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There Is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters
Great Britain in the 1970s appeared to be in terminal decline—ungovernable, an economic train wreck, and rapidly headed for global irrelevance. Three decades later, it is the richest and most influential country in Europe, and Margaret Thatcher is the reason. The preternaturally determined Thatcher rose from nothing, seized control of Britain’s Conservative party, and took a sledgehammer to the nation’s postwar socialist consensus. She proved that socialism could be reversed, inspiring a global free-market revolution. Simultaneously exploiting every politically useful aspect of her femininity and defying every conventional expectation of women in power, Thatcher crushed her enemies with a calculated ruthlessness that stunned the British public and without doubt caused immense collateral damage.
Ultimately, however, Claire Berlinski agrees with Thatcher: There was no alternative. Berlinski explains what Thatcher did, why it matters, and how she got away with it in this vivid and immensely readable portrait of one of the towering figures of the twentieth century.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
35 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Claire Berlinski
16 books31 followersCLAIRE BERLINSKI WAS born in 1968 in California, and grew up in New York, Seattle and California. She received her undergraduate degree in Modern History and her doctorate in International Relations from Balliol College at Oxford University. She has since lived and worked in Britain, Thailand, Laos, France, and Turkey as a journalist, academic, consultant and freelance writer.
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February 8, 2012
Tender-hearted liberal that I am, it is only with great trepidation and a deep sense of irony that I picked up and perused a copy of Claire Berlinsky's book, 'There is No Alternative', one day at Barnes & Noble.
Most other readers who have spent any time in the 'Current Affairs' section of that store will appreciate that I had good reason to be hesitant: this is the place where those choleric diatribes from the Glen Becks and Ann Coulters of the world go to await purchase at the hands of their faithful legions. This is the place where you'll find the latest publication denouncing President Obama as a socialist agent from Kenya, denouncing the left for plotting the destruction of America from within, or the odd liberal publication, also denouncing Obama, this time for not circumventing the Republican majority in the House by pretending it doesn't exist. In other words, it is not a place frequented by the curious, or the sane.
And yet, there I was, my own curiosity about this most controversial of 20th century leaders piqued to the extent that I was resolved to brave at least a few pages of foaming-at-the-mouth propaganda and frenzied innuendo just to find out a bit about the "Iron Lady". Only I didn't get what I was expecting.
This is no typical conservative screed, with their bellicosity, distortion of facts, and obvious bias. Instead, it is an even-handed, semi-intellectual, calm, and eminently readable account of Margaret Thatcher's premiership, with a special focus on her moral crusade against socialism, and the question of her legacy.
On the book's front cover, the phrase "Illuminating" appears in almost bashfully small font, ascribed to the Financial times. Inside the front cover, suspiciously enough, the obligatory "praise for" page reveals the less exuberant full-quote: "...sometimes illuminating". That sleight-of-hand had me prepared for the worst right from the start, but as soon as I finished the preface, I had made up my mind to buy the book.
From the outset, Claire's writing style is engaging and refreshing, and it stays this way throughout. The author has a pair of novels to her account, and her flair for writing prose shows. She employs a breezy, fun, and often sarcastic/humorous way of writing that spares the reader from the boredom that can threaten to derail attempts to read thick books. And the book is thick, at over 300 pages, but this width is deceptive as it has fairly sizable print and laaarge margins that left me wondering if the publisher had some sort of vendetta against trees. I finished "No Alternative" in three days.
But I digress. Here is one of 'No Alternatives' many funny instances: the title of chapter 6, which deals which Thatcher's war in the Falklands, is cheekily titled "For Strategic Sheep Purposes" (if you don't get the joke, all the more reason to read the book!). The author's penmanship caught me off guard, and for the first couple of chapters, I wasn't sure whether this was going to be a serious book or not.
It is. But not *too* serious. Berlinski's insights are incisive, and she does some serious research in her quest for answers, but her writing is playful, frank, mordant, and occasionally irreverent. The book is peppered with revealing interviews, presented as transcripts, that she engaged in with those contemporary allies and enemies who had valuable perspectives on Thatcher or her policies. These interviews are frequently hilarious, and always amusing. One particular chapter has its text interspersed with lines from Shakespeare, to great effect. The author periodically addresses the reader directly, making sure they are still paying attention. What I'm saying is that this book is unconventionally written (esp. considering Berlinski holds a doctorate from Oxford), and divertingly so. No stuffy longeurs or boring patches here.
The early chapters of the book are sometimes discursive (although by no means in a bad way), but from chapter 4 onward, it settles into a more structured narrative, with each chapter corresponding to a different defining struggle in Thatcher's career at the helm of Great Britain. Naturally, many books have been written about the Baroness, and this one is by no means an exhaustive treatment of the subject: the truly studious might prefer one of the recommendations Berlinski herself makes in 'further reading'. However, 'No Alternative' is a great primer on Thatcher for the curious and un- or misinformed. While it doesn't break down and analyze her eristic economic policies in great detail, or delve in depth into the political machinations of the day, or linger overmuch on the war with Argentina, the book does give a comprehensive overview of each of these things. Beyond this, Berlinski's work makes a unique contribution to the massive amount of Thatcher scholarship already extant by providing insights into her character and her relationships with other figures that, I suspect, only a female scholar would be apt to make. The interviews alone constitute a welcome addition to the field.
Is "No Alternative" perfect? No. The author provides both sides of the account on most topics, but she can be tendentious: she does not feign objectivity when it comes to the miner's strike of 84, for instance, nor does she bother to shore up the facade of impartiality when it comes to her views on socialism--to her credit, she admits that she loathes it as much as Thatcher does. It's good that Berlinski is willing to be open about where she's coming from, but it can be regrettable at times, because it feels that, on some issues, she is in search of evidence to support conclusions that she arrived at ahead of time. The book is mostly tidy logically, but she does contradict herself once--in chapter 6, she states:
"Thatcher's government won a massive victory in the 1983 general election--a victory that was by no means certain beforehand and indeed unlikely."
