The B odley H ead press release th For im me diate release 9 March 2017
Gordon Brown to publish memoir with The Bodley Head this autumn
In his forthcoming memoir, the former Prime Minister and Britain’s longest-serving Chancellor will tell the story of a remarkable life in politics - shedding light on the major political, social and economic changes that have reshaped the country over the past 40 years and revealing some harsh truths about British politics today.
He will draw on his experience as Chancellor from 1997 to 2007 and as Prime Minister during the economic crisis of 2008 to offer unique insights into the profound economic transformation that has done so much to change Britain in recent decades, the deeper causes of the crash and its ongoing legacy.
He will also reflect candidly on the successes and challenges of Labour governments before and during his own time as Prime Minister, as well as huge changes in the Labour party from the 1980s onwards, describing the evolution of progressive politics in our country to the present.
The book will provide critical insights into key relationships in Westminster, global conflicts, the coalition negotiations of 2010, as well as the referendums on Scottish Independence and Britain’s exit from the EU – in each instance, offering vital lessons for the future.
Alongside a vivid account of his role in front-line politics during all of these historic episodes, the book will include many personal experiences, including his upbringing in Kirkcaldy, Fife, as the son of a minister, the near loss of his eyesight just as he was going to university, the loss of his daughter Jennifer within days of her birth and how that tragedy has been transformed into hope for hundreds of parents and babies. At the heart of every chapter are the principles and values that have guided him throughout.
Gordon Brown said: “We are at a critical moment in history. In sharing my experiences over the past four decades and the lessons I have learned as a politician, economist, Chancellor and Prime Minister, I hope to shed light on the tumultuous change we are now facing and to offer insights that may be useful in furthering the cause of progressive politics.
“Above all, I hope to inspire confidence that we can meet these fresh challenges with a renewed sense of shared values and purpose.”
A spokesman for The Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown confirmed that proceeds from publication of the book will go to the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory, Theirworld and Gordon and his wife Sarah’s charitable and public service work.
Will Hammond, editorial director, acquired World English Language rights from Jonny
Geller at Curtis Brown. Hammond said: “Gordon Brown’s unique vantage point on the major shifts in British politics from the 1980s to the present make for a riveting book and equip him to explain the world we face today with genuine insight.
“As well as being a book of urgent importance, it presents the life and thinking of a man of deep principle and intellect as well as a reminder of what can be achieved by progressive politics. The Bodley Head and Vintage are proud to be his publishers for this important book.”
For media enquiries please contact Joe Pickering at The Bodley Head – [email protected] / 020 7840 8438 / 07779114896 – or [email protected]
For US rights enquiries, contact Jane Kirby: [email protected] / 020 7840 8452
For serial, translation and all other rights enquiries, contact [email protected] / 020 7393 4492
Notes to Editors:
About The Bodley Head
The Bodley Head publishes influential, compelling non-fiction that explores the ideas, the people, the human obsessions that shape our world. Our books come from some of the leading writers and thinkers of our time, addressing a huge range of subjects: science, reportage and current affairs, medicine, memoir, history, maths, biography, music, natural history, smart thinking and economics.
The Bodley Head was first founded in 1887 and today we publish an international range of prize-winning authors including Siddhartha Mukherjee and Stephen Greenblatt, Lisa Randall and Misha Glenny, Simon Schama and Karen Armstrong.
Recently, writers as diverse as Ai Weiwei, Stephen Witt, Edith Hall, Paul Kalanithi, Cedric Villani, Timothy Snyder, Ian Mortimer, Lewis Dartnell and Ed Yong have joined the list – united by their originality, by their expertise and by their gifts as communicators.
ABOUT VINTAGE
VINTAGE is one of the UK’s leading literary publishers. Part of Penguin Random House, the largest publishing company in the world, VINTAGE specialises in discovering leading thinkers and writers from around the globe. The publisher comprises of the following imprints: Jonathan Cape, The Bodley Head, Harvill Secker, Chatto & Windus, Hogarth, Yellow Jersey, Square Peg, Vintage and Vintage Classics.
Authors published by VINTAGE are the current holders of the Man Booker Prize, The Samuel Johnson Prize and the Nobel Prize for Literature. Household names on the list include Simon Schama, Nigella Lawson, Salman Rushdie, Haruki Murakami, Alice Munro and Toni Morrison.