibly over the economic rise of China. Mao Zedong was the leader of a revolution, a communist who lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, an aggressive and distrustful leader, and a man responsible for more civilian deaths than perhaps any other historical figure. Now, four decades after Mao''s death, acclaimed biographer Philip Short presents a fully updated and revised edition of his ground-breaking and masterly biography. Vivid, uncompromising and unflinching, Short presents in one-volume the man behind the propaganda - his family, his beliefs and his horrors. In doing so he shows us both the human being Mao was, and the monster he became.

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Book Synopsis'Clear-eyed and illuminating.’ Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor 'A rich, superbly researched, balanced history of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.' General David Petraeus, former Commander U.S. Central Command and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency ‘Destined to be the best single volume on the Kingdom.’ Ambassador Chas Freeman, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Assistant Secretary of Defense 'Should be prescribed reading for a new generation of political leaders.' Sir Richard Dearlove, former Chief of H.M. Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Something extraordinary is happening in Saudi Arabia. A traditional, tribal society once known for its lack of tolerance is rapidly implementing significant economic and social reforms. An army of foreign consultants is rewriting the social contract, King Salman has cracked down hard on corruption, and his dynamic though inexperienced son, the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, is promoting a more tolerant Islam. But is all this a new vision for Saudi Arabia or merely a mirage likely to dissolve into Iranian-style revolution? David Rundell - one of America’s foremost experts on Saudi Arabia - explains how the country has been stable for so long, why it is less so today, and what is most likely to happen in the future. The book is based on the author's close contacts and intimate knowledge of the country where he spent 15 years living and working as a diplomat. Vision or Mirage demystifies one of the most powerful, but least understood, states in the Middle East and is essential reading for anyone interested in the power dynamics and politics of the Arab World.Trade ReviewA book of staggering breadth and depth. * The Wall Street Journal *Rundell covers the kingdom from top to bottom with vast wisdom, depth and understanding … It provides a superb overview of the kingdom’s political, economic and social landscape, but it goes well beyond that. Rundell explains, clearly and concisely, the special dynamics that drive the kingdom and render it so alien from our own society ... I wish that every United States diplomat, military officer and journalist would read this book before deploying there. I wish that every member of Congress would read it before voting on any measure related to Saudi Arabia. I wish every American pondering the frictions of our long relationship with the Saudis would read it simply to understand. * New York Times Book Review *At once modern and theocratic, reserved and assertive—Saudi Arabia’s paradoxes defy easy comprehension. For those seeking to understand the Kingdom and its role in the world, longtime observer David Rundell has distilled his experience into a clear-eyed and illuminating explanation. -- Henry A. Kissinger‘Excellent… analytically rigorous… exceptional…’ * Financial Times *[T]he author hits all the necessary benchmarks in his assessment of the Kingdom’s development. The book must also be regarded as a great accomplishment in the study of the Kingdom and its new leadership. * Middle East Journal *Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads is a book that will prove incredibly illuminating to the average Westerner, who probably only thinks of sexism, theocracy and oil when he thinks about Saudi Arabia. Rundell uses history, theology, politics, economics and sociology to explain the current complexities and challenges of the Arabian Peninsula’s most dominant nation. -- Russell A Whitestone, Eurasia ReviewVision or Mirage is destined to be the best single volume on the Kingdom. It will be a long time, if ever, before it is bettered. -- Chas Freeman, Former U.S Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Assistant Secretary of Defense, President of the Middle East Policy CouncilSaudi Arabia has always been difficult for outsiders to understand, but it will be much less so now thanks to David Rundell. With insightful analysis of the roles of the ruling family, the tribal structure, the merchant class and the religious leadership, he forges all the pieces into a coherent whole that will enlighten specialists and novices alike. -- Thomas W. Lippman, author of Saudi Arabia on the EdgeA rich, superbly researched, balanced history of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. David Rundell was one of the State Department’s pre-eminent authorities on Saudi Arabia and the Arab world, one on whom those of us working in the region depended heavily, and this history reflects his decades of experience in the region, his eye for nuance and detail, his deep understanding of the culture and relationships in the kingdom, and his exceptional ability to distill and present all of that brilliantly. -- General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of the US Central Command and the Coalition Forces in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIAThis is a rare and important work on Saudi Arabia. Any diplomat, military official, policy maker or businessperson whose portfolio touches the kingdom will make far better decisions for having read it. I had the pleasure of working with Diplomat David Rundell during my service in the KSA. He provided sage advice and observations then, just as he will do for you in this splendid and useful book. -- Ambassador James Oberwetter, Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi ArabiaDavid Rundell is America’s most knowledgeable diplomat on Saudi Arabia. This book, Vision or Mirage, is a deeply learned and nuanced account of the kingdom’s history, politics and economics. Without illusions or an ideological axe to grind, Rundell offers acute observations about the strengths and weaknesses of the country, based on nearly two decades of having lived and served in Saudi Arabia. He brings the country’s remarkable story up to the present and explains the important transformations taking place under King Salman and his son crown prince Muhammad (MBS) and what