davidrobinson4288's review
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Not dumbed down, policy heavy but excellent. I think I’ve a hunger for that due to the lack of it at the moment.
tomberry8's review against another edition
4.0
Occasionally clunky and would have liked more discussion on the health service, but all in all it was well-written and interesting. It taught me a lot about the politics I was oblivious to whilst growing up and about a man who was more competent than any of our current leaders but who always seemed to get a pretty raw deal of it in the media (which he does discuss). It also gives a first-hand account of the response to the financial crisis.
jimbowen0306's review
3.0
Hmmm, no. I sometimes wonder about autobiographies, because I sometimes feel that you get the Lake Wobegon Effect (where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average") in them. That view of life could be said to apply to this book.
I mean no offence by this, because Gordon Brown's achievement (he was Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister) was impressive, but he was social awkward I think and had a view of himself that didn't chime with what others said. That he didn't address this (other than talking about one row with Tony Blair -who had talked about thinking about sacking him for years- probably does confirm this view, to my mind at least, as it attests to a certain lack of self awareness being present.
So, what was the book like? It probably had the right balance between growing up (maybe 25 to 30% of the book), his early political years, his time as Chancellor, and Prime Minister, and his views on what happened after he left office.
One of my two grumbles would focus on the fact he seems convinced he could have maybe won the leadership election against Tony Blair (and not just split the progressive vote), and definitely won had Tony Blair not entered. I kind of doubt this, as it beggars the question if you thought that, why didn't you enter?
My other grumble focuses on what he did in the heat of the financial crisis, arguing that raising public spending in the poor times and allowing the market to take over in good times. He then goes on to concede that he was spending in the good times too, and dismissed any thought that this was incongruous with what he did later in 2 or 3 paragraphs.
All in all it's not a bad book, but you'll be feeling a bit irritated by how he sees himself by the end of the book I think.
I mean no offence by this, because Gordon Brown's achievement (he was Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister) was impressive, but he was social awkward I think and had a view of himself that didn't chime with what others said. That he didn't address this (other than talking about one row with Tony Blair -who had talked about thinking about sacking him for years- probably does confirm this view, to my mind at least, as it attests to a certain lack of self awareness being present.
So, what was the book like? It probably had the right balance between growing up (maybe 25 to 30% of the book), his early political years, his time as Chancellor, and Prime Minister, and his views on what happened after he left office.
One of my two grumbles would focus on the fact he seems convinced he could have maybe won the leadership election against Tony Blair (and not just split the progressive vote), and definitely won had Tony Blair not entered. I kind of doubt this, as it beggars the question if you thought that, why didn't you enter?
My other grumble focuses on what he did in the heat of the financial crisis, arguing that raising public spending in the poor times and allowing the market to take over in good times. He then goes on to concede that he was spending in the good times too, and dismissed any thought that this was incongruous with what he did later in 2 or 3 paragraphs.
All in all it's not a bad book, but you'll be feeling a bit irritated by how he sees himself by the end of the book I think.
mrdavid205's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic and fascinating book from one of the modern greats of British politics. Compared to the intellectual pygmies that populate today's politics on both sides of the house, Brown is looking more intelligent and prescient every passing day. What really shines through, however, is his compassion and determination to do something for the poorer members of society. When we have a government, as we do now, who wish to hurt poor people and actively enjoy it the decision to remove this man from office is more enraging than ever. If you want a reminder of what politicians can aspire to read this book. If you're reading this and disagreeing with everything I say read it anyway to see if you can at least understand your opponents.
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