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Alan Clark: The Biography
Although Alan Clark died in 1999 his reputation lives on - a TV series (John Hurt as Alan) gave BBC4 its first million+ audience. His diaries (3 vols) sold more than half a million copies. A noted historian, he was Tory MP for Plymouth Sutton and controversial minister under Mrs Thatcher; later MP for Kensington & Chelsea. His biographer has drawn on an Aladdin's cave of papers at the Clarks' Saltwood Castle home in Kent. He adored women - Trewin has tracked down his first great love, a ballet dancer, and his last infatuation - and courted a schoolgirl he first met when she was 16 and he 30. This was Jane, to whom he remained married - if not faithfully - until his death from a brain tumour in 1999. The extent of his extra-marital escapades is now revealed. Here for the first time the unknown Alan Clark stands revealed.
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 22, 2023
Alan Clark was a British MP and Tory minister, remembered mostly for his 'Diaries' that is, three volumes about the Thatcher government (that he served). Ion Trewin, the author, is a journalist and editor, who had then collaborated to these diaries and is here writing Clark's biography -fifteen years later.
The book has roughly three angles, exposing Clark as, first, a military historian; then, his political career; and, finally, his private life.
Chapters dedicated to his career as an historian, he who was a specialist of both WWI and WWII, are truly engrossing. Here we discover indeed an intellectual whose ideas, unconventional and challenging, at times, even, radical, are still discussed nowadays. It's fascinating, but let's be honest, it's not the main reason why one would want to read this! What about his political career?
Well, sadly, here might be the main topic of interest, yet here's also the weakest point of it all. Sure, Alan Clark wasn't that important in the political landscape. He was, merely, a key personality within the Conservative party; and, even giving him that, there is no doubt that he would have been completely forgotten by now were it not for his diaries! But... There's not much here about his campaigning for animals' rights. There's barely anything said, either, about the Monday Club, an ultra-conservative group of which he was a member and that I would have expected to take centre stage, given their views at times very close from fascism and racism (although, Ion Trewin doesn't shy away from delving into his friendship with David Irving...). In fact, when it comes down to it, only two key moments of his political career stand out: the episode when he gave a speech in the House while being drunk, and the Matrix-Churchill scandal, when, serving as Trade Minister, he was found guilty of having helped to sell weapons to Saddam Hussein, weapons that were later used to invade Kuwait. Needless to say: it's quite thin.
Now, what about his private life? Well, we surely learn a lot about his youth, finding out about someone who was, quite frankly, nothing but a brat, spoilt, rotten boy, born with a golden teaspoon in his mouth. I don't like to sound prejudiced when it comes to social class and backgrounds, but there goes: that doesn't make him likeable one bit. Growing up a man, his extra-marital affairs certainly don't help into rendering him agreeable either. Sadly, though, here's a part of Clark's personality that, under Trewin's pen, shines better than his neglected political career. In the end, then, it feels like reading a paparazzi having tried his hand at writing a political biography... That's not what I had expected.
Is it worth it?
Again, Alan Clark was merely a nobody in Thatcher's cabinet, and in regards to his views and private life he certainly wasn't someone I would have personally liked. Having said that, he was a political beast, and so I had looked forward to a great focus on his politics, no matter how unpleasant. It's a pity that it's precisely the aspect that the author decided to neglect... Was it the purpose (to focus on the private man instead of the public one)? If so, then I picked the wrong book.
The book has roughly three angles, exposing Clark as, first, a military historian; then, his political career; and, finally, his private life.
Chapters dedicated to his career as an historian, he who was a specialist of both WWI and WWII, are truly engrossing. Here we discover indeed an intellectual whose ideas, unconventional and challenging, at times, even, radical, are still discussed nowadays. It's fascinating, but let's be honest, it's not the main reason why one would want to read this! What about his political career?
