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Not for Turning: The Life of Margaret Thatcher Paperback – April 1, 2013

by Robin Harris (Author)

4.3 56 ratings

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Margaret Thatcher is one of the most iconic politicians of the twentieth century. With the possible exception of Winston Churchill, no other Prime Minister has had such an impact on modern British history. Like it or not, her radical social and economic policies have made Britain the country it is today. Without Margaret Thatcher there could have been no New Labour, no Tony Blair and no David Cameron.Now Robin Harris, for many years Thatcher's speechwriter, trusted adviser and the draftsman of two volumes of her autobiography, has written the defining book about this indomitable woman. He tells her extraordinary life story, from humble beginnings above her father's grocer's shop in Grantham, her early days as one of the first women in Westminster who became known as 'Thatcher milk-snatcher' during her days in the Ministry for Education and then as Prime Minister. We follow her through the 'Winter of Discontent', the tribulations of the miners' strike and the Falklands War. And Harris writes a stunning account of her exit from power and tells of her life after number 10.

Print length

512 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Bantam Press
Publication date

April 1, 2013
Dimensions

6.06 x 1.57 x 9.13 inches
ISBN-10

0593072863
ISBN-13

978-0593072868
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Jonathan Keates
45
Paperback
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam Press (April 1, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593072863
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593072868
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.58 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.06 x 1.57 x 9.13 inches

Customer Reviews:
4.3 56 ratings

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4.3 out of 5

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Xenia

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2017

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Interesting insights into the Baroness's life after 1990

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A good insider's view

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2013

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This is a sympathetic account, but which does not pretend the lady was without fault. It helps if you know something of British politics of the time to understand the situation, but the author does a good job of explaining it. Easy reading.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, and came away feeling enriched.

6 people found this helpful

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Rikki White

The greatest Prime Minster since WW2 and a woman of steel?

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2013

REVIEW OF NOT FOR TURNING

So much has been written about Mrs Thatcher, by she herself and by many friends and foes, but I think a biography has much more authority written after, but not too long after, the demise of the person in question before events start to be remembered less clearly. The fat lady has sung and can no longer influence events, so the conclusions can now be analysed with honesty and clarity.

The author of this book was close enough to be a party to many aspects of her life, her background, the friends and enemies surrounding her and the way she structured her life for what she believed was the right thing to do. Her father was undoubtedly the most influential character in the foundation of her political drive. She was a woman of principle, with energy, intelligence, drive, courage and scrupulous integrity, all nurtured by her father. Her childhood had a lot of discipline, but not a lot of warmth.

This book shows how Margaret Thatcher transformed the British political landscape, indeed she had an enormous influence, not only at home, but on world affairs too. Without her the Trade Unions could well have still been holding the country to ransom and I doubt if anyone else would have had the courage to take our country to war to recover the Falklands, a very difficult decision for a mother sending other peoples sons and daughters into danger.

Great fun has been made of her and her handbag, but what effect they yielded when up against the entire force of the European countries and the monstrous conditions imposed on us in entering the community.. This author shows the chicanery she had to endure from her colleagues and the effects her victories had on her ego. She could be cruel and humiliate her supporters as well as her enemies. She was easier to admire than to like.

The Poll Tax was her downfall in the end and it was a shame that she had to be dragged kicking and screaming from No.10 which took some of the glitz off her dazzling career.

If you watched the TV documentary THE DOWNING STREET YEARS, this book fills in many gaps and makes absorbing reading.

376 words

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Noll B

The whole story in one good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2013

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As Lady Thatcher's letter on the back cover says - "I can think of no one better placed than you to tackle the subject".

Harris was Director of the Conservative Research Department before joining Mrs Thatcher's personal staff, writing speeches and advising on policy. After she left office he continued working for her, including drafting her two volume autobiography. He was a total insider - he knew her life, her politics and her thoughts as well as anyone who is still around to tell the tale.

Harris can write punchy, readable narrative which tells a good story, as anyone who reads his many newspaper articles can attest.

Harris got his doctorate in French history - you can tell the academic background because the facts look like they have been checked, there is a decent index and by the way he sticks to main subject and doesn't drift off into personal reminiscences or personal point scoring. In passing I notice that he doesn't even mention himself in the index - this is Margaret Thatcher's story all the way through.

Those that loved Margaret Thatcher will find a lot to like with this book. Having her whole life in one moderately sized volume will be a relief to anyone who wants the essence but not the finely wrought detail. Those that did not love Thatcher - and there are plenty of them - may still find it worth reading if they want to understand rather than condemn. After all, the British public voted for her in their millions, voted for her again and again, and they never voted her out of office.

15 people found this helpful

Dudley Clark

Convincing narrative

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2014

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Not having read other biographies about Margaret Thatcher, I enjoyed stepping back to those years when she was PM. The earlier section about her influences and education is convincing. Does she emerge from the pages better understood? Can the reader get a sense of what drove her, her people skills, her political skills? For me the answer is that this book does not have the weight or indeed size, to do more than sketch the background, so there is an incompleteness. But her personality comes through, her considerable charm and presence, her weaknesses, and the account of her life after stepping down from power, provides a fuller sense of her life in its entirety. Where the authors views come through, one senses they are those of a man near the centre of the action.

One person found this helpful

Birmingham Nick

Excellent & Facinating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2013

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This is an excellent book about one of Britain's finest politicians ever. Love her or loath her she pulled us back from the brink in 1979. Certainly she towers above today's pygmies that masquerade as politicians. For those that loath her it is worth reading the book to see if you can understand why millions of voters voted for her again and again. That the Tory party effectively stabbed her in the back was a shameful act that still hangs over the party. The book is written in a style that is easy to read and it is a personal view of her life, how she changed Britain and hugely influenced world politics also.
Interesting and very informative.

One person found this helpful

Neil Stuart

RESPONSE

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 29, 2013

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Mr Marsh has not reviewed this book - he has simply produced the usual diatribe against the best Prime Minister since Churchill. Here, briefly, are some inconvenient facts.

1. Manufacturing output rose by 7.5% during her period in office.
2. Public spending rose by 17.6%
3. Harold Wilson's governments closed 251 pits and Maggie's 154. A former miner recently wrote "Scargill wanted me to go back down the b***** pit. Mrs Thatcher gave me £25,000 to buy a house in Spain.
4. Wilson, Callaghan and Heath all wished to reform the unions and all backed off. She succeeded and no subsequent government has had any inclination to put the clock back (for obvious reasons).

31 people found this helpful

Lg

Great condition for the price

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2021

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Arrived in very good condition and recipient was happy

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Not for Turning: The Life of Margaret Thatcher Paperback – April 1, 2013

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