Statecraft

Publisher and industry reviews

UK Kirkus review

Margaret Thatcher is one of the most widely recognized people in the world, even now, more than ten years after she was removed from power, voted out not by the British electorate but by her own party. Her period as Prime Minister divided the country, with some loving the individualist philosophy that brought them wealth and opportunity, and others mourning the loss of traditional working-class communities. On the world stage, her partnership and friendship with Ronald Reagan helped spread the conservative revolution throughout the world, and played a crucial part in the fall of communism in Europe. As an international statesman - Baroness Thatcher would never have fallen prey to political correctness and called herself a statesperson - she never shied from controversy, whether swinging her famous handbag in Europe or standing shoulder to shoulder with General Pinochet in recognition of the support he had lent in the Falklands War. For a detailed insight of her time in power, The Downing Street Years is the definitive account, yet there is much in here of interest. She talks about meetings she had with world figures in Russia, China and the Middle East and, in the post-9/11 atmosphere, she traces back the roots of conflict and terror to events that happened more than 20 years ago. Rather than mellowing with age, her views remain as trenchant as ever, whether dismissing the 'hot air' of global-warming Jeremiahs or recalling an incident where she berated the Chinese then-Prime Minister Li Peng about his human rights record. Her style is eminently readable, with each broad sweep of a chapter, divided into subjects such as Asian Giants, Rogues, Religions and Terrorism and Capitalism and Its Critics, summarised with a series of succinct bullet points. Whatever your viewpoint, this really is required reading, and provides powerful food for thought concerning the major issues facing the modern world. (Kirkus UK)