Editor

Max Hastings is a superb writer. There is something very British about his self-effacing biography because in that country, you're born into a class, traditions, schools, social standing, region, accent etc. It's always a bit nauseating to read endless American & Canadian biographies with the same "rags to riches" smarminess. Yes he's highly critical of just about everyone from Prince Charles to Conrad Black, but he also turns that critical eye onto himself during his ten years at the helm of the venerable Daily Telegraph. A highly enjoyable book.

Max Hastings was editor of the venerable British newspaper the Daily Telegraph from 1986 to 1995, being invited by Conrad Black to takeover the paper when he manoeuvred the Berry family out of their prize possession. Despite being on the liberal ("wet") side of the Conservative party, Hastings was an excellent choice, as he gradually transformed what had been regarded as the house organ of the Tory party into a modern, well designed and highly profitable daily newspaper without causing too many heartattacks amongst the country squires and blue-rinsed matrons who were the majority of the existing readership (and who were dying off in large numbers).Hastings writes well, as would be expected from a well regarded military historian, and the most interesting part of the story is the nuts and bolts detail of how a declining and aging paper was dragged into the modern era. However, there are also many amusing and interesting details such as sacking Maggie Thatcher's daughter, dining with Princess Diana, giving John Major advice on economics (and telling the then Chancellor, Norman Lamont, that he had to resign after devaluing the pound) and his relations with the owner, Conrad Black. Black comes out the account relatively well, especially in his willingness to let someone with different political views get on with transforming the paper. Journalists working for the National Post may agree with this assessment more readily now than a couple of years ago.Well worth reading for anyone interested in politics, journalism and royalty.