Margaret Thatcher: At Her Zenith

Starred review from December 1, 2015
British historian/writer Moore delivers the second volume in his authorized biography of the pioneering--and divisive--prime minister. As this volume opens, Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) is riding high on the British victory over Argentina in the Falklands and the consolidation of power that it enabled. Inclined ever to go it alone, Thatcher abolished the policy group surrounding her, one that labored ceaselessly to keep the Conservative message strong while avoiding any overt impression of ideological purity, "which, if leaked, could cause such mayhem." But leaked it was: whether dealing with Irish nationalists, striking coal miners, or a recalcitrant European Community, Thatcher was steely and bent on uncompromising success, evidenced by her "angry will" and unwillingness to make coalitions. The real world does not often work that way, of course, and in the few places where Moore's narrative bogs down, it is in the details of bureaucracy that so maddened Thatcher--e.g., the matter of getting a budget passed. The author is surprisingly evenhanded: as he notes, Thatcher, like Ronald Reagan, seemed thoroughly uninterested in self-reflection, and some of the best writing in the book concerns the solid wall of cultural resistance that built up in the U.K., fueled by punk rock and Red Wedge-ish theater and writing. Stephen Frears, for instance, noted that his 1987 film Sammy and Rosie Get Laid was intended "to bring the government down." Of course, if Thatcher was ever bothered by the negative depictions, she seldom let on. Moore closes by chronicling how she closed out 1987 with a stunningly comprehensive electoral victory. "No prime minister in the era of universal suffrage had ever won a third consecutive term before," he carefully writes, though no thanks were due to Thatcher's "extreme anxiety, ill tempers, and misjudgments in the campaign." Moore will probably not change minds about the Iron Lady, but readers inclined to be as fair-minded as he will find much of interest in his account of her years in power.

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January 1, 2016
Moore (Margaret Thatcher: From Grantham to the Falklands, 2013) continues his monumental, authorized biography (this is the second of three planned volumes) of the longest-serving, and first female, prime minister of Great Britain. In this comprehensive study, he focuses on the period between 1982 and 1987, during which Thatcher was reelected not just once but twice. Using the abundant and illuminating sources he had full access to, including government and personal papers, private diaries, personal notes, and so much more, Moore creates a carefully detailed portrait of a leader he characterizes as more famous on the world stage than any British prime minister except for Sir Winston Churchill. With admirers and detractors galore, Thatcher was a lightning rod in the realm of British and international politics, and both groups will find much to appreciate here. A chronology of world events, copious notes, and an extensive bibliography enhance an exhaustive narrative that will fascinate students of contemporary British history and politics.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

August 1, 2015

In 2013, Moore launched an authorized biography of Thatcher with Margaret Thatcher: From Grantham to the Falklands. This second volume zeroes in on 1982 to 1987, highlighting Thatcher's reelection, and again benefits from Moore's unrestricted access to Thatcher's papers and from unpublished interviews with her and with major colleagues. With a 30,000-copy first printing.

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