Philip Ziegler was born in 1929 and educated at Eton and New College, Oxford, where he gained first class honours in Jurisprudence. He then joined the Diplomatic Service and served in Vientiane, Paris, Pretoria and Bogota before joining the publishers William Collins, where he was editorial director for fifteen years. His many books include biographies of William IV, Lady Diana Cooper, Louis Mountbatten and Harold Wilson, as well as the classic history of the Black Death.

‘Written with the style, grace and polish that one has come to expect from Ziegler…the great strength of the book lies in its grasp of Heath’s psychology and of the psychology of political leadership.’ Times Literary Supplement‘The best biography of the year was Philip Ziegler’s rather straight-faced life of Edward Heath.’ Spectator’The finest political biography of the year was Philip Ziegler’s meticulous and beautifully written Edward Heath, which got beneath the skin of sometimes perverse, often pompous and always enigmatic prime minister’ Rod Liddle, Sunday Times‘The non-fiction book I enjoyed most this year was Philip Ziegler’s masterly biography of Edward Heath.’ Antonia Fraser, Daily Telegraph‘[An] elegant, compelling and devastating study’ Sunday Times‘Philip Ziegler has produced a convincing account of Ted Heath’s defeat at history’s hands…anyone who is interested in British politics, or in the demeaning weaknesses of almost-great men, will find it a compelling read’ Wall Street Journal

Philip Ziegler was born in 1929 and educated at Eton and New College, Oxford, where he gained first class honours in Jurisprudence. He then joined the Diplomatic Service and served in Vientiane, Paris, Pretoria and Bogota before joining the publishers William Collins, where he was editorial director for fifteen years. His many books include biographies of William IV, Lady Diana Cooper, Louis Mountbatten and Harold Wilson, as well as the classic history of the Black Death.

‘Written with the style, grace and polish that one has come to expect from Ziegler…the great strength of the book lies in its grasp of Heath’s psychology and of the psychology of political leadership.’ Times Literary Supplement‘The best biography of the year was Philip Ziegler’s rather straight-faced life of Edward Heath.’ Spectator’The finest political biography of the year was Philip Ziegler’s meticulous and beautifully written Edward Heath, which got beneath the skin of sometimes perverse, often pompous and always enigmatic prime minister’ Rod Liddle, Sunday Times‘The non-fiction book I enjoyed most this year was Philip Ziegler’s masterly biography of Edward Heath.’ Antonia Fraser, Daily Telegraph‘[An] elegant, compelling and devastating study’ Sunday Times‘Philip Ziegler has produced a convincing account of Ted Heath’s defeat at history’s hands…anyone who is interested in British politics, or in the demeaning weaknesses of almost-great men, will find it a compelling read’ Wall Street Journal

Philip Ziegler was born in 1929 and educated at Eton and New College, Oxford, where he gained first class honours in Jurisprudence. He then joined the Diplomatic Service and served in Vientiane, Paris, Pretoria and Bogota before joining the publishers William Collins, where he was editorial director for fifteen years. His many books include biographies of William IV, Lady Diana Cooper, Louis Mountbatten and Harold Wilson, as well as the classic history of the Black Death.

‘Written with the style, grace and polish that one has come to expect from Ziegler…the great strength of the book lies in its grasp of Heath’s psychology and of the psychology of political leadership.’ Times Literary Supplement‘The best biography of the year was Philip Ziegler’s rather straight-faced life of Edward Heath.’ Spectator’The finest political biography of the year was Philip Ziegler’s meticulous and beautifully written Edward Heath, which got beneath the skin of sometimes perverse, often pompous and always enigmatic prime minister’ Rod Liddle, Sunday Times‘The non-fiction book I enjoyed most this year was Philip Ziegler’s masterly biography of Edward Heath.’ Antonia Fraser, Daily Telegraph‘[An] elegant, compelling and devastating study’ Sunday Times‘Philip Ziegler has produced a convincing account of Ted Heath’s defeat at history’s hands…anyone who is interested in British politics, or in the demeaning weaknesses of almost-great men, will find it a compelling read’ Wall Street Journal