The Path to Power

Just how did the grocer's daughter end up on No. 10 Downing Street? Grit, conviction, and her famous steel backbone combined with an razor sharp wit to boot. Lady Thatcher rivals Sir Winston Churchill as being one of the greatest international leaders of the 20th century. This is her own account of the path she took to topple decades of Labour Party Socialism that crippled Britain. But what do you expect from someone who would let nothing stop her? At 17 the young Margaret Roberts was refused recommendation by her headmistress to receive a scholarship to Oxford University. The reason was that she did not complete three years of Latin. Margaret went directly to the Admissions office and challenged the entrance exam. She crammed three years of Latin into three months and sat as an independent. Margaret aced the test and studied chemistry at Oxford before becoming a tax lawyer and politician. Thatcher stood up to the coal miners, stood up to the unions, and stood up for Britain. She earned the title Iron Lady by taking a stand and never bending in the name of popularity. Her wrath was to the debilitating social welfare state what Churchill's "Bulldog defiance" was to the Axis powers during WW2.

How did a young woman from nowhere (Thatcher describes her childhood background in the kindest way possible but it was the last place you'd expect to find greatness) rise to become a politician and then Prime Minister of Great Britain? Baroness Thatcher tells the story of her life with humor and restraint. She never uses being a woman as a crutch or excuse and although she obviously loved her husband and children the main focus of the book is what was going on in her head. Tough, stubborn and bold she slowly pushes forward through school, through a legal career, through the back benches and finally when the chance for the highest office in the land comes her way she pounces on it. Path to Power is excellent reading for those who find Parliment to be incomprehensible, for those who wonder if an American woman can ever be another Thatcher and for those who simply like a Horatio Alger story. Now, is it a bit dry? Yep, it certainly is but you didn't really expect gooey girl talk from Margaret Thatcher, did you?

In this book, the prequel to her more successful (and essentially more interesting) volume entitled 'The Downing Street Years', Margaret Thatcher gives us a glimpse into her life, and the events and people who shaped her, basically, who made her who she is.You'll learn about her time at university, her early days in politics from a personal standpoint (for instance, she used to do her own ironing to press dresses immediately before going out, as she couldn't afford to have them pressed, and other small details like this abound), early days in the government and then leading up to the time in opposition prior to the elections of 1979. Thatcher also adds a postscript to this book, completed after the account of her time as Prime Minister, in which she gives her prescriptions for a better Britain and Europe (in some ways, she might agree that her stance on the Eurocurrency is a la Nancy Reagan, i.e., 'Just say No!'). She has a few swipes at John Major, the man she helped into power, perhaps hoping to be able to be an active and effective agent from behind the scenes. Major retaliates a bit in his own autobiography.In all, unless you're REALLY into British politics or Thatcher personally, this book could be easily missed. Read 'The Downing Street Years', and, as I've seen you can often pick this book up for some bargain-bin price, buy it so as to have the set. And you might peruse a chapter here and there. It does have a good style of writing, but goes on quite a bit. Historians will appreciate it, but I often wonder if politicians think that most will actually read through all this material, considering they are invariably written when the author is off the centre stage?

Sure, I have a personally inscribed copy, and consider this book one of the greatest treasures of my library, held along with the cherished memory of meeting Lady Thatcher. But, as you know by now, I can remain completely objective. This is a wonderful book. If you are at all interested in Torys, conservatives, or strong female leadership, this is a must read. I found the discussion fascinating, although, yes, as an attention span challenged American, a tad tedious in spots. However, it's well worth the effort. Also look for "Downing Street Years", for additional writings by Lady Thatcher.

Talk about a meaty book ! It can be hard going at times but if one keeps going you gain the reward and insight into what make this remarkable woman.No wonder the male members of the cabinet feared her !