is at stake in their success or failure. You will not find a better book on the kingdom. -- Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near East Studies, Princeton University; Co-Author Saudi Arabia in TransitionThe author of this book is "pro-Saudi", and at the same time he is entirely objective. He reconciles direct opposites not by fudging the differences, but by offering us his uniquely deep knowledge of a country and a state that remain poorly documented. This is a very valuable book. -- Edward Luttwak, , Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.CWhenever I landed in Jeddah or Riyadh and wanted to discover what was really going on, the ‘man-in-the-sand’ whose expertise I always sought out first was David Rundell, the Quiet American who had the ‘ inside scoop’ on the politics, the business and, above all, the people of the ever-challenging Kingdom — the ‘Rundell Rumble’. Dave was always just back from some oasis or tribe or border territory where secret things were happening, or heading for the desert to pow-wow with the king. So pow-wow now with Dave as his brilliant book generously discloses a lifetime of wisdom and insights that take the reader inside one of the world’s most enigmatic and crucially important of lands. Saudi Arabia? It’s all in here . . . Whenever I landed in Jeddah or Riyadh and wanted to discover what was really going on, the ‘man-in-the-sand’ whose expertise I always sought out first was David Rundell, the Quiet American who had the ‘ inside scoop’ on the politics, the business and, above all, the people of the ever-challenging Kingdom — the ‘Rundell Rumble’. Dave was always just back from some oasis or tribe or border territory where secret things were happening, or heading for the desert to pow-wow with the king. So pow-wow now with Dave as his brilliant book generously discloses a lifetime of wisdom and insights that take the reader inside one of the world’s most enigmatic and crucially important of lands. Saudi Arabia? It’s all in here . . . -- Robert Lacey, author of The Kingdom and Inside the Kingdom‘A thorough historical and contemporary guide to the enigma that is the House of Saud, to its Kingdom and to its latest political intrigues. A great single read on a complex subject, key to understanding the Arab World’s likely evolution. Should be prescribed reading for a new generation of political leaders.’ -- Sir Richard Dearlove, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of London; Former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6); Former Master of Pembroke College, CambridgeAmidst an array of parabolic pressures ranging from geopolitical forces to economic uncertainty and domestic instability, the House of Saud has long been one of the most powerful families in the Middle East. In spite of this, it faces a number of existential challenges as it moves into the 21st century. Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads offers a fascinating and timely exploration of how the Al Saud dynasty has retained power which is essential in understanding how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may evolve in the coming years. -- Simon Mabon Senior Lecturer, Lancaster University; author of Houses Built on Sand, The Origins of ISIS and Saudi Arabia and IranA readable and breezy account of recent developments in Saudi Arabia as well as the author’s interpretation of the transformational and polarizing trends during the last several years. It is a noteworthy contribution to the field. -- J. E. Peterson, historian and political analyst, author of Saudi Arabia Under Ibn Saud and Historical Dictionary of Saudi ArabiaDavid Rundell has more experience in Saudi Arabia than any living American diplomat. I relied upon his experience and insight during my time as ambassador to the Kingdom. Rundell’s eye for detail and meticulous research provide the reader with a compelling story of initial conquest and generations of stability followed by a tectonic rupture in the social contract among the ruler, the royal family, and the population. -- Robert W. Jordan, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Diplomat in Residence, John G. Tower Center at Southern Methodist UniversityThis is a scholarly and expertly crafted practitioner’s account borne of deep familiarity with Saudi Arabia. David Rundell’s remarkable book artfully weaves together the Saudi past and present--deftly analyzing both continuity and change while providing sorely needed context for understanding today’s unprecedented developments. -- Joshua Teitelbaum, Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Visiting Scholar, Center for International and Security Cooperation, Stanford University; Author of Saudi Arabia and the New Strategic LandscapeA very balanced account of what Saudi Arabia got right, which is often overlooked, and the accumulating challenges the country faces today. Carefully researched, it is neither all gloom and doom nor all-praising. -- John Sfakianakis, Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge; Co-author of The Saudi Economy in the Twentieth CenturyA most impressive account of the cunning manner in which King Salman is attempting to secure his family’s place in the 21st century by establishing the fourth kingdom through his son Muhammad bin Salman. David Rundell's insights into historical precedents and personal knowledge of the personalities of the individuals involved is compelling and provides a far more credible narrative of Saudi developments since the death of the late Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz than other current analysis . -- Ambassador Mark G. Hambley, Former American Consul General in Jeddah and Ambassador to Qatar and LebanonTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: HISTORIC LEGITIMACY Chapter 1: The House of Saud Chapter 2: The Wars of Unification Chapter 3: The Ikhwan Revolt Part II: MANAGING SUCCESSION Chapter 4: Kings Saud and Faisal Chapter 5: Kings Khalid, Fahd, and Abdullah Chapter 6: King Salman and MBS Part III: BALANCING STAKEHOLDERS Chapter 7: The Tribes Chapter 8: The Clergy Chapter 9: The Merchants Chapter 10: The Technocrats Chapter 11: The Royal Family Part IV PROVIDING COMPETENT GOVERNMENT Chapter 12: Providing Internal Security Chapter 13: Promoting Rapid Economic Development Chapter 14: Foreign Policy: Keeping Powerful Friends Chapter 15: Foreign Policy: Deploying Oil and Islam Chapter 16:Promoting Gradual Social Change Part V ADAPTING TO CHANGE Chapter 17: Economic Challenges: Oil Prices, Diversification and Jobs Chapter 18: Security Challenges: Deploying Oil, Allies and Islam Chapter 19: Political Challenges: Pluralism, Corruption, and Participation Chapter 20: Evolving Arabia

