The Lost Leaders by Edward Pearce
For every politician who 'gets to the top', to No.10 Downing Street, there is at least one, sometimes more, who was going to be Prime Minister. THE LOST LEADERS consists of three long biographical essays about 'the best Prime Ministers we never got'. R A Butler, Denis Healey and Iain Macleod had their faults and made their mistakes, but given their sheer ability and essential good judgement, their reaction - by party misjudgement, intrigue or lack of talent for getting, but not doing, the job - robbed us of the best men of their time. Edward Pearce gives a sympathetic account of three fascinating lives. He also looks for the reasons why an obvious high talent is so often rejected for the supreme job. Too rough in Denis Healey's case Not rough enough in Butler's Offending the prejudices of the party as Iain Macleod did Too busy working to plot properly Too left- wing, not left-wing enough Too clever by half - or, too clever
'Excellent Pearce's book is by far the best he has written' SPECTATOR'Pearce manages abundantly to fulfil his terms of reference and approval of Healey while leaving me a pleasantly satisfied and indeed admiring reader an immensely enjoyable and often very penetrating book.' Roy Jenkins, OBSERVER'Edward Pearce's THE LOST LEADERS has been prasied by others for its political insight. I read Pearce for his glorious use of language.' SUNDAY TIMES'Pearce's independence of mind and willingness to take unfashionable positions perfectly position him to consider the qualities that enabled these very difference politicians to rise only so high; his effortless prose, appetite for intrigue and admiration for his subjects make this a fascinating and rewarding book.' OBSERVER'This is a book that stimulatingly challenges easy assumptions and is written in Pearce's best provocative-columnist style.' FINANCIAL TIMES'What is particularly fascinating is the cross-references Pearce makes to the attitudes and careers of all three men. It takes a considerable talent to find a common thread between the scion of a donnish Cambridge family, a Labour Party bully boy and a Tory cardsharp. But Pearce does it with brilliance.' INDEPENDENT'Pearce's book is a pithy commentary on British politics from the 1930s to the present day.' PROSPECT'This fascinating and thought-provoking b
Edward Pearce's witty and astringent columns have graced the pages of the Guardian, Sunday Times, Evening Standard and Daily Telegraph. He is also a regular broadcaster.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780751523614 |
| ISBN 10 | 0751523615 |
| Title | The Lost Leaders |
| Author | Edward Pearce |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Little, Brown Book Group |
| Year published | 1998-10-01 |
| Number of pages | 414 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |