Andrew Gimson – författare

NEWLY REVISED AND UPDATEDA book for all lovers of history: the experienced and the novice, the serious and the silly.Gimson's Kings and Queens whirls us through the lives of our monarchs - from 1066 and William the Conqueror right up to Queen Elizabeth II and the present-day - to tell a tale of bastardy, courage, conquest, brutality, vanity, vulgarity, corruption, anarchy, absenteeism, piety, nobility, divorce, execution, civil war, madness, magnificence, profligacy, frugality, philately, abdication, dutifulness, family breakdown and family recovery.Written in Andrew Gimson's inimitable style, and illustrated by Martin Rowson, this is both a primer and a refresher for anyone who can't quite remember which were the good and bad Edwards or Henrys, or why so-and-so succeeded to the throne rather than his second cousin.'The most entertaining and instructive book on the English monarchy you will ever read' Daily Telegraph

'Entertaining...essential...peppered with brilliant observations' Tim Shipman, Sunday TimesAndrew Gimson, whose previous book Boris is the essential read on Johnson's earlier career, returns with a penetrating and entertaining new account of Boris Johnson's turbulent time as prime minister, from the highs of a landslide election victory to the lows of his car-crash resignation. In Boris Johnson: The Rise and Fall of a Troublemaker at Number 10, Gimson sets out to discover how a man dismissed as a liar, charlatan and tasteless joke was able, despite being written off more frequently than any other British politician of the twenty-first century, to become prime minister. During his ascent, Johnson benefited from being regarded as a clown, for this meant his opponents failed to take him seriously, while his supporters delighted in his ability to shock and enrage the Establishment. He even changed the language of politics; a new word, ‘cakeism’, entered the English lexicon to describe his implausible but seductive claim during the Brexit negotiations that it was possible to have one’s cake and eat it.In a series of brilliant vignettes, Gimson sheds light on the parts played by sex, greed, boredom and low seriousness in Johnson’s rise and fall, describes how Partygate fatally imperilled his prime ministership, and places him in a line of Tory adventurers stretching back to Benjamin Disraeli: disreputable figures who often blew themselves up, but who also could display an astonishing ability to connect with the British public.What kind of a person is Johnson? What kind of a country would dream of making him its prime minister? And why did he fall? Nobody has got closer than Gimson to finding out the answers.

'Entertaining...essential...peppered with brilliant observations' Tim Shipman, Sunday TimesAndrew Gimson, whose previous book Boris is the essential read on Johnson's earlier career, returns with a penetrating and entertaining new account of Boris Johnson's turbulent time as prime minister, from the highs of a landslide election victory to the lows of his car-crash resignation. In Boris Johnson: The Rise and Fall of a Troublemaker at Number 10, Gimson sets out to discover how a man dismissed as a liar, charlatan and tasteless joke was able, despite being written off more frequently than any other British politician of the twenty-first century, to become prime minister. During his ascent, Johnson benefited from being regarded as a clown, for this meant his opponents failed to take him seriously, while his supporters delighted in his ability to shock and enrage the Establishment. He even changed the language of politics; a new word, ‘cakeism’, entered the English lexicon to describe his implausible but seductive claim during the Brexit negotiations that it was possible to have one’s cake and eat it.In a series of brilliant vignettes, Gimson sheds light on the parts played by sex, greed, boredom and low seriousness in Johnson’s rise and fall, describes how Partygate fatally imperilled his prime ministership, and places him in a line of Tory adventurers stretching back to Benjamin Disraeli: disreputable figures who often blew themselves up, but who also could display an astonishing ability to connect with the British public.What kind of a person is Johnson? What kind of a country would dream of making him its prime minister? And why did he fall? Nobody has got closer than Gimson to finding out the answers.

