Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume 2: At Her Zenith: In London, Washington and Moscow

"With unequaled authority and dramatic detail, the first volume of Charles Moore's authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher reveals as never before the early life, rise to power, and first years as prime minister of the woman who transformed Britain and the world in the late twentieth century. Moore has had unique access to all of Thatcher's private and governmental papers, and interviewed her and her family extensively for this book. Many of her former colleagues and intimates have also shared previously unseen papers, diaries, and letters, and spoken frankly to him, knowing that what they revealed would not be published until after her death. The book immediately supersedes all other biographies and sheds much new light on the whole spectrum of British political life from Thatcher's entry into Parliament in 1959 to what was arguably the zenith of her power--victory in the Falklands in 1982. Drawing on an extraordinary cache of letters to her sister Muriel, Moore illuminates Thatcher's youth, her relationship with her parents, and her early romantic attachments, including her first encounters with Denis Thatcher and their courtship and marriage. Moore brilliantly depicts her determination and boldness from the very beginning of her political career and gives the fullest account of her wresting the Tory leadership from former prime minister Edward Heath at a moment when no senior figure in the party dared to challenge him. His account of Thatcher's dramatic relationship with Ronald Reagan is riveting. This book also explores in compelling detail the obstacles and indignities that Thatcher encountered as a woman in what was still overwhelmingly a man's world. Moore's admiration for Thatcher is evident, yet his portrait is convincingly clear-eyed, conveying both how remarkable she was and how infuriating she could be, her extraordinary grasp at mastering policy and what needed to be done, and her surprising vulnerabilities. At the moment when Margaret Thatcher becomes a part of history, Moore's portrait enlivens her, compellingly re-creating the circumstances and experiences that shaped one of the most significant world leaders of the postwar era."--;"With unequaled authority and dramatic detail, the first volume of Charles Moore's authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher reveals as never before the early life, rise to power, and first years as prime minister of the woman who transformed Britain and the world in the late twentieth century. Moore has had unique access to all of Thatcher's private and governmental papers, and interviewed her and her family extensively for this book. Many of her former colleagues and intimates have also shared previously unseen papers, diaries, and letters, and spoken frankly to him, knowing that what they revealed would not be published until after her death. The book immediately supersedes all other biographies and sheds much new light on the whole spectrum of British political life from Thatcher's entry into Parliament in 1959 to what was arguably the zenith of her power--victory in the Falklands in 1982"--;Vol. 1: From Grantham to the Falklands -- pt. I: The approach, 1925-1959 -- Grantham -- Scholarship girl -- Love and war at Oxford -- Essex girl -- Dartford and romance -- Marriage, the law and Finchley -- pt. II: Parliament, 1959-1979 -- Member, minister -- Opposition, 1964-1970 -- Milksnatcher -- Who governs Britain? -- The gelding and the filly -- The iron lady -- Trapped in moderation -- Labour isn't working -- May 1979 -- pt. III: Power, 1979-1982 -- Downing Street -- 'Cuts' -- Our doubts are traitors -- Not for turning -- Russia ... and Reagan -- Hunger in Ireland -- The 1981 budget and beyond -- The Falklands invasion -- Victory. In June 1983 Margaret Thatcher won the biggest increase in a government's Parliamentary majority in British electoral history. Over the next four years, as Charles Moore relates in this central volume of his uniquely authoritative biography, Britain's first woman prime minister changed the course of her country's history and that of the world, often by sheer force of will. The book reveals as never before how she faced down the Miners' Strike, transformed relations with Europe, privatized the commanding heights of British industry and continued the reinvigoration of the British economy. It describes her role on the world stage with dramatic immediacy, identifying Mikhail Gorbachev as 'a man to do business with' before he became leader of the Soviet Union, and then persistently pushing him and Ronald Reagan, her great ideological soulmate, to order world affairs according to her vision. For the only time since Churchill, she ensured that Britain had a central place in dealings between the superpowers. But even at her zenith she was beset by difficulties. The beloved Reagan two-timed her during the US invasion of Grenada. She lost the minister to whom she was personally closest to scandal and almost had to resign as a result of the Westland affair. She found herself isolated within her own government over Europe. She was at odds with the Queen over the Commonwealth and South Africa. She bullied senior colleagues and she set in motion the poll tax. Both these last would later return to wound her, fatally. In all this, Charles Moore has had unprecedented access to all Mrs Thatcher's private and government papers. The participants in the events described have been so frank in interview that we feel we are eavesdropping on their conversations as they pass. We look over Mrs Thatcher's shoulder as she vigorously annotates documents, so seeing her views on many particular issues in detail, and we understand for the first time how closely she relied on a handful of trusted advisors to help shape her views and carry out her will. We see her as a public performer, an often anxious mother, a workaholic and the first woman in western democratic history who truly came to dominate her country in her time. In the early hours of 12 October 1984, during the Conservative party conference in Brighton, the IRA attempted to assassinate her. She carried on within hours to give her leader's speech at the conference (and later went on to sign the Anglo-Irish agreement). One of her many left-wing critics, watching her that day, said 'I don't approve of her as Prime Minister, but by God she's a great tank commander.' This titanic figure, with all her capacities and all her flaws, storms from these pages as from no other book. The masterful and definitive biography of Britain's first female prime minister reaches its climax with the story of her zenith and her fall, and “reveals a complex figure who had a lasting and lastingly controversial impact on her country and on history" ( The New York Times Book Review ). How did Margaret Thatcher change and divide Britain? How did her model of combative female leadership help shape the way we live now? How did the woman who won the Cold War and three general elections in succession find herself pushed out by her own MPs? Charles Moore's full account, based on unique access to Margaret Thatcher herself, her papers, and her closest associates, tells the story of her last period in office, her combative retirement, and the controversy that surrounded her even in death. It includes the fall of the Berlin Wall, which she had fought for, and the rise of the modern EU that she feared. It lays bare her growing quarrels with colleagues and reveals the truth about her political assassination. Moore's three-part biography of Britain's most important peacetime prime minister paints an intimate political and personal portrait of the victories and defeats, the iron will but surprising vulnerability of the woman who dominated in an age of male power. This is the full, enthralling story.

The authorized biography of the longest-serving—and first female—Prime Minister of the twentieth century, and one of the most influential political figures of the postwar era.
 
Charles Moore’s biography of Margaret Thatcher, published after her death on 8 April 2013, immediately supersedes all earlier books written about her. Capturing her as a historical figure and, for the first time, a three-dimensional one, this book gives unparalleled insight into her early life and formation, especially through her extensive correspondence with her sister, which Moore is the first author to draw on. It re-creates brilliantly the atmosphere of British politics as she was making her way, and takes her up to what was arguably the zenith of her power, victory in the Falklands. (This volume ends with the Falklands Dinner in Downing Street in November 1982.) Moore is clearly an admirer of his subject, but he does not shy away from criticizing her or identifying weaknesses and mistakes where he feels it is justified. Based on unrestricted access to all Lady Thatcher’s papers, unpublished interviews with her and all her major colleagues, this is the indispensable, fully rounded portrait of a towering figure of our times. 

Charles Moore's masterful and definitive biography of Britain's first female prime minister reaches its climax with the story of her zenith and her fall. How did Margaret Thatcher change and divide Britain? How did her model of combative female leadership help shape the way we live now? How did the woman who won the Cold War and three general elections in succession find herself pushed out by her own MPs? Charles Moore's full account, based on unique access to Margaret Thatcher herself, her papers, and her closest associates, tells the story of her last period in office, her combative retirement, and the controversy that surrounded her even in death. It includes the fall of the Berlin Wall, which she had fought for, and the rise of the modern EU that she feared. It lays bare her growing quarrels with colleagues and reveals the truth about her political assassination. Moore's three-part biography of Britain's most important peacetime prime minister paints an intimate political and personal portrait of the victories and defeats, the iron will but surprising vulnerability of the woman who dominated in an age of male power. This is the full, enthralling story. With unequaled authority and dramatic detail, the first volume of Charles Moore's authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher reveals as never before the early life, rise to power, and initial period as prime minister of the woman who transformed Britain and the world in the late twentieth century. Moore illuminates Thatcher's youth--her relationship with her parents and early romantic attachments, including her courtship and marriage to Denis Thatcher--moving forward to the determination and boldness that marked even the very beginning of her political career. His account of her political relationship with Ronald Reagan is riveting. Throughout Moore explores in compelling detail the obstacles and indignities that Thatcher encountered as a woman in what was still overwhelmingly a man's world. A clear-eyed, fair account, conveying Thatcher's remarkable talents and sometimes infuriating qualities, Moore's portrait enlivens the woman who was prime minister for more than a decade (1979-1990), re-creating the circumstances and experiences that shaped one of the most significant world leaders of the postwar era. With Unequaled Authority And Dramatic Detail, The First Volume Of Charles Moore's Authorized Biography Of Margaret Thatcher Reveals As Never Before The Early Life, Rise To Power, And First Years As Prime Minister Of The Woman Who Transformed Britain And The World In The Late Twentieth Century, --novelist. Liberal Imperialist -- A Radical Disposition -- Landslide -- Jobs For The Boys -- Reagan Plays Her False -- The Enemy Within -- Sales Of The Century -- Glasnost In The Chilterns -- Arms And The Woman -- Irish Agreement, Brighton Bomb -- Poll Tax -- A Single European -- The Death-knell Of Monetarism -- Helicopter Crash -- Tbw -- Against Queen And Commonwealth -- Save The Bomb -- To Moscow -- What They Saw In Her -- The Last Victory. Charles Moore. The Second Part Of The Biography Of Margaret Thatcher By Charles Moore. First Part Published In 2013. This Is A Borzoi Book--title Page Verso. Includes Bibliographical References (various Page) And Index. "This third and climactic volume (1987-2013) of Charles Moore's authorized biography gives the definitive account of Margaret Thatcher's third term in office and her life after it. Three stories run through the whole book. The first is Mrs. Thatcher's dominance of her government in almost every domestic field, but also her growing intolerance of dissent, the increasing alienation of her most senior ministers over Europe and the fatal corrosion that followed. The second is her commanding presence on the world stage, ... her role in the ending of the Cold War, her central position in the response to the invasion of Kuwait, and her increasing isolation as America's priorities in Europe changed. The third is how she, a woman, coped and led in political worlds almost entirely occupied by men"--Dust jacket flap Margaret Thatcher was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century and one of the most influential figures of the postwar era. Volume Two of Moore's acclaimed authorized biography covers the central, triumphal years of her premiership, from the Falklands to the 1987 election. Based on unrestricted access to all Lady Thatcher's papers, unpublished interviews with her and all her major colleagues, this is the indispensable portrait of a towering figure of our times.