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Book SynopsisAnna Politkovskaya turns her steely gaze on President Putin and his early regime in this explosive book.From Putin's tyrannical grip on ordinary citizens to rampant corruption in highest ranks of the government, as well as Mafia dealings, scandals in the provinces and the decline of the intelligentsia, Politkovskaya offers a scathing condemnation of the President and his rule, revealing a shocking state of affairs: soldiers dying from malnutrition, parents requiring to bribes to recover their dead sons' bodies and conscripts are being hired out as slaves.Politkovskaya was an internationally admired, fearless and award-winning journalist who was assassinated in 2006. More relevant and important than ever in today's political landscape, Putin's Russia is both a gripping portrayal of a country in crisis and the testament of an extraordinary reporter.'A searing portrait of a country in disarray and of the man at its helm, from the bravest of journalists' New York Times'Anna Politkovskaya is a heroic journalist' Guardian'We will continue to learn from her for years' Salman RushdieTrade ReviewA hero among hacks * Guardian *If you haven't done so yet, read Politkovskaya's books * Independent *Anna Politkovskaya refused to lie, in her work; her murder is a ghastly act, and an attack on world literature -- Nadine GordimerWe will continue to learn from her for years -- Salman RushdieHer eye for detail was unfailing * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisA Washington Post Best Book of 2021 ​The #1 New York Times bestselling investigative story of how three successive presidents and their military commanders deceived the public year after year about America’s longest war, foreshadowing the Taliban’s recapture of Afghanistan, by Washington Post reporter and three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Craig Whitlock.Unlike the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 had near-unanimous public support. At first, the goals were straightforward and clear: defeat al-Qaeda and prevent a repeat of 9/11. Yet soon after the United States and its allies removed the Taliban from power, the mission veered off course and US officials lost sight of their original objectives. Distracted by the war in Iraq, the US military become mired in an unwinnable guerrilla conflict in a country it did not understand. But no president wanted to admit failure, especially in a war that began as a just cause. Instead, the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations sent more and more troops to Afghanistan and repeatedly said they were making progress, even though they knew there was no realistic prospect for an outright victory. Just as the Pentagon Papers changed the public’s understanding of Vietnam, The Afghanistan Papers contains “fast-paced and vivid” (The New York Times Book Review) revelation after revelation from people who played a direct role in the war from leaders in the White House and the Pentagon to soldiers and aid workers on the front lines. In unvarnished language, they admit that the US government’s strategies were a mess, that the nation-building project was a colossal failure, and that drugs and corruption gained a stranglehold over their allies in the Afghan government. All told, the account is based on interviews with more than 1,000 people who knew that the US government was presenting a distorted, and sometimes entirely fabricated, version of the facts on the ground. Documents unearthed by The Washington Post reveal that President Bush didn’t know the name of his Afghanistan war commander—and didn’t want to meet with him. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted that he had “no visibility into who the bad guys are.” His successor, Robert Gates, said: “We didn’t know jack shit about al-Qaeda.” The Afghanistan Papers is a “searing indictment of the deceit, blunders, and hubris of senior military and civilian officials” (Tom Bowman, NRP Pentagon Correspondent) that will supercharge a long-overdue reckoning over what went wrong and forever change the way the conflict is remembered.Trade Review"Fast-paced and vivid... chock-full of telling quotes" — The New York Times Book Review “Craig Whitlock has forged a searing indictment of the deceit, blunders and hubris of senior military and civilian officials, with the same tragic echoes of the Vietnam conflict. The American dead, wounded and their families deserved wiser and more honorable leaders.” — Tom Bowman, NPR Pentagon correspondent "The excellent new book... Bombshell revelations... [and] damning evidence of things we already intuited.” — The Washington Post“At once page-turning and rigorous, The Afghanistan Papers makes a lasting and revelatory contribution to the record of America's tragic management of our longest war. In transparent and nuanced detail, Whitlock chronicles how American leaders and commanders undermined their country's promises to the Afghans who counted on them and to the U.S. troops who made the ultimate sacrifice after 9/11.” — Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars and Directorate S“The Afghanistan Papers is a gripping account of why the war in Afghanistan lasted so long. The missed opportunities, the outright mistakes and more than anything the first-hand accounts from senior commanders who only years later acknowledged they simply did not tell the American people what they knew about how the war was going.” — Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon correspondent "Whitlock is unsparing in his assessment of presidents Bush, Obama and Trump, as well as U.S. military leaders, saying all failed to level with the American public....Whitlock's book is based on hundreds of ‘lessons learned’ interviews conducted privately by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. ...The candid interviews are revealing.” —NPR "A hallmark achievement of primary source reporting....The Afghanistan Papers reminds readers of the power of reportage built on documented evidence with names attached." — The Daily Beast“A damning account of America’s longest war that reveals what top generals and government officials really knew about the cost and futility of the mission. Whitlock puts the pieces together in a way nobody has before, bringing us the most comprehensive, inside story of this conflict ever told.” — Rajiv Chandrasekaran, author of Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan“The Afghanistan Papers is an autopsy of America’s folly into central Asia. It chronicles years of recklessness and bad decision-making that the nation is still grappling with today. This book is one part indictment of mission creep and American hubris, and one part warning to future leaders.” — Kevin Maurer, co-author of The New York Times bestsellers No Easy Day and American Radical“Like the Pentagon Papers of the Vietnam War, The Afghanistan Papers expose decades of deceit and the persistence of an American brand of imperialism. Examined by the sharp eye of Craig Whitlock, this history provides ample evidence that citizens should finally reject the baseless claim that U.S. military power is a unique force for good in the world.” — Christian G. Appy, author of American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity "An unputdownable account of imperial hubris, blundering and deception." — The Spectator

