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Politics on the Edge
- A Memoir from Within
- Narrated by: Rory Stewart
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
From the former Conservative Cabinet minister and co-presenter of 2022's breakout hit podcast The Rest is Politics, a searing insider's account of ten extraordinary years in Parliament
Over the course of a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to standing for prime minister - before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise.
Tackling ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence, engaging with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister, and Brexit as a Cabinet minister, Stewart learned first-hand how profoundly hollow and inadequate our democracy and government had become. Cronyism, ignorance and sheer incompetence ran rampant. Around him, individual politicians laid the foundations for the political and economic chaos of today.
Stewart emerged battered but with a profound affection for his constituency of Penrith and the Border, and a deep direct insight into the era of populism and global conflict.
Politics On the Edge invites us into the mind of one of the most interesting actors on the British political stage. Uncompromising, candid and darkly humorous, this is his story of the challenges, absurdities and realities of political life; a new classic of political memoir and a remarkable portrait of our age.
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- Anonymous User
- 25-02-2024
Brilliance of the uk political system
There are so many interesting facets to this book, not least the ethical shortcomings of a number of prominent politicians. But Rory’s detailing of the ‘brilliance’ of the uk political system is something to behold.
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- Tansy
- 11-04-2024
Outstanding
A memoir of ideas and inspiration from a unique character whose story is enriched by it being told to us with his own voice.
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- James W. Matson
- 10-11-2023
Great insight, great read
I really enjoyed this insight into a fascinating and turbulent period of British politics. As neither English nor a Conservative I still gained a great deal from it. read brilliantly, well done to the author.
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- Amazon Customer
- 15-12-2023
From naïveté to experience
Rory writes with great honesty on his naïveté and self belief which ultimately is in the zone of delusion. His colleagues can see clearly his failings but what’s refreshing about Rory is he doesn’t. He presses on in vanity. It’s a great tale about how candour and integrity are a negative in politics.
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- Anonymous User
- 05-10-2023
A compelling read! Highly recommend.
Quite a shocking insight into British politics & the events that gave way to Boris Johnson becoming PM.
Very impressed with Rory’s character & ethics & grateful that he wrote this fascinating book. It can’t have been easy to relive the events.
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- Anonymous User
- 18-10-2023
Incredible book, highly recommend!
An incredibly eye opening insight into not just the bizarre bureaucracy and workings of the British government, but a fascinating story about a truly admirable and intelligent man. Incredibly well read, the story is captivating and the author does an excellent job at telling it and incorporating all the characters in an entertaining, but also very serious way. I would honestly recommend anybody I know to read this masterpiece.
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- M. McCracken
- 17-01-2024
Piercing Tell All Memoir: one of the best political memoirs I’ve read
If you like your biographies searing and prepared to name names then I highly recommend this memoir of ten years inside Westminster by former Centre Conservative politician, Rory Stewart.
Well known more recently for The Rest is Politics podcast he hosts with former UK Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell and before that a diplomat Indonesia, tutor to Princes Harry and William, a professor at Harvard, an NGO founder in Kabul and a walker extraordinaire (he walked 6,000 miles across Afghanistan and asia).
Rory charts the decline of the good debate in politics, the rise of populism and the impact on a party he came to barely recognise.
More than a great political memoir, it is a great primer on operating from a values-based position whatever work you do.
This has sparked many ideas on how to freshen my approach to work.
And if you listen to the audio version you are in for a treat. Rory narrates the book and he is exceptional at regional dialects.
Highly recommended.
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- L Murdoch
- 14-11-2023
Really interesting and insightful
Fascinating views and observations of behind the scenes in politics. Equally frustrating and funny at times. Rory is a great story teller. Even if you don’t agree with all of his politics, he’s a fascinating, intelligent person.
Amazing audiobook. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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- Elizabeth Carroll
- 24-09-2023
Impressive
Really enjoyed Rory’s writing and his in depth discussion and analysis of his time in Politics. Would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand how the Westminster system works. Excellent
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- Anonymous User
- 27-09-2023
An important insight into the workings of parliament.
A place where self interest and the thirst for power are the motivators for most of the mps and those with good intentions and the desire to effect beneficial change for the country face tremendous obstacles. The mainstream media is shown for what it is. We need more mps like Rory.
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