A couple of chapters later, the author completely reverses this view.
Of course, with the bluntness with which Berlinski defends Thatcher's record, there will come the inevitable headaches for opponents of the PM's policies, and for liberals. They certainly came for me. In one case that perfectly delineates the dichotomy between liberal and conservative thinking, there is a chapter in which the author has spoken at some length in "sterile" economic parlance, where she attempts to humanize the people suffering during the economic malaise in pre-Thatcher Britain by way of an anecdote. Perhaps naively, I read on expecting some sorrowful story about impoverished workers, but instead found Berlinsky referencing the plight of a certain entrepreneur who was being taxed at 98%, as he earned his income solely from investments. 98% is doubtlessly a ludicrous rate, but this bourgeois burden is surely a mere inconvenience when taken alongside the much more severe suffering of the poor. That's what I thought, at any rate.
But I don't mean to disparage the book. When it comes down to it, "No Alternative" is a model of fairness in literary world where standards often appear to be lacking. It is the very antithesis of most of the work you will find emanating from the right in this country, where lunacy abounds.
I highly recommend this work to the casual Thatcher student in search of a balanced account of her leadership and her legacy. The newly prefaced version is ideally suited for Americans interested in the conservative policy approach towards economics in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, and the philosophical underpinnings of that approach.
Most other readers who have spent any time in the 'Current Affairs' section of that store will appreciate that I had good reason to be hesitant: this is the place where those choleric diatribes from the Glen Becks and Ann Coulters of the world go to await purchase at the hands of their faithful legions. This is the place where you'll find the latest publication denouncing President Obama as a socialist agent from Kenya, denouncing the left for plotting the destruction of America from within, or the odd liberal publication, also denouncing Obama, this time for not circumventing the Republican majority in the House by pretending it doesn't exist. In other words, it is not a place frequented by the curious, or the sane.
And yet, there I was, my own curiosity about this most controversial of 20th century leaders piqued to the extent that I was resolved to brave at least a few pages of foaming-at-the-mouth propaganda and frenzied innuendo just to find out a bit about the "Iron Lady". Only I didn't get what I was expecting.
This is no typical conservative screed, with their bellicosity, distortion of facts, and obvious bias. Instead, it is an even-handed, semi-intellectual, calm, and eminently readable account of Margaret Thatcher's premiership, with a special focus on her moral crusade against socialism, and the question of her legacy.
On the book's front cover, the phrase "Illuminating" appears in almost bashfully small font, ascribed to the Financial times. Inside the front cover, suspiciously enough, the obligatory "praise for" page reveals the less exuberant full-quote: "...sometimes illuminating". That sleight-of-hand had me prepared for the worst right from the start, but as soon as I finished the preface, I had made up my mind to buy the book.
From the outset, Claire's writing style is engaging and refreshing, and it stays this way throughout. The author has a pair of novels to her account, and her flair for writing prose shows. She employs a breezy, fun, and often sarcastic/humorous way of writing that spares the reader from the boredom that can threaten to derail attempts to read thick books. And the book is thick, at over 300 pages, but this width is deceptive as it has fairly sizable print and laaarge margins that left me wondering if the publisher had some sort of vendetta against trees. I finished "No Alternative" in three days.
But I digress. Here is one of 'No Alternatives' many funny instances: the title of chapter 6, which deals which Thatcher's war in the Falklands, is cheekily titled "For Strategic Sheep Purposes" (if you don't get the joke, all the more reason to read the book!). The author's penmanship caught me off guard, and for the first couple of chapters, I wasn't sure whether this was going to be a serious book or not.
It is. But not *too* serious. Berlinski's insights are incisive, and she does some serious research in her quest for answers, but her writing is playful, frank, mordant, and occasionally irreverent. The book is peppered with revealing interviews, presented as transcripts, that she engaged in with those contemporary allies and enemies who had valuable perspectives on Thatcher or her policies. These interviews are frequently hilarious, and always amusing. One particular chapter has its text interspersed with lines from Shakespeare, to great effect. The author periodically addresses the reader directly, making sure they are still paying attention. What I'm saying is that this book is unconventionally written (esp. considering Berlinski holds a doctorate from Oxford), and divertingly so. No stuffy longeurs or boring patches here.
The early chapters of the book are sometimes discursive (although by no means in a bad way), but from chapter 4 onward, it settles into a more structured narrative, with each chapter corresponding to a different defining struggle in Thatcher's career at the helm of Great Britain. Naturally, many books have been written about the Baroness, and this one is by no means an exhaustive treatment of the subject: the truly studious might prefer one of the recommendations Berlinski herself makes in 'further reading'. However, 'No Alternative' is a great primer on Thatcher for the curious and un- or misinformed. While it doesn't break down and analyze her eristic economic policies in great detail, or delve in depth into the political machinations of the day, or linger overmuch on the war with Argentina, the book does give a comprehensive overview of each of these things. Beyond this, Berlinski's work makes a unique contribution to the massive amount of Thatcher scholarship already extant by providing insights into her character and her relationships with other figures that, I suspect, only a female scholar would be apt to make. The interviews alone constitute a welcome addition to the field.
Is "No Alternative" perfect? No. The author provides both sides of the account on most topics, but she can be tendentious: she does not feign objectivity when it comes to the miner's strike of 84, for instance, nor does she bother to shore up the facade of impartiality when it comes to her views on socialism--to her credit, she admits that she loathes it as much as Thatcher does. It's good that Berlinski is willing to be open about where she's coming from, but it can be regrettable at times, because it feels that, on some issues, she is in search of evidence to support conclusions that she arrived at ahead of time. The book is mostly tidy logically, but she does contradict herself once--in chapter 6, she states:
"Thatcher's government won a massive victory in the 1983 general election--a victory that was by no means certain beforehand and indeed unlikely."
