Aged fifteen, armed with a credit card stolen from his father, Jonny Oates ran away from home and boarded a plane to Addis Ababa. His plan? To save the Ethiopian people from the devastating 1985 famine. Discovering that demand for the assistance of unskilled fifteen-year-old English boys was limited, he swiftly learned that you can't change the world by pure force of will - a lesson that would prove invaluable in politics.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden charts Oates's journey from his darkest moments alone in Ethiopia, struggling with his sexuality and mental health, to the heart of Westminster, where, as Nick Clegg's chief of staff, he grapples with the compromises and concessions of coalition.
Shot through with a captivating warmth and humour, this heart-stoppingly candid memoir reflects on the challenges of balancing idealism and pragmatism, illustrating how lasting change comes from working together rather than standing alone.
Publisher: Biteback Publishing
ISBN: 9781785907609
Number of pages: 384
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this roller-coaster ride of a memoir; well-written, fascinating, entertaining, moving, funny and hugely insightful are just some words I would use to describe this book. Jonny Oates'... More
"I never promised you a rose garden" is a fascinating account of Jonny Oates' personal and professional journey and should give us hope. Never mind how naive the dream is to save the world or in... More
This is a beautiful read. Jonny Oates candidly shares his personal story, from being a 15 year old running away from home in the 80s to Ethiopia with his father's stolen credit card to help 'change the... More
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