Yes Prime Minister: The Diaries of the Right Hon. James Hacker: Volume II

by Jonathan Lynn (Editor), Antony Jay (Editor)

This second volume, which as always includes material not in the TV programmes, takes us even deeper into the labyrinth, with behind-the-scenes looks at city scandals, ministerial resignations, arts funding and 'working funerals'. Many literary classics become television classics, Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister are television classics which have the rare distinction of becoming classic English comic literature.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Politics, Comedy

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Jonathan Lynn has directed 10 feature films including the cult classic Clue (he also wrote the screenplay), Nuns on the Run (also written by Mr Lynn), My Cousin Vinny, The Distinguished Gentleman, Sgt. Bilko, Greedy, Trial And Error, The Whole Nine Yards, The Fighting Temptations and most recently, Wild Target. His first produced screenplay was The Internecine Project (1974).

For television, Jonathan’s writing credits include dozens of episodes of various comedy series but he is best known for the phenomenally successful, multi-award-winning BBC series Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, co-written and created with Antony Jay.

Jonathan authored the bestselling books The Complete Yes, Minister and The Complete Yes, Prime Minister, which cumulatively sold more than a million copies in hardback and have been translated into numerous languages and are still in print nearly 30 years later; Mayday (1993, revised 2001) and his latest book Comedy Rules (Faber and Faber), which also received rave reviews.

Jonathan made his first professional appearance on Broadway in the revue Cambridge Circus, and his television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, live with 70 million viewers, both at the age of 21. Jonathan’s West End theater debut, aged 23, was as an actor in the role of Motel the Tailor in the original London cast of Fiddler on the Roof. His subsequent London directing credits include: The Glass Menagerie; Songbook (Best Musical, Olivier Award and Evening Standard Award); Anna Christie (RSC, Stratford and the Donmar); Joe Orton's Loot; Pass The Butler by Eric Idle, Shaw’s Arms And The Man and The Gingerbread Man (Old Vic). At the National Theatre, he directed A Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau and Three Men on A Horse (Olivier Award, Best Comedy). As Artistic Director of the Cambridge Theatre Company, he directed 20 productions, producing 20 others, 9 of which transferred to the West End.

His numerous awards include the BAFTA Writers Award, Writers Guild (twice), Broadcasting Press Guild (twice), NAACP Image Award, Environmental Media Award, Ace Award –Best Comedy Series on US cable, and a Special award from the Campaign For Freedom of Information.

Lynn received an MA in Law from Cambridge University and now lives in New York, describing himself as a recovering lawyer.

Reviews

[Dan Prisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just very soothing.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the third of the trilogy, the second with Jim Hacker as Prime Minister. We have finally reached a format that is recognisable. Jim Hacker wants to do something, Sir Humphrey wants to amend or frustrate it, and the two duke it out, with the one getting the upper hand at one point an the other at another. Whilst the format is familiar, the writing doesn't appear as tired.

I rather felt that Jim Hacker had become more familiar with being PM at this point. He obviously can't control Sir Humphrey, but he can thwart him. The TV show made more of Dorothy Wainwright - the PM's political adviser - and I can see why she was included. She provides the foil for Sir Humphrey and that creates a nice balance to the tussles. The book could have made more of her and it suffers a bit from her absence.

I think that we could have also seen a bit more from other key players. If the premise that Hacker has found his feet is correct, then a larger cast is called for. Europe and France are obvious candidates for inclusion and the one story - A Diplomatic Incident - where they are present serves to set the book alight. Equally, there is the relationship between Number 10 and the Palace. The book doesn't contain much on that, which is a bit of a shame. We have to assume that QE2 is still on the throne and the relationship between the Queen and her PMs is something the book could have explored.

Despite this, I rather enjoyed the book. There were the familiar favourites and one or two novel situations. My personal favourite is the piece about minuting meetings. That is one which has stayed with me, and one to which I still refer today. The moral of the story is not to agree minutes without reading them first! There's a lesson.

The book continued to provide lessons in administration and statecraft. It is written in a humorous style and it shows a keen wit. However, I did think that the storyline lacked a good ending, and I did wonder how things would end for Hacker. There is obviously a story after the period in which these recollections are set, but we aren't quite privy to that story. The work ended at this point. I am challenged about that. A fourth volume could have run out of steam, whilst there is a story left untold. That's a mystery for the reader to puzzle out.

[Derrick Grose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This satirical, second volume of fictional diary of a British Prime Minister, published in 1987, documents the struggle between an ineffectual politician to boost his popularity (with little regard to the effectiveness of his policies) and the civil servants who were there before he was elected and who expect to be there after he goes. They protect the status quo with their insights into how things really work. In the process, the real motivations behind defense policy, foreign policy, educational policy and elaborate state funerals are revealed. The political cynicism is discouraging but rings true.

[russell barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flat out great, and interestingly the least-annotated of the 3 Hacker volumes suggesting either Jim had finally got to grips with the wiles of the Civil Service (unlikely) or we the reader have.

The gift of a dog to the Queen and it's political fall-out in terms of the opening of the Channel Tunnel is a particular gem, as is the banking crisis. As ever, the genius of Lynn is this 80s satire is as relevant today as 40 years ago. What's that saying about learning from history... Sad face.

[Derek Nudd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was published in 1987. Much of it is terrifyingly apposite today.

[Joseph · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read a few pages; just not the same as the show. Didn't find it funny.

[José Roquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ótimo livro dentro do género. Tem graça e o leitor tem uma pequena amostra de como é a "stressante" vida de um primeiro ministro.

[Rupert Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. These are the tv scripts adapted to book form, and very well adapted too. Hilarious.