A couple of chapters later, the author completely reverses this view.
Of course, with the bluntness with which Berlinski defends Thatcher's record, there will come the inevitable headaches for opponents of the PM's policies, and for liberals. They certainly came for me. In one case that perfectly delineates the dichotomy between liberal and conservative thinking, there is a chapter in which the author has spoken at some length in "sterile" economic parlance, where she attempts to humanize the people suffering during the economic malaise in pre-Thatcher Britain by way of an anecdote. Perhaps naively, I read on expecting some sorrowful story about impoverished workers, but instead found Berlinsky referencing the plight of a certain entrepreneur who was being taxed at 98%, as he earned his income solely from investments. 98% is doubtlessly a ludicrous rate, but this bourgeois burden is surely a mere inconvenience when taken alongside the much more severe suffering of the poor. That's what I thought, at any rate.
But I don't mean to disparage the book. When it comes down to it, "No Alternative" is a model of fairness in literary world where standards often appear to be lacking. It is the very antithesis of most of the work you will find emanating from the right in this country, where lunacy abounds.
I highly recommend this work to the casual Thatcher student in search of a balanced account of her leadership and her legacy. The newly prefaced version is ideally suited for Americans interested in the conservative policy approach towards economics in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, and the philosophical underpinnings of that approach.
October 13, 2008
Claire Berlinski has written one of the finest biographies of 2008. There Is No Alternative is a wonderfully written account of Margaret Thatcher and her policies. The sub-title – Why Margaret Thatcher Matters, give the clue as to the tone. Ms. Berlinski covers not just the facts of history, but delves into the meaning and political outcomes to those policies.
First off, the book is superbly written. Berlinski manages to liven up economics and labor talk that most authors get lost in the minutiae. She manages to interweave interviews and opinion in a way that keeps you engaged. The interviews are of former cabinet members and opponents that give the hidden from view Thatcher, that many of us were unaware existed, serve to illustrate just how Thatcher governed.
This is not to say that the book is a hagiography, for it is nothing of the kind. Berlinski has written a very fair minded book, showing the good with the bad. For all of her loyalty and strong will, there is also a lot of haughtiness and an isolation that creates the atmosphere for the eventual treachery that befell the good lady. The interviews with Neal Kinnock are especially insightful, as he was one of her main Labor opponents.
Reading this account of Thatcher, one learns that she was every bit the ideologue as Reagan. Their shared values and distrust of Socialist enterprises added to their dynamic. Her complete hatred of communism served her well in fighting that trade unions and defeating Arthur Scargill, a resounding victory on the domestic front that equaled the victory for the Falklands. It was this labor defeat that helped usher in a long-term period of growth.
I have long wondered about the hatred towards Thatcher by her fellow country men. Any fair minded person can see that her policies helped to save the national character and morale of the English people. Before her election, the English were suffering from a worse malaise than even the Americans under the dismal Jimmy Carter. Thatcher’s keen economic sense and steadfastness transformed the country. Yet, the media types still paint her as a failure. Whether it be The Now Show or movies liked Brassed Off, Thatcher and her policies are always seen as anti-poor and destructive. There is little balance in the press and almost no sense of truth in the coverage of her leadership.
One can argue, and I believe Berlinski proves, that it was the economic principles of Milton Friedman as enacted by the Tories that really changed the future for a country that was fast collapsing. At the time, the UK was receiving loans from the IMF, just like some poor banana republic. The Thatcher roll-back of socialism changed the tide. It is disheartening to see that some of the reforms have been scrapped as late as the UK has started Re-Nationalizing so many industries that have been affected by the current financial downturn.
There Is No Alternative should be read by anyone wanting to understand geo-economics and party politics. Claire Berlinski has written a masterpiece.
First off, the book is superbly written. Berlinski manages to liven up economics and labor talk that most authors get lost in the minutiae. She manages to interweave interviews and opinion in a way that keeps you engaged. The interviews are of former cabinet members and opponents that give the hidden from view Thatcher, that many of us were unaware existed, serve to illustrate just how Thatcher governed.
This is not to say that the book is a hagiography, for it is nothing of the kind. Berlinski has written a very fair minded book, showing the good with the bad. For all of her loyalty and strong will, there is also a lot of haughtiness and an isolation that creates the atmosphere for the eventual treachery that befell the good lady. The interviews with Neal Kinnock are especially insightful, as he was one of her main Labor opponents.
Reading this account of Thatcher, one learns that she was every bit the ideologue as Reagan. Their shared values and distrust of Socialist enterprises added to their dynamic. Her complete hatred of communism served her well in fighting that trade unions and defeating Arthur Scargill, a resounding victory on the domestic front that equaled the victory for the Falklands. It was this labor defeat that helped usher in a long-term period of growth.
I have long wondered about the hatred towards Thatcher by her fellow country men. Any fair minded person can see that her policies helped to save the national character and morale of the English people. Before her election, the English were suffering from a worse malaise than even the Americans under the dismal Jimmy Carter. Thatcher’s keen economic sense and steadfastness transformed the country. Yet, the media types still paint her as a failure. Whether it be The Now Show or movies liked Brassed Off, Thatcher and her policies are always seen as anti-poor and destructive. There is little balance in the press and almost no sense of truth in the coverage of her leadership.
One can argue, and I believe Berlinski proves, that it was the economic principles of Milton Friedman as enacted by the Tories that really changed the future for a country that was fast collapsing. At the time, the UK was receiving loans from the IMF, just like some poor banana republic. The Thatcher roll-back of socialism changed the tide. It is disheartening to see that some of the reforms have been scrapped as late as the UK has started Re-Nationalizing so many industries that have been affected by the current financial downturn.