'A witty, unforgettable celebration of the courage, genius and defiance that changed the course of history' Jacob Rees-Mogg'Gimson makes excellent cases for all his choices. His "cardinal point" about heroes, "seen from Homer to Hollywood, is that they are enjoyable". That is so right: no one who is immensely worthy but boring can be a hero' Charles Moore'This is a lovely book to dip in and out of, every visit an education' John RentoulA brilliant compendium of Britain's most renowned heroes from Boudicca to Mandela, illustrated by Martin Rowson.Heroes have flaws, but their stories stir the soul. In Gimson's Heroes, bestselling author Andrew Gimson traces the lives of fifty astonishing individuals who had the courage to defy conventional wisdom.From Horatio Nelson disobeying orders to Lord Byron scandalising polite society; Grace Darling rowing through a deadly storm to Florence Nightingale teaching the British how to nurse - these icons are no mere monuments of history, but living, breathing people of daring and defiance. Here are stories of resolve and sacrifice: Wallace Hartley plays on as the Titanic goes down, Noor Inayat Khan refuses to flee from occupied France, Stan Hollis storms an enemy pillbox and Nelson Mandela brings down the white regime in South Africa.A hero, Gimson concludes, is someone with the courage, originality and genius to see what must be done - and to dare to do it, no matter the cost. Complemented by Martin Rowson's uniquely charming illustrations, Gimson's Heroes is a witty, fascinating and lively celebration of the extraordinary legacies of those who went further than most would ever dream.The fifty Heroes included in the book are:Boudicca c.25-60/61 ADAlfred the Great 848-899King Harold c.1022-1066Robert the Bruce 1274-1329 Julian of Norwich 1342-1416Owain Glyndŵr c.1359 - c.1415 Bess of Hardwick c.1522 or 1527-1608Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603Sir Francis Drake 1540-1596Sir Walter Raleigh 1552-1618Sir Philip Sidney 1554-1586William Shakespeare 1564-1616George Herbert 1593-1633Gerrard Winstanley 1609-1676Prince Rupert of the Rhine 1619-1682Robert Boyle 1627-1691Thomas Coram 1668-1751Samuel Johnson 1709-1784James Wolfe 1727-1759Edmund Burke 1729-1797James Boswell 1740-1795Thomas Telford 1757-1834Horatio Nelson 1758-1805Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797Thomas Clarkson 1760-1846Jane Austen 1775-1817Elizabeth Fry 1780-1845George Stephenson 1781-1848Lord Byron 1788-1824Lord Shaftesbury 1801-1885Benjamin Disraeli 1804-1881Isambard Kingdom Brunel 1806-1859 Charles Dickens 1812-1870 David Livingstone 1813-1873Grace Darling 1815-1842 Prince Albert 1819-1861 Florence Nightingale 1820-1910 Octavia Hill 1838-1912Fred Burnaby 1842-1885 Ernest Shackleton 1874-1922 Sir Winston Churchill 1874-1965Wallace Hartley 1878-1912 Ernest Bevin 1881-1951The Unknown Warrior died c. 1914John Betjeman 1906-1984 Stan Hollis 1912-1972 Michael Wharton 1913-2006Noor Inayat Khan 1914-1944 Prince Alexander Obolensky 1916-1940 Nelson Mandela 1918-2013Praise for the three previous Gimson books:Gimson's Kings & Queens: Brief Lives of the Monarchs since 1066 'The most entertaining and instructive book on the English monarchy you will ever read' Daily TelegraphGimson's Prime Ministers: Brief Lives from Walpole to Johnson'The best general book on British politics I've ever come across. Learned, witty and wise, and splendidly illustrated by Martin Rowson' Tibor Fischer, GuardianGimson's Presidents: Brief Lives from Washington to Trump'This is history at its liveliest and most enjoyable. Most presidential biographies are abominably long-winded and reverential. With miniaturist wit and precision, Gimson manages to compress all the salient facts about each president into five or six pages, while offering beautifully crafted insights into their characters and temperaments ...There is something fascinating or funny on every page' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday

In recent years an audacious attempt has been made to deprive us of our heroes. We have been told that instead of admiring and enjoying these brilliant figures from British history, we should be deeply embarrassed by them. No reasonable person supposes that heroes should be spared criticism, or that reputations never change.But episodes in the life of, say, Sir Francis Drake or Sir Winston Churchill which conflict with modern values are treated as sufficient to invalidate that hero's entire record, however wonderful it may be in other respects - circumnavigating the globe in 1577-80, defying Hitler in 1940. We are threatened with guilt by association unless we endorse the harsh verdicts of judges who enforce rules which did not apply at the time. These self-appointed arbiters place their yearning to condemn before the study of history, and are, indeed, intent on making us hate our country's past, and solely dependent on them for moral instruction.This book will show why, on the contrary, pride and pleasure may continue to be taken in flawed heroes.As in the three previous Gimson books, only the most vivid, characteristic and amusing information will be included, along with illustrations by martin Rowson.

THE MAKING OF A PRIME MINISTER'My biography of the year' Michael Crick'The scariest thing I've read since Silence of the Lambs' Ken LivingstoneA brilliant and definitive biography of Boris Johnson, the politician who risked his career to lead the Brexit campaign, won the referendum, and finally became the new prime minister.In Andrew Gimson's acclaimed biography of the most colourful British politician of modern times, we are given a comprehensive portrait of the man. Despite tabloid controversies which led to him being dismissed from Michael Howard's shadow cabinet, Boris bounced back to win two terms as London mayor. It was a remarkable tribute to his huge personal popularity, and he was at the heart of things when London showcased itself during the 2012 Olympics.This updated edition of the book is a comprehensive insight into the dramatic political events of 2016. After Boris decided to join the Brexit campaign, which he led with Michael Gove, against all the predictions he secured a historic vote to leave the EU. Within a few tumultuous and unprecedented days, David Cameron resigned as prime minister, Boris was installed as favourite to succeed him - only for Gove to torpedo his challenge, and seemingly end his career. Yet when Theresa May took charge, she surprised many by appointing Boris as Foreign Secretary. Gimson's superb account not only takes the reader behind the scenes, it vividly brings to life one of the most extraordinary political careers in our history.

'Crisp and witty' Charles Moore, Spectator'A brilliant survey of the occupants of the Oval Office' Daniel Johnson, Article'Witty and succinct with splendid caricatures' Tibor Fischer, CriticA spirited and entertaining aide-memoire offering 44 short, fascinating accounts of each president, from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama and Donald Trump, bringing the United States' political history to life as never before.Who can name the eight presidents before Lincoln, or the eight presidents after him? Historians tend to shed light on just a handful of leaders: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and perhaps half a dozen others within living memory, leaving at least 30 holders of office if not in total darkness, then at least in deep shadow. Helping to bring these forgotten figures into the light, Andrew Gimson's illuminating accounts are accompanied by sketches from Guardian sartirical cartoonist, Martin Rowson, making this the perfect gift for all lovers of history and politics - the experienced and the novice, the serious and the silly.The Sunday Times bestselling Gimson's Prime Ministers and Gimson's Kings & Queens are also available.