Cherie Booth

Ze was First Lady van Engeland. Dit is haar eigen verhaal. Cherie Blair was de eerste vrouw van een Britse premier met een eigen carrière. Als advocaat bereikte ze al op jonge leeftijd de top van haar vakgebied, en vond toen als vrouw van Tony Blair een nieuwe, uitdagende rol in de schijnwerpers. In haar memoires vertelt zij voor het eerst hoe het was om deze rol te combineren met een leven als hardwerkende moeder en carrièrevrouw. In haar autobiografie vertelt Cherie Blair over haar eenvoudige, onconventionele jeugd in Liverpool, haar carrière als jurist, haar leven als moeder van vier kinderen en over haar jaren op Downing Street 10 als vrouw van de Britse premier.… (més)

The first pleasing thing about this book is that it is a biography of Cherie Blair, NOT of Mrs Tony Blair. The Blairs are a loving couple and Cherie supports Tony, as one would expect but, there is more.

We learn the fascinating story of her father, Tony Booth, known to many (myself included) as Alf Garnett's lippy son-in-law. Booth seems to have been an extension of his on screen character and does not sound to have been an easy man with whom to live.

We also hear of Cherie's career at the bar (law, not public house!) and the difficulties facing a woman in a male dominated environment. The most interesting sections, however, concern her relationship with the press: she admits to shooting from the hip - a family trait (see above re: her father) - but it is amazing just how much the British press can get away with printing that is simply not true. Politicians, actors and indeed most people in the public do not want to exacerbate any opprobrium in the press so, it is better to ignore the odd lie. Should one decide to fight, then one should forget career and have plenty of money - being innocent is most certainly not enough.

Cherie got herself into many scrapes with the press and she reports that sometimes Tony was cross when her antics took the spotlight away from political actions and onto soap opera. They always made up and it is surely a sign of their well rounded characters that they could be two people rather than Cherie being subsumed into a bit of Tony.

Tony Blair was the best Prime Minister that this country has had since... well, certainly in living memory and Cherie was the perfect foil: heaven knows, I would give a lot to see the pair of them entering number ten, again.… (més)

I was always a little intrigued and bemused by the negative press that Cherie Blair received during her husband's Prime Ministership, and picked this biography up with mixed feelings. However what I find was a very human woman, bright, intellegent, occasionally quirky and sometimes prone to faux pas. But certainly not someone who deserved the kind of vitriolic attention one particular national paper spent 12 years subjecting her to.

As a barrister and silk she was totally professional, respected and in control. As a wife and mother she was hands-on and committed. As an appendage to her husband, and subjected to the unpredictable and strange traditions of a Priministerial wife she was on occasions less polished, less respected and often wrong footed.

A woman of such intellect and independence is not going to settle comfortably into such a situation. However, in most instances she comported herself honorably and, often unreportedly was a valuable consort to a husband in power, and in her own right a vigourous supporter of those less fortunate in society, both on a national and global scale.

Not surprisingly perhaps, she was not going to criticise her husband on any of his decisions in regard to his job. 'Knowing Tony' as long as she had, and often not being privy to the information he had she is happy to say she trusted his judgement to make the right decisions. As a husband, he is clearly flawed, but at the end of the book she 'understands' his occasional angry outbursts taken out on her and the family, and is clearly still a woman in love with her husband and prepared to 'stand by her man' even if, on occasions she involves herself in things he has asked her not to, with mixed outcomes.

A great supporter of womens causes on a global level, striving to focus attention on inequalities and predjudice. Loyal to friends she is told are abusing her trust and rarely judgemental even of those who respect her least (one might put Alistair Campbell in this category, and his partner who worked for Cherie although often very helpful in latter years could be very cruel.).

On the whole I felt that I would enjoy this woman's company were I to have met her… (més)

Best memoir of "political" woman I've read. Cherie Blair is very open, warm, loving (in a non-sentimental way), down-to-earth, and witty. Most extremely subtle with regards to things that might have irritated her at the time. Would have to read a non-memoir biography of her to even begin to realize her amazing academic and other achievements. She doesn't blow her own horn but has come light-years from an interestin childhood, but one with few advantages. I (being Canadian) had very few preconceptions of Cherie - but all of them succrilous & negative. Borrowed the book from the library just to see the nasty things she revealed especially about Tony. Was so impressed by the uplifting spunk & wisdom contained, I BOUGHT a copy.… (més)