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Book SynopsisNot For Turning is the first volume of Charles Moore''s authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century and one of the most influential political figures of the postwar era. Charles Moore''s biography of Margaret Thatcher, published after her death on 8 April 2013, immediately supersedes all earlier books written about her. At the moment when she becomes a historical figure, this book also makes her into a three dimensional one for the first time. It gives unparalleled insight into her early life and formation, especially through her extensive correspondence with her sister, which Moore is the first author to draw on. It recreates brilliantly the atmosphere of British politics as she was making her way, and takes her up to what was arguably the zenith of her power, victory in the Falklands. (This volume ends with the Falklands Dinner in Downing Street in November 1982.) Moore is clearly an admirer of his suTrade ReviewMoore has produced a biography so masterly ... that it comes as close as biography can come to being a work of art -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Moore's great gift is his ability to make Thatcher's story fresh again, and above all to remind us of how odd she was ... the access to her family and friends enabled Moore to produce a multifaceted picture of a compelling life ... [this] will now become the definitive account -- Anne Applebaum * Daily Telegraph *Intricate, elegant and laced with dry humour -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *Outstandingly good -- A.N. Wilson * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisThe Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved and distinguished historian.The life of Harry S. Truman is one of the greatest of American stories, filled with vivid characters—Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Wallace Truman, George Marshall, Joe McCarthy, and Dean Acheson—and dramatic events. In this riveting biography, acclaimed historian David McCullough not only captures the man—a more complex, informed, and determined man than ever before imagined—but also the turbulent times in which he rose, boldly, to meet unprecedented challenges. The last president to serve as a living link between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, Truman’s story spans the raw world of the Missouri frontier, World War I, the powerful Pendergast machine of Kansas City, the legendary Whistle-Stop Campaign of 1948, and the decisions to drop the atomic bomb, confront Stalin at Potsdam, send troops to Korea, and fire General MacArthur. Drawing on newly discovered archival material and extensive interviews with Truman’s own family, friends, and Washington colleagues, McCullough tells the deeply moving story of the seemingly ordinary “man from Missouri” who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.Trade Review"Meticulously detailed, elegantly written, tightly constructed, rich in revealing anecdotes and penetrating insights. It is, as its subject demands, biography on the grand scale." -- Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post"A warm, affectionate and thoroughly captivating biography....the most thorough account of Truman's life yet to appear. " -- Alan Brinkley, The New York Times Book Review"McCullough's marvelous feel for history is based on an appreciation of colorful tales and an insight into personalities. In this compelling saga of America's greatest common-man president, McCullough adds luster to an old-fashioned historical approach...the sweeping narrative, filled with telling details and an appreciation of the role individuals play in, shaping the world." -- Walter Isaacson, Time"Remarkable....you may open it at any point and instantly become fascinated, so easy, lucid, and energetic is the narrative and so absorbing the sequence of events." -- The Economist"McCullough is a master storyteller whose considerable narrative skills have been put to exquisite use in re-creating the life and times of America's 33rd president." -- Robert Dallek, Los Angeles Times Book ReviewTable of ContentsCONTENTSPart One -- SON OF THE MIDDLE BORDER1. Blue River Country2. Model Boy3. The Way of the Farmer4. SoldierPart Two -- POLITICIAN5. Try, Try Again6. The Senator from Pendergast7. Patriot8. Numbered DaysPart Three -- TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY9. The Moon, the Stars, and All the Planets10. Summer of DecisionPart Four -- MR. PRESIDENT11. The Buck Stops Here12. Turning Point13. The Heat in the Kitchen14. Fighting ChancePart Five -- WEIGHT OF THE WORLD15. Iron Man16. Commander in Chief17. Final DaysPart Six -- BACK HOME18. Citizen TrumanACKNOWLEDGMENTSSOURCE NOTESBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX

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Book SynopsisThomas Sankara, often called the African Che Guevara, was president of Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in Africa, until his assassination during the military coup that brought down his government. Although his tenure in office was relatively short, Sankara left an indelible mark on his country’s history and development.Trade Review“Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary will serve as an excellent introduction to Sankara and the revolution in Burkina Faso and explain why Sankara continues to be so widely admired throughout Africa and beyond.”“…[A] fascinating read about a leader who not only led a revolution to free his people … but also lived a simple and humble life, uncorrupted by the power of the office he held.” * Africa Renewal *“Harsch’s book helps us understand why [Sankara's] ideas are still very much alive. It's a good read and well worth the price.” * The Bullet *

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Book SynopsisWinston Churchill understood and wielded the power of words throughout his six decades in the public eye. His wartime writings and speeches revealed both his vision for the future and his own personal feelings, fascinating generation after generation with their powerful style and thoughtful reflection. In this book Churchill's official biographer, Martin Gilbert, has skilfully selected 200 extracts from his entire oeuvre of books, articles and speeches that reflect his life story, career and philosophy. From intimate memories of his childhood to his contributions to half a century of debates on war and social policy, we see how Churchill used words for different purposes: to argue for moral causes; to advocate action in the national and international spheres, and to tell of his own struggles, setbacks and achievements. Martin Gilbert's informed choice of extracts and his illuminating explanations linking them together create a compelling biography of Churchill as recounted in the great man's own inimitable words.

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Book SynopsisSteve Richards is a political columnist, journalist, author and presenter. He regularly presents The Week in Westminster on BBC Radio 4 and has presented BBC series on Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn. He is the author of The Prime Ministers and The Prime Ministers We Never Had, the latter of which was named a Book of the Year' in The Guardian and The Times.He writes for several national newspapers including the Guardian, the Independent and the Financial Times. He also presents a popular political one-man show each year at the Edinburgh Festival and across the UK.Trade ReviewAn engaging canter through postwar Britain . . . shaped by a lifetime of reading * Prospect *A wonderful book to savour. Only Richards can take you on a journey that flies so gracefully above the hurly-burly of politics and explain what’s actually going on -- Isabel Hardman, author of Why We Get the Wrong PoliticiansA pure pleasure to read. Richards is the ideal companion for anyone wishing to taste, feel and understand the ebbs and flows of the British experience since the end of the Second World War. The key characters live and breathe in his pages -- Peter Hennessy, historian and author of A Duty of CareA masterly account. Insightful, thoughtful and above all full of empathy, Turning Points is a work of understanding as well as scholarship -- Gavin Esler, journalist and author of How Britain EndsSo many turning points, so little real turning. Through wonderful vignettes, Richards offers a masterful, clear-eyed and, above all, entertaining history of British politics. To pilot a better future, we need to learn how not to repeat the mistakes of the past. The book is a lesson in just that -- Will Hutton, Observer columnistExcellent. Steve Richards is one of the shrewdest political commentators we have -- Andrew Marr, author of The Making of Modern Britain, on The Prime Ministers We Never HadA better and more thought-provoking book than most of those about prime ministers -- Tim Shipman, author of All Out War, on The Prime Ministers We Never HadA fascinating and original book that sheds new light on the forces that shape British politics -- Iain Dale, broadcaster and commentator, on The Prime Ministers We Never Had

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“The next best thing to being in the room where it happened, this insider’s account of the Trump impeachment is both wise and personal. It doesn’t hurt that the supersmart author is a sure bet to be a major player in our nation’s future.” -- Laurence H. Tribe * Carl M. Loeb University Professor and Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard Law School *“In an administration where a lot of effort is invested in hiding the truth from the public, Congressman Swalwell’s firsthand account makes for very interesting reading. Here are the details of what is really happening in the halls of Congress and what really happened during the House’s impeachment investigation. It’s a must-read for any serious student of the Trump administration.” -- Joyce Vance * former U.S. Attorney and Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Law, University of Alabama Schoo *

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Book Synopsis'Elegantly written, full of wit and charm, this is travel writing at its very best' Orlando FigesIn the summer of 1849, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy's legendary revolutionary hero, fled Rome and led 4,000 of his men hundreds of miles through Umbria and Tuscany, then across the Apennines, Italy's mountainous spine, toward the refuge of the Venetian Republic. After thirty-two exhausting days of skirmishes and adventures, only 250 survivors reached the Adriatic coast.This hair-raising journey is brought vividly to life by bestselling author Tim Parks, who in the blazing summer of 2019, followed in Garibaldi's footsteps. A fascinating portrait of Italy past and present, The Hero's Way is a celebration of determination, creativity and desperate courage.Trade ReviewA single page might contain a delightful mix of history, referencing accounts of the original journey...together with accounts of incidents that bring a smile to the reader's face... Tim Parks will remain a favourite author of mine * Writing Magazine *

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Book Synopsis‘The greatest biography of our era … Essential reading for those who want to comprehend power and politics’ The TimesRobert A. Caro’s legendary, multi-award-winning biography of US President Lyndon Johnson is a uniquely riveting and revelatory account of power, political genius and the shaping of twentieth-century America.Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, Master of the Senate takes Johnson’s story through one of its most remarkable periods: his twelve years, from 1949 to 1960, in the United States Senate. Once the most august and revered body in politics, by the time Johnson arrived the Senate had become a parody of itself and an obstacle that for decades had blocked desperately needed liberal legislation. Caro shows how Johnson’s brilliance, charm and ruthlessness enabled him to become the youngest and most powerful Majority Leader in history and how he used his incomparable legislative genius – seducing both Northern liberals and Southern conservatives – to pass the first Civil Rights legislation since Reconstruction.Trade ReviewThe greatest biography of our era … Essential reading for those who want to comprehend power and politics * The Times *As if it were possible, Master of the Senate takes what was already an outstanding multi-volume series on to a still higher plane. It is, quite simply, the finest biography I have ever read, or ever could imagine reading. It is more than that: it is one of the finest works of literature I have ever encountered, or ever hope to * New Statesman *The breathtaking detail makes it impossible to put down * The Times *Dazzling ... awesome ... Rarely will you come across a more compelling account of the nature of great power and its entanglement with massive personality. Rarely will you find another biography which is such a fascinating study of how a bad man became a power for the good * Observer *A wonderful, a glorious tale … It will be hard to equal this amazing book … Caro’s description of how [Johnson passed the civil rights legislation] is masterly; I was there and followed the course of the legislation closely, but I did not know the half of it * New York Times Book Review *Quite breathtaking ... one of the great political biographies -- Gordon Brown

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Book SynopsisFranklin D. Roosevelt is frequently described as one of the greatest presidents in American history, remembered for his leadership during the Great Depression and Second World War. Antony Sutton challenges this received wisdom, presenting a controversial but convincing analysis. Based on an extensive study of original documents, he concludes that: * FDR was an elitist who influenced public policy in order to benefit special interests, including his own. * FDR and his Wall Street colleagues were 'corporate socialists', who believed in making society work for their own benefit. * FDR believed in business but not free market economics. Sutton describes the genesis of 'corporate socialism' - acquiring monopolies by means of political influence - which he characterises as 'making society work for the few'. He traces the historical links of the Delano and Roosevelt families to Wall Street, as well as FDR's own political networks developed during his early career as a financial speculator and bond dealer. The New Deal almost destroyed free enterprise in America, but didn't adversely affect FDR's circle of old friends ensconced in select financial institutions and federal regulatory agencies. Together with their corporate allies, this elite group profited from the decrees and programmes generated by their old pal in the White House, whilst thousands of small businesses suffered and millions were unemployed. Wall Street and FDR is much more than a fascinating historical and political study. Many contemporary parallels can be drawn to Sutton's powerful presentation given the recent banking crises and worldwide governments' bolstering of private institutions via the public purse. This classic study - first published in 1975 as the conclusion of a key trilogy - is reproduced here in its original form. (The other volumes in the series are Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler and Wall Street and the Bolshevik Revolution.)Trade Review'Sutton comes to conclusions that are uncomfortable for many businessmen and economists. For this reason his work tends to be either dismissed out of hand as 'extreme' or, more often, simply ignored.' - Richard Pipes, Baird Professor Emeritus of History, Harvard University (quoted from Survival Is Not Enough: Soviet Realities and America's Future)Table of ContentsPart I Roosevelts and Delanos The Wall Street lineage of the Roosevelt and Delano families Politics in the Bonding Business FDR as vice president of the Fidelity & Deposit Company (1921-28) FDR: International Speculator Profiteering during the German hyperinflation of the 1920s FDR: Corporate Promoter FDR as a deal maker during the 1920s Part II The Genesis of Corporate Socialism Making society work for the few Prelude to the New Deal The Federal Reserve System and the War Industries Board Roosevelt, Hoover and the Trade Council An attempt to reform the construction industry Wall Street Buys The New Deal Bankers and industrialists back FDR instead of Hoover Part III FDR and The Corporate Socialists The Swope Plan and the N.R.A. FDR, Man on the White Horse The Smedley Butler Affair (1934) The Corporate Socialists at 120 Broadway, New York City Many of the leading players in the club FDR and the Corporate Socialists Willing accomplice of the rich and powerful Appendices Appendix A: The Swope Plan Blueprint for FDR's National Recovery Administration (NRA) Appendix B: Sponsors of Plans Presented for Economic Planning Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSir Winston Churchill remains a British hero, lauded for his oratorical skill. He wrote histories, biographies, memoirs, and even a novel, while his journalism, speeches and broadcasts run to millions of words. From 1940 he inspired and united the British people and guided their war effort. Behind the public figure, however, was a man of vast humanity and enormous wit. His most famous speeches and sayings have passed into history but many of his aphorisms, puns and jokes are less well known. This enchanting collection brings together hundreds of his wittiest remarks as a record of all that was best about this endearing, conceited, talented and wildly funny Englishman. Also available in the series:(9781782433651) The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II(9781782435426) The Wicked Wit of Oscar Wilde(9781782435662) The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen

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Book Synopsis''Meticulous... Probably the most disturbing portrait of Hitler I have ever read'' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesBy the summer of 1939 Hitler was at the zenith of his power. Yet despite initial triumphs in the early stages of war, the Führer''s fortunes would turn dramatically as the conflict raged on. Realising that victory was lost, and with Soviet troops closing in on his Berlin bunker, Hitler committed suicide in April 1945; one week later, Nazi Germany surrendered. His murderous ambitions had not only annihilated his own country, but had cost the lives of millions across Europe. In the final volume of this landmark biography, Volker Ullrich argues that the very qualities - and the defects - that accounted for Hitler''s popularity and rise to power were what brought about his ruin. A keen strategist and meticulous military commander, he was also a deeply insecure gambler who could be shaken by the smallest setback, and was quick to blame subTrade ReviewSmoothly written and splendidly translated, Ullrich’s book gives us a Hitler we have not seen before, at once cold-blooded and idealistic, chillingly narcissistic and cloyingly sentimental. And precisely because he seems so much like the rest of us, it is probably the most disturbing portrait of Hitler I have ever read -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *Ullrich is a fine writer -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *The reader who plunges in is rewarded with insight, understanding, fine judgements and read-me narrative drive... [This] biography of Hitler makes essential reading, especially one as deeply researched, beautifully written and finely judged as this one -- Tony Rennell * Daily Mail, *Book of the Week* *Ullrich’s work is much more than just a biography. It is a work of synthesis, certainly, but a thorough and thoroughly readable one nonetheless, which stands muster alongside Hitler’s most significant earlier biographers: Bullock, Toland, Fest and Kershaw. Elegantly written, engaging and insightful, it is a new standard work on its subject -- Roger Moorhouse * BBC History *A fine and meticulous historian with a true command of archives and secondary sources… Ullrich has his own angle, and that is to recover the personality of the man… this is one of the most impressive Hitler biographies…you will find it compelling -- Anthony Cummins * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisVery few people in parliament can match Nadhim's childhood experience, his understanding of international affairs, his skills as a businessman and his passion for politics' Rory Stewart''From Baghdad to number 11 Downing Street: in any other country it would be fiction. You have to read it to believe it' Jeffrey ArcherAn Observer Book of the WeekBorn and raised in Baghdad, Nadhim Zahawi arrived in the UK aged 12, having been forced to flee Iraq with his family, under threat from Saddam Hussein's regime.In this candid and thoughtful memoir, Nadhim vividly recalls his upbringing in the Middle East, his family's adjustment to their new life in Britain and his rise to Second Lord of the Treasury, one of the highest offices in his adoptive homeland.From his family home being repossessed in his teens to the incredible success of YouGov, and from the highs (and lows) of Jeffrey Archer's mayoral campaign to overseeing Britain's rollout as Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment, Nadhim reflects on the setbacks faced and hurdles cleared that have reinforced his belief in the power of hard work and the benefits of an open, inclusive society.The Boy from Baghdad is the full and fascinating story of Nadhim's personal, professional and political journey from Waziriyah to Westminster.

