Tewksbury Public Library

Margaret Thatcher, power and personality, Jonathan Aitken

eng

Includes bibliographical references (p. [693]-747) and index

individual biography

platesillustrations

index present

non fiction

Margaret Thatcher

bibliography

857775970

Jonathan Aitken

power and personality

Cabinet-member and forty-year friend Jonathan Aitken discusses the importance of Thatcher's strong and sometimes difficult personality on political events and decisions and includes Aitken's witness perspective at both private and public episodes of her life

The early years -- The War, grammar school, and fighting her headmistress -- Oxford, boyfriends, and political ambition -- First steps in politics -- Marriage, motherhood, and Finchley -- First years in Parliament, 1959-1964 -- Front-bench opposition -- Secretary of State for Education -- Health on the ropes -- Winning the leadership -- Leader of the Opposition : a fragile beginning -- Three frustrating years -- Last lap to the election -- The final ascent to No. 10 -- First moves as Prime Minister -- The learning curve -- First steps in foreign affairs -- Storm clouds on the economy and in the Cabinet -- The Falklands War I : the prelude -- The Falklands War II : into the fighting -- The Falklands War III : victory -- After the Falklands -- Stumbling into the second term -- Terrorism, Ireland, and Hong Kong -- Battling for Britain in Saudi Arabia -- Unions and miners -- Strengthening the special relationship with Ronald Reagan -- Starting to win the Cold War - -Rumblings of discontent -- Into the third term -- Trouble with Nigel Lawson -- Swinging towards Euroscepticism -- Boiling over on Europe -- Exit the Chancellor, enter the stalking horse -- Countdown to the coup -- End game -- Exit -- The agony after the fall -- Snapshots of her retirement years