There Is No Alternative should be read by anyone wanting to understand geo-economics and party politics. Claire Berlinski has written a masterpiece.
August 15, 2016
Well-researched and thoughtful commentary on Margaret Thatcher's contributions and her importance in world history. Especially enjoyed reading about her and Reagan. Their relationship with Gorbachev (the triumvirate) was one of my favorite parts of the book.
September 14, 2019
Frustrating and difficult to read. The author is upfront about her biases but the arguments for her Eurosceptic positions seem lazy and incomplete. The writing style ranges from dull to cringe worthy. It's a shame because the rare moments where this book is impressive suggests that Thatcher deserves a better book to argue for her ideology than this.
June 9, 2011
Margaret Thatcher is one of the most iconic political figures of the 20th century. She was the first female head of government, and to this day all strong female politicians inevitably invoke the comparison with her. However, her fame and achievements go well beyond just being a symbolic first in women's ascension in public and professional life. The impact that she had on both the British domestic policy and the international relations at the end of Cold War are monumental and will be hard to eclipse any time soon by a politician of either gender. She continues to inspire all those who are opposed to tyranny in all of its forms and support free exercise of individual capabilities unconstrained by bloated governmental intrusions.
With this in mind, it is not surprising that there are plenty biographies of Madame Thatcher out there. There is enough information on her online to completely satisfy anyone's curiosity. And yet, Claire Berlinski manages to find a unique new angle and write a biography that is original and distinctive. She intersperses the narrative parts of the biography with numerous parts of interview with people who knew Margaret Thatcher well. She even quotes full dialogues from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" in the final chapter on Thatcher's downfall. This comes across a bit overly melodramatic, but nonetheless makes for an interesting read. Berlinski is also unashamed to use personal anecdotes and psychological evaluation of various protagonists of this biography, which can be viewed either as a bit self-indulgent or fresh and original. I tend to be more inclined towards the latter, but this may not sit too well with all readers.
The importance of Margaret Thatcher has only increased over the years. She was one of the main politicians that opposed and fought socialism in all of its forms. After the fall of Communism and more or less general adoption of the main aspects of her policy by most major European parties, it looked like the free-market ideas that she so passionately championed had become completely vindicated once and for all. Unfortunately, in the recent years we have been witnessing the resurgence of those ideas, and it is important now more than ever to be reminded of what sorry life Brittan had led under such policies. This book is a useful reminder of that and an inspiration for everyone for the way out of that predicament.
With this in mind, it is not surprising that there are plenty biographies of Madame Thatcher out there. There is enough information on her online to completely satisfy anyone's curiosity. And yet, Claire Berlinski manages to find a unique new angle and write a biography that is original and distinctive. She intersperses the narrative parts of the biography with numerous parts of interview with people who knew Margaret Thatcher well. She even quotes full dialogues from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" in the final chapter on Thatcher's downfall. This comes across a bit overly melodramatic, but nonetheless makes for an interesting read. Berlinski is also unashamed to use personal anecdotes and psychological evaluation of various protagonists of this biography, which can be viewed either as a bit self-indulgent or fresh and original. I tend to be more inclined towards the latter, but this may not sit too well with all readers.
The importance of Margaret Thatcher has only increased over the years. She was one of the main politicians that opposed and fought socialism in all of its forms. After the fall of Communism and more or less general adoption of the main aspects of her policy by most major European parties, it looked like the free-market ideas that she so passionately championed had become completely vindicated once and for all. Unfortunately, in the recent years we have been witnessing the resurgence of those ideas, and it is important now more than ever to be reminded of what sorry life Brittan had led under such policies. This book is a useful reminder of that and an inspiration for everyone for the way out of that predicament.
May 2, 2014
If you're somewhat knowledgeable on Thatcher and British politics in general, THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE might strike you as lightweight and rather unnecessary. But, for an American like me whose only real knowledge of Thatcher was that Meryl Streep played her in THE IRON LADY, this book serves as a wonderful, easy-to-understand introduction to one of the most pivotal women in history.
Reading this book gave me a good understanding as to why she is so adored by some and reviled by others. Berlinski herself doesn't pretend to be an impartial observer, and she wears her biases on her sleeve so that readers will know exactly where she is coming from. Still, I suspect THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE is as balanced a look at Thatcher as you're ever likely to get.
One reason for this balance is that Berlinski makes an effort to interview Thatcher's supporters and detractors in relatively equal measure. The amount of interviews in this book is both its biggest strength and greatest weakness. On the plus side, all the interviews make the book easy to read and conversational. You also get a wide variety of opinions from people who know what they are talking about firsthand. On the negative side, the interviews make the book feel less academic and, at times, a tad lazy. By the end, I also had a little trouble keeping track of who was who. But that's likely something that couldn't have been helped.
"Does Margaret Thatcher matter?"
SPOILER ALERT: The answer is yes.
Reading this book gave me a good understanding as to why she is so adored by some and reviled by others. Berlinski herself doesn't pretend to be an impartial observer, and she wears her biases on her sleeve so that readers will know exactly where she is coming from. Still, I suspect THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE is as balanced a look at Thatcher as you're ever likely to get.
One reason for this balance is that Berlinski makes an effort to interview Thatcher's supporters and detractors in relatively equal measure. The amount of interviews in this book is both its biggest strength and greatest weakness. On the plus side, all the interviews make the book easy to read and conversational. You also get a wide variety of opinions from people who know what they are talking about firsthand. On the negative side, the interviews make the book feel less academic and, at times, a tad lazy. By the end, I also had a little trouble keeping track of who was who. But that's likely something that couldn't have been helped.
"Does Margaret Thatcher matter?"
SPOILER ALERT: The answer is yes.
July 12, 2012
With such a title, I expected -- and didn't mind -- Berlinski's partisan approval of most things Thatcher. What was infinitely annoying, however, is how the title of the book could easily have been "Claire Berlinski gossips about Margaret Thatcher with people who knew Margaret Thatcher." It's possible "I" appears more often than "Thatcher," in fact.
The answer to why Thatcher matters is in here, but clearly that mattered less to Berlinski than the titillation of hobnobbing with the Conservative (and occasionally Labour) elite.
The answer to why Thatcher matters is in here, but clearly that mattered less to Berlinski than the titillation of hobnobbing with the Conservative (and occasionally Labour) elite.
November 26, 2014
A book about a woman I admire, written by another woman I admire.
I did not want this book to end (that rarely happens with biographies). I kept finding myself researching the references, and watching/listening to Thatcher, her companions and adversaries online.
I appreciate how candidly Claire Berlinski wrote her thoughts, and the facts. I learned a whole lot about Thatcher, her policies and world politics throughout her time.
I am convinced for all the observable harm, simply "there was no alternative."
Thank you Claire Berlinksi for this amazing work.
I did not want this book to end (that rarely happens with biographies). I kept finding myself researching the references, and watching/listening to Thatcher, her companions and adversaries online.
I appreciate how candidly Claire Berlinski wrote her thoughts, and the facts. I learned a whole lot about Thatcher, her policies and world politics throughout her time.
I am convinced for all the observable harm, simply "there was no alternative."
Thank you Claire Berlinksi for this amazing work.
January 29, 2011
An unconventional biography. If you want details about Margaret Thatcher's life, look elsewhere. If you want to understand how her political strategies influenced the world during her years as prime minister and how they continue to influence us today, read this book. If you don't want to understand that, read this anyway. Berlinski's writing is fresh and personal and often funny.
April 24, 2012
I'm not well informed enough to have strong opinions about Thatcher but I thoroughly enjoyed this unconventional book. The author definitely comes down on the positive side while still leveling a number of criticisms and pointing out some of Thatcher's weaknesses. But what won me over was her unconventional humor and style -- a must if I'm going to get through a book of history.
January 11, 2025
This is a biography of conservative British politician Margaret Thatcher by American writer Claire Berlinski. Not a conventional biographical account, it says very little about Thatcher’s childhood, upbringing and education, or her activities after leaving office, and focuses on just a few key aspects of her political career as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, and how they continue to affect British politics today. It covers her economic policy, the Falklands War, the miners’ strike, her relationships with American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and the party political machinations that led to her resignation in 1990.
I know very little about Margaret Thatcher except what filtered down to me in the news of the time, and the lingering aftertaste of her leadership in which the left wing still hates her with a passion and the right wing’s hindsight that sees her in a somewhat more positive light. So I was interested to read a proper biography. This one is a competent reading of her politics, examining both the pluses and the minuses, and utilises interviews with important people on both political sides, including her press secretary Bernard Ingham and former Labour leader Neil Kinnock. But unfortunately, it lacks the detail and nuance that a more in-depth text would offer and as a keen reader of biographies of important figures of the twentieth century, I was left unsatisfied.
I know very little about Margaret Thatcher except what filtered down to me in the news of the time, and the lingering aftertaste of her leadership in which the left wing still hates her with a passion and the right wing’s hindsight that sees her in a somewhat more positive light. So I was interested to read a proper biography. This one is a competent reading of her politics, examining both the pluses and the minuses, and utilises interviews with important people on both political sides, including her press secretary Bernard Ingham and former Labour leader Neil Kinnock. But unfortunately, it lacks the detail and nuance that a more in-depth text would offer and as a keen reader of biographies of important figures of the twentieth century, I was left unsatisfied.
August 15, 2021
Having seen the diametrically opposed reactions to Thatcher’s death in 2013, I was curious to read as objective an account of her time as Prime Minister as I could find. This book’s title seemed to offer that, as it implies that her decisions were not made in a vacuum but in the context of the alternatives available to her. I was not wrong; the book is simply marvelous. Berlinski is able to give the reader the context of the political environment in which she first rose to power, that kept her in power and that ultimately brought her down. She also benefits greatly from the two decades that have elapsed since Margaret Thatcher stepped down as Prime Minister and the consensus, as much as one can be achieved, as to the impact of her decisions. I particularly admired the detailed way Berlinski examined her economic policies, her standoff with the miners’ union and her role in the ending of the Cold War. In the book in general, but in these points in particular, Berlinski pulls in both her colleagues and opponents to understand both how her decisions were perceived at the time, as well as examining the truth in the claims of her detractors. Finally, she manages to be honest with the reader as to her own biases while also allowing room both for an honest criticism of her tenure as well as recognition of the crucial historical role she played.
February 24, 2025
This author and I have the same initials, and even the same given name. Although I am unconvinced of her thesis, that particularly meant something to me. Therefore seeing the initials so regularly throughout this book reminded me of myself, so I liked it, even though it was actually the author investigating various parts of Thatcher's life you don't hear in lecture. (Or if they were mentioned I was asleep, curled up at the front-left of the room where very few people would notice since that was where my surname usually landed me.)
I liked carrying this book about all week and mentioning it here and there, if nothing else.
I personally am not the biggest fan of history but I see how it undergirds so many of our actions as human beings trying to interact with one another. It was my mother's preferred course of study, supported by teaching/performing piano, so I am trying to persist however I may, in her stead. Today is actually twenty days after her birthday, so I am just reading some history books since I remember how often she had told me she loved that study...
Thatcherism is important for an American to understand who is interested in further interaction with the British and it sounded like maybe a few others.