Well, sadly, here might be the main topic of interest, yet here's also the weakest point of it all. Sure, Alan Clark wasn't that important in the political landscape. He was, merely, a key personality within the Conservative party; and, even giving him that, there is no doubt that he would have been completely forgotten by now were it not for his diaries! But... There's not much here about his campaigning for animals' rights. There's barely anything said, either, about the Monday Club, an ultra-conservative group of which he was a member and that I would have expected to take centre stage, given their views at times very close from fascism and racism (although, Ion Trewin doesn't shy away from delving into his friendship with David Irving...). In fact, when it comes down to it, only two key moments of his political career stand out: the episode when he gave a speech in the House while being drunk, and the Matrix-Churchill scandal, when, serving as Trade Minister, he was found guilty of having helped to sell weapons to Saddam Hussein, weapons that were later used to invade Kuwait. Needless to say: it's quite thin.
Now, what about his private life? Well, we surely learn a lot about his youth, finding out about someone who was, quite frankly, nothing but a brat, spoilt, rotten boy, born with a golden teaspoon in his mouth. I don't like to sound prejudiced when it comes to social class and backgrounds, but there goes: that doesn't make him likeable one bit. Growing up a man, his extra-marital affairs certainly don't help into rendering him agreeable either. Sadly, though, here's a part of Clark's personality that, under Trewin's pen, shines better than his neglected political career. In the end, then, it feels like reading a paparazzi having tried his hand at writing a political biography... That's not what I had expected.
Is it worth it?
Again, Alan Clark was merely a nobody in Thatcher's cabinet, and in regards to his views and private life he certainly wasn't someone I would have personally liked. Having said that, he was a political beast, and so I had looked forward to a great focus on his politics, no matter how unpleasant. It's a pity that it's precisely the aspect that the author decided to neglect... Was it the purpose (to focus on the private man instead of the public one)? If so, then I picked the wrong book.
January 8, 2020
I remember Alan Clark for his extra-marital affairs and his wife's willingness to stay the course, so I was interested to read about his publishing difficulties in getting his own books out there, and then his political career, both of which revealed his charisma and charm as well as his arrogance and cruelty. For me, his saving grace was his love of all animals and his attempts to stop the fur trade in the fashion industry twenty years before others latched on to this campaign. The book is very detailed so it's easy to skip through areas of lesser interest.
March 7, 2019
An excellent biography, and a good accompaniment to The Diaries.
Clark is hard to like, but a fascinating character nonetheless.
Ironically, despite his reputation, it is at heart a love story of he and his long suffering Jane.
Clark is hard to like, but a fascinating character nonetheless.
Ironically, despite his reputation, it is at heart a love story of he and his long suffering Jane.
February 15, 2021
The diaries, which Trewin edited, are excellent. I have them all and regularly dip into them on a random basis. Most of what is in this biography comes from the diaries and I found the book a little boring as a result.
December 20, 2017
Good biography of the Tory MP Alan Clark, a man of very different principles ranging from dabbling with the far right to being a supporter of animal rights
November 1, 2011
Part Two, covering everything from AC's turn to politics onward is much more interesting and readable than the earlier chapters, which can be a slog during the early "K begat A" type stuff. Clark was a fascinating and in some ways admirable man, yet a complete bastard with it. Trewin presents a balanced picture, and a warm-hearted one, doing Clark's memory a great service. Recommended, particularly if you enjoyed the Diaries.
April 2, 2013
This man deserves a prize for being one of the most outrageously politically incorrect politicians around. Author of some of the most outrageous and widely read diaries, Clark, who died in 1999, is here portrayed very effectively by Trewin.
April 27, 2017
A loving and thorough account of Alan's life and passions. Ion Trewin charts his steady rise and fall from cradle to grave -literally and as one might expect from a high quality bio. Politics aside, Alan was an old school aristocrat and a gifted writer. Arrogant. Humble. God fearing. Witty. Always self-deprecating. Charmingly contrarian. Anyone's index of a classic Englishman. Bravo!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews