British Prime Ministers

by Jonathan Bastable

"Amazing & Extraordinary Facts: British Prime Ministers" delves into the premiership's 300 year history and unearths a host of fascinating, intriguing and little-known facts about some of the best-known characters in British history, lifting the lid on the top job. Find out about the Prime Minister who only lasted 100 days, another who served for 21 years, or how Downing Street came to be the Premier's residence. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. "The Amazing and Extraordinary Facts series" presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

Jonathan Bastable is a renowned writer and journalist. He began his career as a feature writer for The Sunday Times and has contributed to the foreign pages of The Sunday Times, The Scotsman and Time Out. He is the author of a number of books including Voices from Samuel Pepys (D&C 2007) and Voices from D-Day (D&C 2004). Jonathan lives in Brighton.

Contents to include:; * "I am murdered, murdered..." The assassination of Spencer Perceval; * Idle Jim James Callaghan's first days in the job; * Whips and wicked women The peccadilloes of William Ewart Gladstone; * Portrait of a lady The moulding of Mrs Thatcher; * Great and small The diminutive Lord John Russell; * The great helmsman Edward Heath: premier and a prizewinning sailor; * Winston's Indian summer Churchill's strange last term as prime minister; * Dizzy's wit Words of wisdom from the works of Benjamin Disraeli; * Top of the greasy pole Prime ministers' reactions to getting the job; * The unknown PM The unjust eclipse of Andrew Bonar Law; * Pistols at dawn Duelling prime ministers; * Cry, baby, cry The politics of tearfulness and many more...