Maybe I'll have to look at this book again later with a fresh eye to pick out specific details, but I liked it well enough for now.
I liked carrying this book about all week and mentioning it here and there, if nothing else.
I personally am not the biggest fan of history but I see how it undergirds so many of our actions as human beings trying to interact with one another. It was my mother's preferred course of study, supported by teaching/performing piano, so I am trying to persist however I may, in her stead. Today is actually twenty days after her birthday, so I am just reading some history books since I remember how often she had told me she loved that study...
Thatcherism is important for an American to understand who is interested in further interaction with the British and it sounded like maybe a few others.
Maybe I'll have to look at this book again later with a fresh eye to pick out specific details, but I liked it well enough for now.
September 26, 2021
Excellent start, slow finish. She has a wonderful writing style, compelling and easy to read.
The interviews with other key players were very good, and the coverage of the UK politics quite informative. Non-UK: I suppose a lot happened in her time in No 10. Gorbachev and Reagan were covered, and the war in Iraq, but not the unification of Germany, which seems so important now. The ''euro scepticism'' trend in the Tory party, and Thatcher's own movement on this issue, was fascinating (also p 332-3 for Howe on this topic in his resignation speech).
Nice to read a book that doesn't pretend to know all the anwers. Why did a gentle medium paced politician suddenly develop the conviction and skills that made her the PM she became? Nobody has any idea.
Another thought on whether she matters. In 2021, it is easy to see Thatcher's rule as the start of a blip of feel good that ended after Blair, before the decline of the UK continued with Brown, Cameron, May and of course Johnson. Was it all just a period of unjustified optimism until the oil ran out and the small island parochialism re-established itself?
The interviews with other key players were very good, and the coverage of the UK politics quite informative. Non-UK: I suppose a lot happened in her time in No 10. Gorbachev and Reagan were covered, and the war in Iraq, but not the unification of Germany, which seems so important now. The ''euro scepticism'' trend in the Tory party, and Thatcher's own movement on this issue, was fascinating (also p 332-3 for Howe on this topic in his resignation speech).
Nice to read a book that doesn't pretend to know all the anwers. Why did a gentle medium paced politician suddenly develop the conviction and skills that made her the PM she became? Nobody has any idea.
Another thought on whether she matters. In 2021, it is easy to see Thatcher's rule as the start of a blip of feel good that ended after Blair, before the decline of the UK continued with Brown, Cameron, May and of course Johnson. Was it all just a period of unjustified optimism until the oil ran out and the small island parochialism re-established itself?
April 30, 2020
Claire Berlinski's study of Margaret Thatcher shows why she was so great, so successful, and such a change in world politics. She possessed immense self-confidence and was fearless in the face of horrible criticism at the time. Her place in history is more than assured.
Berlinski brings out some surprising and hidden qualities she had, such as her vanity about her hair and perfecting it at all times, and her "coquettishness" in private. Despite her Iron Lady public persona, she is described as being charming one-on-one by even her most bitter opponents, such as the feckless Neil Kinnock, whose career she crumpled. She would, we learn, curl her bare feet up underneath her while sitting in an armchair, relax her voice into an alto purr, and cajole the men she negotiated with at all times. Nothing too flirtatious, mind you, but several male adversaries interviewed for the book commented on her, well, sexiness.
It's that kind of detail that raises this book above a simple political biography. But those details also show she was a woman in full.
Berlinski brings out some surprising and hidden qualities she had, such as her vanity about her hair and perfecting it at all times, and her "coquettishness" in private. Despite her Iron Lady public persona, she is described as being charming one-on-one by even her most bitter opponents, such as the feckless Neil Kinnock, whose career she crumpled. She would, we learn, curl her bare feet up underneath her while sitting in an armchair, relax her voice into an alto purr, and cajole the men she negotiated with at all times. Nothing too flirtatious, mind you, but several male adversaries interviewed for the book commented on her, well, sexiness.
It's that kind of detail that raises this book above a simple political biography. But those details also show she was a woman in full.
April 17, 2021
I started this book during Women's History Month. Berlinski makes a very clever move in one of the last chapters in which she traces the betrayal of Thatcher's own party against her for her opposition to involvement in the E.U. Berlinski entertains the reader with parallels of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar by interspersing lines from the tragedy. One of her contemporaries speaks of her tragic flaw. "In the end, one of Thatcher's greatest strengths - her ability to stand remote from the men around her- became her great liability... It was a strength because it disconcerted the men. The didn't quite know how to deal with a leader was unclubbable. And this therefore made it easier for her to exert the power she wished to exert and she wished to exert. It was a disadvantage because it did rather and increasingly separate her form the rest of her cabinet, all of whom were men."
She would have steamrolled 43, 44, 45 and 46.
She would have steamrolled 43, 44, 45 and 46.
December 5, 2020
While I picked this book to understand Thatcher’s policies, I was disappointed to see the huge majority of it being transcripts from Berlinski’s conversations.
Some of it was enlightening and funny, but her style becomes as frustrating as her pro-Americanism becomes apparent. The last chapter where she obviously revels in the Euroskepticism she shared with Thatcher is a prime example.
As a French national, I can only point to the mysterious missing quote of Chirac (p. 320) that she obviously didn’t spend much time locating as it is incredibly well-known: « Mais qu'est-ce qu'elle me veut de plus cette mégère ? Mes couilles sur un plateau ? » (or « ménagère » depending on sources). Arguably not as rude as the author’s invented quote.
If you want to learn about Thatcher not Ms Berlinksi, I suggest another book.
Some of it was enlightening and funny, but her style becomes as frustrating as her pro-Americanism becomes apparent. The last chapter where she obviously revels in the Euroskepticism she shared with Thatcher is a prime example.
