Читать книгу Margaret Thatcher: The Autobiography - Margaret Thatcher - Страница 5

The present edition is an abridged version of the original two volumes of Margaret Thatcher’s memoirs. The Downing Street Years, describing the author’s time as Prime Minister, was the first to appear, in 1993. The Path to Power, an account of her youth and early political career, was published two years later. The reverse chronological order was a response to the demands of the market and the relative interest of readers. But it had drawbacks.

This single, abridged volume sets them right. It begins at the beginning and ends at the – very dramatic – end. It excludes altogether the last section of The Path to Power, which was a series of essays on issues of the day. Also excluded, for brevity’s sake, are the dedications, acknowledgements, many footnotes and most of the appendices, along with some discursive sections and travelogues that have lost immediate interest. That said, all the key moments, events, issues, exchanges and arguments are here. Arguably, the compression results in a stronger, sharper self-portrait of one of the twentieth century’s towering figures.

ROBIN HARRIS