Boris Johnson: The Gambler

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Started off very strong, then got gradually less engaging as Johnson actually ascended to power -- I found it hard to care about the ins and outs of London policy in particular. Contains a string of startling revelations about Mr Johnson's public and personal life, and goes farther than any previous biography towards solving the enigma of his true personality . But then most high-achievers in their fifties have long since moved on from blaming the flaws of their parents for their own misdeeds, especially when they have been blessed with a great deal of love and support from others along the way. He doesn't whitewash Boris, nor does he espouse his greatness, but his instantly accessible, interesting tone I found compelling.

Similarly, Bower concedes that Johnson once wrote of “grinning picaninnies” with “watermelon smiles” and, for good measure, digs out a line that Johnson’s critics missed: “Some dream of their teeth falling out as they are about to be executed with the scimitar by a beautiful black woman.The man cheats on his wives, he lies, he manipulates, he lets people down, he is an egomaniac concerned only about himself, he will do whatever is necessary to get to the top and can't be trusted. This one is a detailed account of Boris Johnson's life, focusing on his career as a politician, as an MP, as Mayor of London, in the Brexit referendum, and ultimately as Prime Minister with even some bits covering the pandemic.

But none of this should be understood as evidence of racism, which for Bower would be “unusual” in a man married “to a half-Indian woman”. It feels like he has an axe to grind and is not subtle in asking you accept his dismissive analysis of others. makes excuse after excuse - his father was a womaniser, beat his mother in front of him, the children were forced to witness their mother being admitted to hospital with a nervous breakdown, etc.

Michael Gove, the education minister, was under attack from both teachers and parents for making the curriculum more demanding. That said, there are one or two amusing anecdotes revealing the depth of Johnson’s rivalry with David Cameron and his disdain for the acolyte George Osborne - such as his having initiated fisticuffs with each of them during the coalition years and their having to be pulled off by aides (fnarr fnarr), or Boris’s text on the morning of the 2015 general election: “good luck Dave and if you bog it up I’m standing by to fill the gap! Belle évocation aussi du brillant journaliste, un classiciste et tribun redoutable quand il veut convaincre. Apparently Boris Johnson’s long-suffering second wife, the human rights lawyer Marina Wheeler, took a similar view: “She unhesitatingly rebuked Stanley for her husband’s sins.

Is it a coincidence that a book about Boris Johnson, a known liar, doesn't stick to the truth as much? Johnson's continuous struggle against established institutions such as the BBC and NHS are also very enlightening and make him more sympathetic to me.Remarkables REMARKABLES Intriguing, stunning, or otherwise remarkable books These include fine editions, foreign publications that are exceptional for their interest or production, special editions and some first-rate books from very small publishers. Anyway, it is probably churlish to dwell on the bits I didn't like that much, and overall this is a thorough examination of the Prime Minister's life with a warts-and-all approach that seems to be well-evidenced as well as readable.