As a French national, I can only point to the mysterious missing quote of Chirac (p. 320) that she obviously didn’t spend much time locating as it is incredibly well-known: « Mais qu'est-ce qu'elle me veut de plus cette mégère ? Mes couilles sur un plateau ? » (or « ménagère » depending on sources). Arguably not as rude as the author’s invented quote.
If you want to learn about Thatcher not Ms Berlinksi, I suggest another book.
January 29, 2017
Great book! The author is clearly in the Thatcher camp and demonstrates what Thatcher's objectives and methods were. It changes the way you think about life and economics and politics.
September 17, 2017
Nice book, you can get many info how Ms Maggie was thinking, her life and her political actions. Recommended
February 1, 2022
Decent book that provided unbiased insight into reported interactions with people who knew M.T. during her reign. I learned things about her that are not common knowledge.
December 26, 2023
Interesting book on a conservative leader and her thinking behind her positions.
March 21, 2017
Claire Berlinski does an excellent job framing Thatcher's character from a conservative viewpoint without failing to address her weaknesses. The overarching theme of the book is, as the title says, why Thatcher matters and how she will live on in history.
January 31, 2015
I am so glad I read this book! I tend to avoid biographies, thinking they will be long and dry. This was very readable and, in parts, even funny. The author interviewed both friend and foe, so we see Thatcher warts and all.
A tidbit of information that I learned: She received the nickname "The Iron Lady" -- which is now of course seen as a compliment -- from the state-controlled Soviet press, who wanted to damage her, to paint her as cold and heartless. Also, a British journalist once described her as "a tigress surrounded by hamsters." I love it!
Ms. Berlinski briefly talks about Thatcher's upbringing and how it impacted her worldview. For example, Thatcher grew up middle-class, a shopkeeper's daughter. In her teens during the Second World War her family hid a Jewish girl from Austria. She never understood or had any sympathy for the anti-semitism that was and is all too common in Europe. I learned about her rise to power, her hatred of Communism (and her insistence that it not only did not work economically, but that it was wicked and morally corrupting), the Falklands War, her no-holds-barred fight against Socialism in Britain, the Miners Strike, her work with Reagan and Gorbachev, her refusal to allow Britain to join the European Union, as well as her fall from power in 1990. Just fascinating. Thatcher, while an imperfect and sometimes arrogant (which led directly to her fall) leader, was just what her country and the world needed at that time.
There is profanity, including about a half dozen f-bombs.
Berlinski includes footnotes on how to find clips of Thatcher's speeches, interviews, etc., online, which makes for some interesting viewing as you read the book.
In the epilogue, we learn the identity of one of her old friends who still visits her in her illness. It is quite surprising and heartwarming, how this person has "treated her most kindly" and visits and sits and talks with her. Wonderful. Beautiful.
Besides telling her story, the purpose of this book is to explore why Margaret Thatcher matters. Why she matters today. Berlinski argues that she was "one of the most vigorous, determined, and successful enemies of socialism the world has known" and that she was more effective than even Reagan in this respect. Also, she argues that she matters because she reversed the decline of Britain -- an amazing feat that I appreciate much more after having read this book.
Thatcher's former advisor Charles Powell said, she matters because "she shows that it CAN be done." As Berlinski says in the conclusion: "Recognizing what she achieved in Britain--and coolly appraising the cost of these victories, which was considerable--is as essential for our generation as for hers. Every society confronting these historical forces will inevitably arrive at a place much like the one Margaret Thatcher found herself upon her ascent to 10 Downing Street. She perceived these forces, and for a time she mastered them. This is why she matters to history. These forces are still at work; they must again be mastered. This is why she matters to you."
A tidbit of information that I learned: She received the nickname "The Iron Lady" -- which is now of course seen as a compliment -- from the state-controlled Soviet press, who wanted to damage her, to paint her as cold and heartless. Also, a British journalist once described her as "a tigress surrounded by hamsters." I love it!
Ms. Berlinski briefly talks about Thatcher's upbringing and how it impacted her worldview. For example, Thatcher grew up middle-class, a shopkeeper's daughter. In her teens during the Second World War her family hid a Jewish girl from Austria. She never understood or had any sympathy for the anti-semitism that was and is all too common in Europe. I learned about her rise to power, her hatred of Communism (and her insistence that it not only did not work economically, but that it was wicked and morally corrupting), the Falklands War, her no-holds-barred fight against Socialism in Britain, the Miners Strike, her work with Reagan and Gorbachev, her refusal to allow Britain to join the European Union, as well as her fall from power in 1990. Just fascinating. Thatcher, while an imperfect and sometimes arrogant (which led directly to her fall) leader, was just what her country and the world needed at that time.
There is profanity, including about a half dozen f-bombs.
Berlinski includes footnotes on how to find clips of Thatcher's speeches, interviews, etc., online, which makes for some interesting viewing as you read the book.
In the epilogue, we learn the identity of one of her old friends who still visits her in her illness. It is quite surprising and heartwarming, how this person has "treated her most kindly" and visits and sits and talks with her. Wonderful. Beautiful.
Besides telling her story, the purpose of this book is to explore why Margaret Thatcher matters. Why she matters today. Berlinski argues that she was "one of the most vigorous, determined, and successful enemies of socialism the world has known" and that she was more effective than even Reagan in this respect. Also, she argues that she matters because she reversed the decline of Britain -- an amazing feat that I appreciate much more after having read this book.
Thatcher's former advisor Charles Powell said, she matters because "she shows that it CAN be done." As Berlinski says in the conclusion: "Recognizing what she achieved in Britain--and coolly appraising the cost of these victories, which was considerable--is as essential for our generation as for hers. Every society confronting these historical forces will inevitably arrive at a place much like the one Margaret Thatcher found herself upon her ascent to 10 Downing Street. She perceived these forces, and for a time she mastered them. This is why she matters to history. These forces are still at work; they must again be mastered. This is why she matters to you."
