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The Conservatives - A History

The Conservatives - A History

by RobinHarris (Author)

  • Used

    Hardcover 2011

    $3.42
Synopsis

The history of the Conservative party has, extraordinarily, rarely been written in a single volume for the general reader. There are academic multi-volume accounts and a multitude of smaller books with limited historical scope. But now, Robin Harris, Margaret Thatcher's speechwriter and party insider, has produced this authoritative but lively history book which tells the whole story and fills a gaping hole in Britain's historiographical record. Taking as his starting point the larger than life personalities of the Conservative Party's leaders and prime ministers since its inception, Robin Harris's book also analyses the interconnected themes and issues which have dominated Conservative politics over the years. The careers of Peel, Disraeli, Salisbury, Baldwin, Chamberlain, Churchill, Eden, Macmillan, Heath, Thatcher, Major, Hague and Cameron together amount to an alternative history of Britain since the early nineteenth century. This landmark book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in history or politics, or anyone who has ever wondered how Britain came to be the nation it is today.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
 Pages: 640
 Publisher: Bantam Press
Published: 10 Nov 2011
ISBN 10: 0593065115
ISBN 13: 9780593065112
Book Overview: The only up-to-date, single-volume history of the Conservative Party available

Media Reviews
Astute, opinionated and unsentimental, Harris makes a robust and entertaining guide to the party's history -- Dominic Sandbrook The Sunday Times 20111113 Robin Harris combines a career of working for the party with the qualifications of a historian. He also writes beautifully, with a perilous sharpness. His account is highly entertaining -- Charles Moore Daily Telegraph 20111114 A marvel of concision, lucidity and scholarship, with penetrating things to say about Peel, Disraeli, Churchill and the rest. His book can be read for pleasure as well as instruction -- Andrew Gimson Spectator 20111112 Harris has come close to producing a classic of popular history... the effect is sometimes dazzling. [He has] an enviable ability to grasp the essence of the characters London Review of Books Highly readable, with sparkling portraits of the leading figures, and the author's acerbic observations and pithy judgments, even when one does not agree with them, are always thought-provoking and sometimes pointed enough to make one laugh out loud... this is a good book. I am glad that it was written. And I'm glad that I read it -- Daniel Finkelstein The Times 20111121 Harris writes well and with considerable force -- Douglas Hurd New Statesman 20111128 My expectations for this book were high; but Dr. Harris has exceeded them. This book is genuine history written with real authority... finely written and highly readable, with an undercurrent of dry wit running through its narrative Conservative Home website Incisive and entertaining -- Kwasi Kwarteng Saturday Telegraph 20111203 So enjoyable to read -- James Forsyth Mail on Sunday 20111204 This well-researched, highly readable and occasionally highly witty account should become the new standard history of the Tory Party, and required reading for all MPs -- Andrew Roberts Standpoint Lively and trenchant Total Politics His is a book for the intelligent layman... it is a beautifully written, well paced and penetrating study of the oldest and most successful political party on Earth. Every Conservative should read this book. It confronts us unflinchingly with the failures of our party of the years. Yet is also serves to remind us of why we became Conservatives in the first place -- Daniel Hannan Daily Telegraph website
Author Bio
Robin Harris began to work for the Conservative Party in 1978, becoming Director of the Conservative Research Department, a government political adviser and a member of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Policy Unit. When Mrs Thatcher left Downing Street, so did he, going on to assist her with books and speeches. In recent years, he has written an authoritative history of the city state of Dubrovnik and an acclaimed biography of the French statesman Talleyrand. He is currently working on a biography of Margaret Thatcher. He lives in Cornwall.