Tomorrow is a big day for Tony Blair fans like me – his memoir will finally be published. There is a lot of anticipation in the air. As Michael Ezra wrote on Harry’s Place: “I feel like a 10-year-old Harry Potter fan might have felt in anticipation of a new Potter book.” I know just what he means.
I wonder what it will be like? It was originally going to be called The Journey, but the title has been changed to A Journey. Either way, it sounds a bit X Factor. That needn’t be a bad thing. One news report quoted an insider as saying the book is “an extended love letter to George W Bush”. That needn’t be a bad thing either, as long as there’s also something in there about 1997 and all that.
Blair will be doing a signing in London, but much as I’d love to meet the great man I found the list of (mostly understandable) conditions attached to the event a bit off-putting. The thought of having to witness the inevitable ghastly anti-Blair protestors is also a bit stomach-churning. And after all, I’ve already kind of met him so I’ll make do with an unsigned copy for now at least. Will you be buying Blair’s book? What is the best – or worst – political memoir you have ever read?
I’ve always been a fan of political memoirs and biographies, though in my experience the best of the genre tend to come from across the pond in America. Speaking of which, I see that George W Bush’s is due later this year, from Virgin Books who published Not In My Name. I’m looking forward to that, but I doubt it will be an extended love letter back to Blair. That would be amusing, though!
Meanwhile, this is a good time to dust-off a YouTube classic.
Chas,
I am somewhat flattered that you have used a quote from my blog post, but thank you very much for doing so.
For those really into Blair worship, there is always, as The Daily Telegraph reported earlier this month:
I thank the newspaper for making me aware of this option, but I shall pass.
Takes me back to the Tony Blair classic when he “ain’t bovvered”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfkjvagVsRI
I liked Alan Clark’s Diaries. I don’t believe that any senior politician’s memoirs (as opposed to biogs) can be memorable since they all tend to put themselves in the best possible light. What is interesting is to compare the same event through different eyes.
Some recommended political biogs: Lord Blake on Disraeli; Dean Godson on David Trimble (‘Himself Alone’); Michael Foot on Nye Bevan.
I love that video Chas – I hadn’t seen it before. Thanks for posting it. I empathise with her.
Maybe this is the right place to speculate on what would have happened to any Labour Party Leader who made the wonderful speech made by Tony Blair in Israel last week:
http://www.tonyblairoffice.org/news/entry/tony-blair-welcomes-re-start-of-direct-peace-talks-during-herzliya-speech/
My bet? S/he would not last five minutes….
Blair’s speech was great. Certainly beat David Cameron’s recent performance! http://www.oyvagoy.com/2010/07/27/david-cameron-on-gaza/
Details of first extracts of A Journey: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/127166-first-glimpse-of-blairs-journey.html.rss?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Exciting times!
I have the terrific tome! http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs185.ash2/44805_459409571135_640026135_6963997_4080633_n.jpg
that video is brilliant. I had forgotten all about it!!