{"product_id":"first-confession-9780141983875","title":"First Confession","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost politicians write autobiographies to ''set the record straight''. This is a different sort of memoir. Following his life as a self-confessed ''wet European'' from parliament to Hong Kong and beyond, Chris Patten creates a meditation on personal and political identity which, in an age of simplification, shows the complexities of both.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''A defence of liberal conservatism ... If old-style centrism is to stage a comeback and reason to supplant stridency and authoritarianism, be it in west or east, the moderates can wave Patten''s book on their way to their barricades'' Jonathan Fenby, \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Vivid, very well-written, \u003ci\u003eFirst Confession\u003c\/i\u003e joins the highest tier of recent works by British politicians'' Paschal Donohoe, \u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Draws on his experience of four controversial institutions - the Tory party, the Vatican, the Chinese government and the BBC - to swell the tiny list of intelligent and cultured memoirs by front-line politi\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDraws on his experience of four controversial institutions - the Tory party, the Vatican, the Chinese government and the BBC - to swell the tiny list of intelligent and cultured memoirs by front-line politicians -- Mark Lawson * New Statesman, Books of the Year *\u003cbr\u003eA defence of liberal conservatism ... If old-style centrism is to stage a comeback and reason to supplant stridency and authoritarianism, be it in west or east, the moderates can wave Patten's book on their way to their barricades -- Jonathan Fenby * Financial Times *\u003cbr\u003eEngagingly frank, beefily pugnacious ...                     ... he writes stirringly -- John Preston * Sunday Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eVivid, very well-written, \u003ci\u003eFirst Confession\u003c\/i\u003e joins the highest tier of recent works by British politicians -- Paschal Donohoe * Irish Times *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732503146839,"sku":"9780141983875","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141983875.jpg?v=1719997168","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/first-confession-9780141983875","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}