December 29, 2010
One of the best books about Thatcherism and Thatcher that I've read. Even though Berlinski is supportive of the revolutionary changes she instituted throughout the British economy and culture-and doesn't hesitate to critique the failings of her opponents, e.g. Arthur Scargill, the rigidly Communist, Moscow apparatchik in charge of the British mineworkers, Neil Kinnock, the ineffectual leader of the Labor Party-she still recognizes the flaws of Thatcher/Tory rule. For example, the blind spot Thatcher had when it came to confronting the new challenge of a resurgent, militant political Islam that had found a new base on the shores of England, or the seeming inability to integrate the former working class into a new, free market-oriented economy divorced from state control of industry. In fact, she takes pains to interview the former bulwark of the Labor Party, in the Welsh, Scottish and Northern English coal mines, which was driven into redundancy by the obstinacy of their own leadership and which now flocks to reactionary, similarly statist parties on the "right." Berlinski's interviews of former Thatcher cabinet ministers and advisors, and her access to archives that tell the true story of Margaret Thatcher's remarkable biography, make for an amazing book. One that should be read by any fan of history, or of capitalism in general.
July 4, 2016
Probably the most well-written political biography for casual readers I have ever read. Kudos to Claire Berlinski for writing a "glasnost" narrative with many transcripts of the interviews she conducted, and with copies of original state documents that is both visually and aurally informative AND deeply analytical. This book was well planned to answer questions from people who grew up in post-cold war west. I would have ignored the question of how Thatcher used her femininity had I written this book, but Berlinski does not, which as it turns out is perfect to attract younger readers. However, for those of us more interested in how the Iron Lady came by her policies and how she prepared the country to receive them, this also is an excellent book. I would have preferred larger pictures, but they are used in black and white to make a point, as are her diagrams which map out and spell out the problems of a more socialized post-war Britain. I am astounded to read Thatcher and company describing economic problems in moral terms and it makes me think that it was she and not the Americans who were the true leaders in the cold-war. Though there are some lewd comments from her detractors, I highly recommend for mature youths.
November 13, 2014
Informative and amusing. I particularly enjoyed the footnotes and whatnot which explained Britishisms. And the overall sense of humor with which Berlinski wrote this. Her bias as a narrator was made very obvious, as part of the whole format of the book (interspersed with transcripts of the interviews used to gather the information for the book's main narrative). Mixing up the narrative with quotations and excerpts of interviews and other such documents kept it interesting, as did Berlinski's sense of humor (I wish I had a copy of the book on hand so I could give an example of it. But trust me, it was the main thing that kept me reading. I don't like history OR politics. And I don't think I share Berlinski's awe over Thatcher. But I appreciated the way Berlinski presented these things.). Some of the block-quotes and interviews (and particularly the Shakespeare interspersed in the last chapter) became annoying. But I appreciated what Berlinski was doing.
Also:
http://www.berlinski.com/thatcher
Also:
http://www.berlinski.com/thatcher
January 29, 2012
Went to see the Mel Streep movie The Iron Lady the other day and thought it was awful...she was good, mind, but the story was a jumble of dotty old lady flashbacks with no discernable narrative. It didnt even hint at WHY it was called the Iron lady. It might as well have been the Ironing lady for all the housework she was doing.
Remedy this with a couple of books on the subject 1, The President, the Pope and the Prime Minister by J O'Sullivan (to be fair this one take a broader look at the face off with the USSR), and this one.
This one is much the better. Lots of good, telling interviews with people who were around at the time Ingram, Lawson, Kinnock etc Lots of colour and opinion from the author. Critical, fair and lots of good questions answered.
Remedy this with a couple of books on the subject 1, The President, the Pope and the Prime Minister by J O'Sullivan (to be fair this one take a broader look at the face off with the USSR), and this one.
This one is much the better. Lots of good, telling interviews with people who were around at the time Ingram, Lawson, Kinnock etc Lots of colour and opinion from the author. Critical, fair and lots of good questions answered.
January 24, 2016
A great description of the ills of Socialism broadly defined as "social justice or equity"as the goal, forced redistribution of wealth as method, and the State as the agent. This is especially relevant in today's climate of militant public unions and the current influence of the far left on the Democratic Party. When Margaret Thatcher came to power the British were further down the road to Socialism than the USA is today and this book describes how Thatcher reversed that direction with a strong will based on her values and an appeal to the voters of the moral superiority of Capitalism over Socialism.
April 4, 2016
Very enjoyable read. I loved how Ms. Berlinski provided multiple views to events and issues addressed in the book; you almost feel as though you are being given a tour guide of important as they happen.
Another feature I must praise is the author's honesty. It is rare to find an author who is honest with their readers as to when they are presenting their own opinion and does not atempt to mask a subjective opinion as fact or insert it as the opinion of the time, whether as dissenting or not.
Ms. Berlinski portrayed a very dynamic political personality honestly and thoughtfully with an incredible amount of objectivity.
Another feature I must praise is the author's honesty. It is rare to find an author who is honest with their readers as to when they are presenting their own opinion and does not atempt to mask a subjective opinion as fact or insert it as the opinion of the time, whether as dissenting or not.
Ms. Berlinski portrayed a very dynamic political personality honestly and thoughtfully with an incredible amount of objectivity.
July 24, 2009
I always got a kick out of Maggie Thatcher and had read Berlinski's previous book - Menace in Europe - so I knew she's a good author. This is an unconventional biography (more of a profile, actually), put together without regard for chronology, mostly from interviews with those who knew and worked with her, and with more than a few of the author's well-argued opinions. It also contains a readable refresher in Economics 101. I realize that doesn't sound exciting but the book actually improves as it goes along.
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