Blair

by Anthony Seldon

Rejecting the constraints of formal biography, Anthony Seldon has produced a profile of the Prime Minister that rewrites the bibliography of Blair studies. Focusing on the interplay between the key episodes of his life and career and the key personalities with whom he has surrounded himself, it assesses the Blair psychology in all its forms and explains the motivation of the man destined to be the last British Prime Minister to command a world stage. It also draws on previously unpublished diaries and documents and is based on 600 original interviews with those who have known and worked with Blair, including many at the heart of government. Gripping and revelatory, it is a major book about the man who has shaped modern Britain.

Genres: Politics, Biography, History, Nonfiction, British Literature

718 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2004

About the author

Sir Anthony Francis Seldon, FRSA, FRHistS, FKC, is a British educator and contemporary historian. He was the 13th Master (headmaster) of Wellington College, one of Britain's co-educational independent boarding schools. In 2009, he set up The Wellington Academy, the first state school to carry the name of its founding independent school. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham from 2015 to 2020. Seldon was knighted in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to education and modern political history.

Reviews

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only a partial biography as it was published in 2004 in Blair’s second term. Interesting structure as Seldon alternates broadly chronological chapters with chapters highlighting key players who were important to Blair. Concludes that by 2004 Blair had not fulfilled his potential, partly because of character flaws and lack of forward planning and partly because of disruptive relationship with Brown.

[Antonia · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank heavens i finished it - i thought it would never end. this book is unnecessarily long. seldon wrote it using an interesting structure with the intermingled people and events chapters (20 each as he points out in the conclusion), which however makes no easy reading as events are not chronological any more and it thus is difficult to appraise how things actually take place at the same time (e.g. in home policy and foreign policy, and squabbles...).
i learned a few things i did not know before and a lot of fleshing out of facts i half knew or remembered. on the last page seldon states that "almost everything blair has done personally - in education, health, law and order and northern ireland - has also been an extension of conservative policy." which now still leaves the question i had at the beginning: why oh why labour then? was it just a project in shambles he felt he could mend not from believing in but just a project for his own success and well-feeling?
what the book did make me though was now wanting (at some indeterminate) point in the future to read john prescott's autobiography. (after i finished the campbell diaries i guess.)

well then: if you want to know more about the blair years, yes, this is a good (excrutiatingly detailed) book. but do yourself a favour and start with the conclusion. if your questions are answered then, great. if not, dip into the chapter your're interested in. otherwise, the structure (and somewhat weird language occasionally) makes it a difficult reading. occasionally i found the author self-adulatory and he justified writing this book / this way several times (too many), but overall it is no adulation of blair as it states quite clearly several times and to my utter horror that there was no clear idea of policies or knowledge / interest in how to manage large bodies.

*an updated edition now that blair's gone would be nice. or maybe just a downloadable new conclusion chapter. that would be entirely sufficient.

[Szplug]

This impish looking fella, who—like many modern governmental leaders—has gone on to become immensely wealthy, has always intrigued me—what made this boy wonder of New Labour tick? Marvelously deft with words, at least from the admittedly tiny sample I have been exposed to, and while outwardly possessed of an undeniable charm and likability, I always sensed something insincere, something rather itchy beneath the smiling veneer. I've heard both good and bad about this opening volume of Seldon's lengthy study of Tony Blair; here's hoping the titular figure proves a more compelling personality than the recent string of yawn-inducers—Chrétien, Martin, Harper—who have less-than-boldly strode the well-manicured lawn at 24 Sussex Drive.

[Pinko Palest · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about this Blair biography is that it shows how meagre Blair's achievements were. Apart from winning elections, he did nothing. Even all the hyped improvements in domestic policy were more down to Brown than Blair. And then there was Iraq, which is not as well covered here as in Blair's Wars, and, if anything, is here quite generous to Blair. The book also presents Blair as a quite shallow person, if a very charming one. Since it ends in 2004-2005, it omits any mention of the economic crisis. Intriguingly, there are no mentions whatseover of either Jeremy Corbyn or John McDonnell, and the Left is seen as a mere side show

[Laura Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was no mean feat finishing this (over 700 pages of very tiny font) but I’m very glad I did. Despite the length, the chapters were all very digestible and meticulously researched. Seldon gives a fair, impartial and persuasive assessment of Blair’s premiership. My only quibble is it was written in 2004/5 so doesn’t quite give the full historical overview and time to fully assess the impact of Blair’s decisions — but a very valuable piece of contemporary history nonetheless!

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really long, but full of detail and political insight.

[Stephen Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written insight in to Tony Blair.

[Hubert Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astonishingly accurate depictions of Blair which still resonate today, despite it having been written more than 3 years before Blair stepped down. Reinforces Blair's Shakespearean tragic hero status. Worth it for the glimpses and snapshots of Blair's life which together form a coherent - if at times contradictory - narrative, entirely reflective of the man himself.

[Barry McCulloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensively researched, succinct and highly informative. Literally can't wait to read 'unbound' now. When you finish reading it you will also be far from surprised that Gordon Brown is failing as PM.

[Tim Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incomplete due to the time it was published so I don't expect anything about the handover to Brown but a helpful guide to the most dominant political figure of our age. Pretty revealing on Blair's character at times.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but too adulatory. Blair walks on water.. he is almost faultless.. which he is, obviously.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb compelling account of the rise of Blair and Brown. A must read for anyone interested in British politics.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant comprehensive read that does not make easy reading. Read over a long period of time gives the reader a fantastic and relatively neutral account of Blair up until 2005.