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Book SynopsisWangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya, in 1940. She is the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which, through networks of rural women, has planted over 30 million trees across Kenya since 1977. In 2002, she was elected to Kenya's Parliament in the first free elections in a generation, and served as Deputy Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 in recognition of her campaigns for democracy and environmental reform during the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi. She died in 2011.Trade ReviewWangari Maathai's memoir is direct, honest, and beautifully written - a gripping account of modern Africa's trials and triumphs, a universal story of courage, persistence, and success against great odds in a noble cause -- Bill ClintonRenowned and admired throughout her native Kenya and across Africa for her pioneering struggle against deforestation and for women's rights and democracy, selfless and steadfast, Ms. Maathai has been a champion of the environment, of women, of Africa, and of anyone concerned about our future security -- Kofi AnnanWangari Maathai is a prophet for our time and Unbowed is a call to arms for all of us who feel that the planet is overwhelmed by careless, corrupt or violent leadership. I have long suspected that the voice to lead us forward would come out of Africa, and it has - a voice of humor, sense, strength and compassion. Read this book and pass it on -- Alexandra FullerWangari Maathai is the rare leader who knows how to create independence, not dependence. On the page as in person, her example makes each of us a little stronger, wiser and braver than we ever thought we could be * Gloria Steinem *Compelling. . . A striking reminder that the peace award, more than any other Nobel honor, recognizes success achieved through tremendous adversity * The Seattle Times *

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Book SynopsisDespite popular perceptions, presidents rarely succeed in persuading either the public or members of Congress to change their minds and move from opposition to particular policies to support of them. As a result, the White House is not able to alter the political landscape and create opportunities for change. Instead, successful presidents recognize and skillfully exploit the opportunities already found in their political environments. If they fail to understand their strategic positions, they are likely to overreach and experience political disaster. Donald Trump has been a distinctive president, and his arrival in the Oval Office brought new questions. Could someone with his decades of experience as a self-promoter connect with the public and win its support? Could a president who is an experienced negotiator obtain the support in Congress needed to pass his legislative programs? Would we need to adjust the theory of presidential leadership to accommodate a president with unique Trade Review“Edwards uses a scholar’s tools to dissect Trump’s presidency, asking all the right questions and answering them with careful and thorough analysis. In Edwards’s telling, Trump neither found a way to sway public opinion nor found a way to manage the government. The result is a smart and unsparing portrait of the nation’s forty-fifth president—from his corrosive effect on the public discourse to his impact on democratic institutions.” -- Dan Balz, Washington Post“In this sweeping, dispassionate, and altogether damning survey, Edwards makes the case that Trump failed the most important test of presidential leadership: namely, to deliver policy accomplishments where political conditions allow, and to avoid the trappings and delusions of transformational change. For all of his vaunted skills as a dealmaker, Trump could not find the wherewithal to take advantage of the real opportunities that stood before him. Instead, he crashed headlong into political obstacles that were impervious to his threats and entreaties.” -- William G. Howell, University of Chicago“Edwards deftly applies leading theories of presidential power to the Trump presidency. His discerning analysis rests on a richly detailed and thoroughly documented account of Trump’s political leadership that is both a major contribution to our understanding of this most aberrant of presidencies and an invaluable starting point for future scholars.” -- Gary C. Jacobson, University of California, San Diego“This timely and important book applies insights gleaned from Edwards’s more than forty years of presidential scholarship to assess and understand the iconoclastic Trump presidency. Despite his showman’s bravado, Edwards shows that Trump was no more successful than his predecessors in moving public opinion and Congress, and he offers a trenchant assessment of Trump’s failed leadership, which ultimately cost the nation dearly.” -- Douglas L. Kriner, Cornell University“Edwards offers a sober, evidence-based assessment of the Trump presidency. In the process, he convincingly demonstrates that even a norm-shattering president was subject to the same fundamental political and strategic constraints as his predecessors.” -- Frances Lee, Princeton University“Edwards brings a lifetime of insight and learning to bear on the ‘great disruption.’ Trump defied the rules and shocked the system. Now, as the dust settles, Edwards eyes the context, filters the noise, and scrutinizes the results. For an assessment of the political significance of this most unusual presidency, there is no better place to begin.” -- Stephen Skowronek, Yale University"George Edwards, a dean of presidential studies, offers an early postmortem on the Trump presidency. His latest book is a must read starting point for understanding the Trump era and how his unique administration fits within the presidency and the established presidential scholarship." -- Paul Brace * Congress & The Presidency *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1. Trump as a TestPart 1. The Promoter? Leading the Public Chapter 2. Strategic Position with the Public Chapter 3. Going Public Chapter 4. On Deaf Ears Chapter 5. The Bully in the PulpitPart 2. The Closer? Leading Congress Chapter 6. Strategic Position with Congress Chapter 7. No Deal: Negotiating with Congress Chapter 8. At the MarginsPart 3. Trump as a Leader Chapter 9. Plus ça Change Notes Index

