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vikingwolf's review
informative
medium-paced
3.0
If you're looking for the sort of in depth book that John Major wrote about his time in politics, well you won't get that with this shorter memoir. It instead looks at specific moments and polices that the former PM wants to go into in detail, rather than a brief bit about a lot of different things. It means that there are bits that you'd have liked to hear his opinion on that he only mentions in passing. To be fair, he had a very long political career so the book would be huge if he went into all of it. However he does tackle a lot of interesting things.
Yes he talks in detail about his infamous deal with Tony Blair, in the aftermath of John Smith's death. He is adamant that Tony offered two things to avoid Gordon fighting him for the leadership. One was total control of social and economic policy as Chancellor after an election win and the other was to stand down in his second term to let Gordon go for the leadership. Gordon talks about the media helping Tony's campaign while running him down, smears and allegations and dirty tricks employed to force him to step down. It sounds like a carrot and stick approach and it was probably true in my opinion. I'm not surprised either that Gordon accuses Tony of changing his mind on both his parts of the deal that were made.
Gordon talks about the loss of his baby daughter Jennifer. This was a tragic and heart-breaking part of the book, and I really felt for him and Sarah, having to deal with your grief in such a public manner. It was a sad thing to read the details on but he doesn't shy away from the effect that it had on him at the time, and also in his work to help other families in similar circumstances. He talks also about the joy of having his two sons and how they kept him grounded.
He devotes a chapter to Iraq, talking about what he knew at the time, what he discovered later and the information that was kept from him. He is scathing about the intelligence gathering, what the Americans shared and what they covered up. I was surprised by how much he was kept out of the loop except when more money was required for the campaign. He talks about wishing he had done more to express doubts in what he was being told but admits he felt no grounds to disbelieve the intelligence that was being shown to them. I think his anger and doubts built later when he heard the evidence at the enquiry.
I was less interested in the more technical aspects of the financial collapse-I'm no economist so it wasn't the topic that interested me but of course it was going to form an important part of the book. Details about meetings with foreign leaders on various subjects were also less interesting but I understand why he included them. I did find it interesting to read about his thoughts on the two referendums and on the coalition talks after the 2010 election. And yes he does include the moment where he calls the Labour voter a bigot, so at least he had the guts to talk about that and other mistakes he made in office.
Overall it was a decent read and it was worth getting the book to read about those topics that I was most interested in. I intend to read more about the Brown-Blair feuds in other books and judge for myself where the truth perhaps lies.
Yes he talks in detail about his infamous deal with Tony Blair, in the aftermath of John Smith's death. He is adamant that Tony offered two things to avoid Gordon fighting him for the leadership. One was total control of social and economic policy as Chancellor after an election win and the other was to stand down in his second term to let Gordon go for the leadership. Gordon talks about the media helping Tony's campaign while running him down, smears and allegations and dirty tricks employed to force him to step down. It sounds like a carrot and stick approach and it was probably true in my opinion. I'm not surprised either that Gordon accuses Tony of changing his mind on both his parts of the deal that were made.
Gordon talks about the loss of his baby daughter Jennifer. This was a tragic and heart-breaking part of the book, and I really felt for him and Sarah, having to deal with your grief in such a public manner. It was a sad thing to read the details on but he doesn't shy away from the effect that it had on him at the time, and also in his work to help other families in similar circumstances. He talks also about the joy of having his two sons and how they kept him grounded.
He devotes a chapter to Iraq, talking about what he knew at the time, what he discovered later and the information that was kept from him. He is scathing about the intelligence gathering, what the Americans shared and what they covered up. I was surprised by how much he was kept out of the loop except when more money was required for the campaign. He talks about wishing he had done more to express doubts in what he was being told but admits he felt no grounds to disbelieve the intelligence that was being shown to them. I think his anger and doubts built later when he heard the evidence at the enquiry.
I was less interested in the more technical aspects of the financial collapse-I'm no economist so it wasn't the topic that interested me but of course it was going to form an important part of the book. Details about meetings with foreign leaders on various subjects were also less interesting but I understand why he included them. I did find it interesting to read about his thoughts on the two referendums and on the coalition talks after the 2010 election. And yes he does include the moment where he calls the Labour voter a bigot, so at least he had the guts to talk about that and other mistakes he made in office.
Overall it was a decent read and it was worth getting the book to read about those topics that I was most interested in. I intend to read more about the Brown-Blair feuds in other books and judge for myself where the truth perhaps lies.
pintofbooks's review against another edition
Seems like a great book, but not the right time. One day I will return.
ameliamorris's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
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.
chriswright39's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
A thoughtful and hopeful vision of a fairer society.
davidrobinson4288's review against another edition
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
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.
mrdavid205's review
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.