Diaries: Into Politics

Diaries: Into Politics

by Alan Clark (Author), Alan Clark (Author)

Synopsis

Alan Clark's Diaries are the best account of the last quarter of a century of British politics. The first volume was published to enormous acclaim and bestselling success in hardback and paperback (30 weeks overall on the Sunday Times bestseller list). As The Times wrote in a leading article: 'The best diarists, from Pepys and Boswell, to 'Chips' Channon and Harold Nicolson, have been the souls of indiscretion. But none so indiscreet as Mr Clark...For its Pooterish self-assessment, for Mr Toad's enthusiasm for new things, for Byron's caddishness, for its deadly candour, it is one of the great works in the genre.' 'Into Politics' begins in 1973 with Clark's selection as Tory candidate for Nancy Astor's old seat in Plymouth (rival candidates included future Conservative luminaries, Michael Howard and Norman Fowler) his election to the Commons in the 1974 general election. His years as a backbencher coincide with Edward Heath as PM, his downfall and the arrival of Margaret Thatcher. This volume ends with the inside story of the Falklands War.In his private life Alan and his wife Jane and their two young sons take over Saltwood Castle (previously the home of his father Kenneth (Civilisation) Clark). His enthusiasms for the estate, skiing, fast cars and girls are never far away. For the hundreds of thousands of readers who were enthralled by the first volume, 'Into Politics' will be an event.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Orion
Published: 12 Oct 2000

ISBN 10: 0297644025
ISBN 13: 9780297644026

Media Reviews
With more than 300,000 copies of the original Diaries sold since their publishing caused a sensation in 1993, here is the long-awaited and posthumous prequel . Starting in 1972, when Clark was searching for a parliamentary seat and at the same time was given Saltwood Castle in Kent by his father Kenneth Clark (of Civilisation fame), he chronicles election success in Plymouth, and early days in the Commons where Ted Heath has been deposed as leader of the Tories and replaced by Margaret Thatcher. There is Saltwood itself and the countryside surrounding it, there are birds (both feathered and human) and there is his family. At the same time bankruptcy threatens and he is only saved by a remarkable find inside Saltwood itself. The climax is the Falklands War - with revelations from a unique political animal with the inside track. At the same time this second volume has all the ingredients of fine writing and humour that made the first volume such a hardback and paperback bestseller. Clark's editor at Weidenfeld, Ion Trewin, also provides the introduction.
Author Bio
Alan Clark was Tory MP for Sutton (Plymouth) 1974-92 and was MP for Kensington and Chelsea before his death in 1999. He was Minister of Trade, 1986-89, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence 1989-92. His acclaimed works as a historian are referred to above. He was married with two sons and lived at Saltwood Castle, Kent. Ion Trewin is a London publisher. Originally a journalist, he was Literary Editor of The Times 1972-79. He was Alan Clark's publisher from 1992 until his death, and has since edited two further volumes of Alan Clark's diaries. Married with a son and daughter, he has since 2006 been administrator of the Man Booker prizes. He was chairman of the Cheltenham Literature Festival 1996-2007.