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2019 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR. FROM THE JUDGES:''Rick Reilly lets Donald''s Trump relationship with his favourite sport speak for itself. Commander in Cheat is full of astonishing ''you could not make it up'' detail delivered in full knowledge that nothing revealed would embarrass the President one jot. You will be howling with laughter and gasping in disbelief in equal measure so be careful when reading this fascinating book in public.''SHORTLISTED FOR THE GENERAL OUTSTANDING SPORTS WRITING AWARD AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.''An eye-watering account of the president''s abuse of the rules of golf'' The Sunday Times''Reilly pokes more holes in Trump''s claims than there are sand traps on all his courses combined. It is by turns amusing and alarming'' The New YorkerCommander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trade ReviewAn eye-watering account of the president's abuse of the rules of golf - The Sunday TimesReilly pokes more holes in Trump's claims than there are sand traps on all his courses combined. It is by turns amusing and alarming' - The New Yorker[Rick Reilly] is the closest thing sportswriting ever had to a rock star - USA Today[Rick Reilly] is one of the funniest humans on the planet - New York Daily News

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling authors of The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy comes the little-known true story of a Nazi plot to kill FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of World War II.In 1943, as the war against Nazi Germany raged abroad, President Franklin Roosevelt had a critical goal: a face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. This meeting of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war. Yet when the Nazis found out about the meeting, their own secret plan took shape-an assassination plot that would've changed history.A true story filled with daring rescues, body doubles, and political intrigue, The Nazi Conspiracy details FDR's pivotal meeting in Tehran and the deadly Nazi plot against the heads of state of the three major Allied powers who attended it.With all the hallmarks of a Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch page-turner, The Nazi Conspiracy explores the great political minds of the twentieth century, investigating the pivotal years of the war in gripping detail. This meeting of the Big Three changed the course of World War II. Here's the inside story of how it almost led to a world-shattering disaster.Trade Review'A colorful trek through a labyrinth of twists and turns that could have changed history' * Kirkus Reviews *'Meltzer and Mensch acknowledge doubts about the plot's actual existence yet convincingly argue that it was real, and provide necessary historical context while setting a brisk, thriller-like pace. WWII buffs will be enthralled' * Publishers Weekly *'Nazis, body-doubles and WWII like you've never seen it. Here's the assassination plot that nearly changed history! Reads like a thriller, but it's all true. One of the best books of the year. Read it now' -- Brian Kilmeade * author of The President and the Freedom Fighter *'This is a riveting sub-plot in the middle of the greatest cataclysm in human history - the Second World War. It's told with confidence and mastery and is what we all crave - a page turner' -- Ken Burns'History is full of fascinating twists and near twists, and Meltzer and Mensch are masters of the tales of such moments' -- Jon Meacham * author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power *'Meltzer and Mensch ... give history a sheen of drama that it deserves while leaving the reader much to consider' -- Robert S Davis * New York Journal of Books *'An outstanding and memorable reading experience ... a true page-turner from beginning to end' * Bookreporter.com *'An absolute home run! You will never look at WWII the same way again' -- Brad Thor * author of Dead Fall *'A true story that reads like a thriller' -- Alexander S. Vindman, LT. Col., U.S. Army (Ret.)'[A] thrilling account ... A fascinating and potentially controversial book' * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThe election of Barack Obama as President of the United States was a defining moment in American history. After years of failed policies, Barack Obama was given the chance to reclaim the American dream. He proved himself to be a new kind of leader - one who could bring people together, be honest about the challenges we all face and move his nation forward. Change We Can Believe In outlines his vision for America and its standing in the world.Trade ReviewObama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance * * New York Times * *The best kind of storyteller * * Observer * *Like Bill Clinton, he has the knack of weaving together the personal and the anecdotal with the political and the conceptual, so that each point seems both persuasive and commonsensical * * Guardian * *"Yes we can" is the best political statement of the century so far * * The Times * *Speaking in public seems to be both a personal need and a political creed for Obama. He is not just a fine orator: he is consciously putting oratory at the centre of his political being - and in doing so seeks to embed himself in a vital American tradition * * Financial Times * *The speeches are crafted for Obama as a great orator; on the page they still sing with sincerity * * The Times * *An impassioned speaker whose eloquence ranks with that of Abraham Lincoln * * New York Times * *The most exciting politician of the day * * Independent * *

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