How Not to Be a Politician

A Memoir

De: Rory Stewart

Narrado por: Rory Stewart

Named a Best Book of the Year by Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, and Kirkus Reviews

The #1 Sunday Times bestseller, published in the UK as Politics on the Edge.

“One of the best books on politics our era will see . . . A book of astonishing literary quality.” —Matthew Parris, The TLS

“[Rory Stewart] walked across Asia, served in British Parliament, and ran against Boris Johnson. Now he gives us his view of what’s wrong with politics, and how we can make it right.” —Adam Grant, “The 12 New Fall Books to Enrich Your Thinking”

From a great writer—legendary for his expeditions into some of the world’s most forbidding places—a wise, honest, and sometimes absurdist memoir of a most remarkable journey through British politics at the breaking point

Rory Stewart was an unlikely politician. He was best known for his two-year walk across Asia—in which he crossed Afghanistan, essentially solo, in the months after 9/11—and for his service, as a diplomat in Iraq, and Afghanistan. But in 2009, he abandoned his chair at Harvard University to stand for a seat in Parliament, representing the communities and farms of the Lake District and the Scottish border—one of the most isolated and beautiful districts in England. He ran as a Conservative, though he had no prior connection to the politics and there was much about the party that he disagreed with.

How Not to Be a Politician is a candid and penetrating examination of life on the ground as a politician in an age of shallow populism, when every hard problem has a solution that’s simple, appealing, and wrong. While undauntedly optimistic about what a public servant can accomplish in the lives of his constituents, the book is also a pitiless insider’s exposé of the game of politics at the highest level, often shocking in its displays of rampant cynicism, ignorance, glibness, and sheer incompetence. Stewart witnesses Britain’s vote to leave the European Union and its descent into political civil war, compounded by the bad faith of his party’s leaders—David Cameron, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss.

Finally, after nine years of service and six ministerial roles, and shocked by his party’s lurch to the populist right, Stewart ran for prime minister. Stewart’s campaign took him into the lead in the opinion polls, head-to-head against Boris Johnson. How Not to Be a Politician is his effort to make sense of it all, including what has happened to politics in Britain and the world and how we can fix it. The view into democracy’s dark heart is troubling, but at every turn Stewart also finds allies and ways to make a difference. A bracing, invigorating mix of irony and love infuses How Not to Be a Politician. This is one of the most revealing memoirs written by a politician in living memory.

©2023 Rory Stewart (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“One of the best books on politics our era will see . . . A book of astonishing literary quality.”—Matthew Parris, The TLS

“Stewart’s story of his nine years in Parliament is vastly superior to the standard windy self-justifications of many ex-politicians. For a start, he can write. How Not to Be a Politician is entertaining, fast-paced and easy to read without being patronizing.”—The Washington Post

“Stewart has written an unsparing and brilliant portrait of his decade as a lawmaker, culminating in his failed bid to become prime minister. The lying, incompetence, and treachery he depicts are all so blatant that the book should be assigned to bright young things to rid them of any remaining illusions before they put their name on a ballot.”—Michael Ignatieff, The Atlantic

A brilliant, must read work.

Brilliantly written and read, a deeply disturbing take down of the British political establishment.

Already looking forward to the next volume. 😉

Brilliant Memoir

Fantastically open and honest, this really is the gold standard for a political memoir. Will likely listen to it again.

An inside look

Great book, though brutally honest depiction of the sort comings of democracy. Funny and sad, heartfelt and empty, a walking contradiction.

Nothing flattering. But that’s what made it beautiful, believable, and brilliant.

A mind boggling detailed account of his experience that miraculously didn’t leave me lost. It made me feel as if I was sitting beside him in every situation from the start until the very end. I had a front row seat in every encounter, sometimes feeling as if I was part of the dialogue. It’s an ingenious way of hooking and holding onto the reader’s attention.

His storytelling style - changing his accent, tone, speed, etc., to embody each character, is highly entertaining, very engaging, as is his sense of humor. You are definitely on an emotional roller coaster ride with him.

Just as great is the microscopic transparency, brutal honesty, and raw account of what happens in politics. The fact that he spared no one, including himself is quite refreshing.

Everything about this book makes it a winner!

So Good

I've spent a lot of my adult life active in state and local politics and this has to be one of the best ground level political memoirs I've ever listened to. Rory Stewart catches the immortal themes of frustration and futility in politics and does it in a clever and engaging way. I'm familiar with UK politics, but you do not have to be to capture the wisdom in this book. Stewart reads the book himself which is an added bonus.

It is a fantastic account of how the British government actually works

It is a brilliant account of British politics in action. Every British citizen should read this to learn how the government actually operates.

How to increase and reinforce your cynicism about British politics

Good grief but this is depressing. That's not meant as a criticism of the author in any way, but his experience of a political system which is clearly broken and which is effective at resisting all attempts to repair it is not light-hearted or inspiring. However, I appreciate the honesty and candour and I am encouraged that Mr. Stewart seems to have maintained his sanity and good humour throughout. I will listen to this again, but not for a month or two!

Excellent

The story, the level of detail, and the language used are all excellent in this audiobook. I usually steer clear of political books - whether biographical or not - but this paints a very honest picture into the years, the decisions and British politics in general. Very eye opening. I’d definitely recommend this.

A must read book.

Rory Stewart’s memoir is imperative reading for anyone interested in understanding the British political scene. This book explains how a wrong turn by the Conservative party at the election of Boris Johnson led to its destruction and likely humiliation in the 2024 election.

Anyone interested in politics should read this one

It is a great insight into UK politics and a brilliant political autobiography, full of humour and self-awareness but also real anger at the total failure of the political system.