Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #368384 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-05
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

New Statesman
'Excellent . . . A lively, entertaining, informative and fascinating account of Conservative politics since 1979'

Daily Express
`Has the party changed or have I?' she asks. This book chronicles her witty and often incisive search for answers.'

Synopsis
Jo-Anne Nadler is a political journalist and a professional, metropolitan, style-conscious woman -- but she has one unfashionable allegiance. She is a Conservative. In recent years her affiliation has felt more like an affliction -- since coming out as a teenage Tory twenty years ago the Conservative Party has gone from Downing Street to disaster. So why persist? Fearlessly delving back through her own history of Young Conservative discos, bedroom posters of Mrs Thatcher and a career which has taken her from party activist to party worker to professional party observer, Jo-Anne explores the deep roots of her political convictions and her ambivalence about the behaviour of some of her Tory fellow-travellers. Funny and affectionate, balanced and passionate, TOO NICE TO BE A TORY reveals a great deal about the fate of the post-Thatcher party, and shows us just how much it still has to do to broaden its appeal.

Customer Reviews

Intensely human and funny political autobiography

You don't have to be either a Tory or a political anorak to enjoy this excellent book.

Unfortunately many of the people who would both enjoy and learn something from this book are likely to be put off by the subject matter. They should not be.

Jo-Anne Nadler is a witty, charming and intelligent young woman of the late 20th and early 21st century who is normal in every respect except one - an interest in politics which has led her to work both as a Conservative party staffer and as a political journalist.

"Too Nice to be a Tory" tells the story of Jo-Anne's life in politics and the media through the Thatcher, Major, and Blair years up to the election of Michael Howard as Conservative leader. It is written in down-to-earth normal terms rather than political platitudes. This is one of the most human books about politics which I have ever read.

The author's political views do come through in the book - for example, she gives one of the best explanations I have ever read of why the infamous out-of-context quote from Mrs Thatcher that "There is no such thing as society" is a travesty of what Mrs T was actually saying. But the political perspective does not dominate.

A healthy attitude to politics ought to find a happy medium between the extremes of Pravda-like subservience ("Prime Minister, would you like to explain your wonderful policies") and Paxman like cynicism (e.g. assuming everyone involved in politics is a lying scoundrel).

The truth is that there are some scoundrels in politics but also plenty of people in all mainstream parties who are honest, decent, and otherwise normal. And it would be good for Britain if more people were involved. This is an account of what life was like for one normal person involved in politics, and it is intensely funny, moving, and readable.

Tory Future
Jo-anne Nader articulates all the pain of being a thirtysomething Tory. It was cool to be Tory when we were teenagers, but the last fifteen years have been hell.

Between the lines, Nadler identifies all the things that the Party have got to do to get back - appeal to young women, acquire some insight into contemporary tastes and aspirations and get organised.

It's a fun book and great for those who want to have some hope for a Conservative future.

It's a good book
It's a shame about the title of this book, as it really is much more than this. Sadly it's been type cast into a piece which may only be read by Tories. The first section talks about her Polish father, and his influence on her life. This gives a brilliant context to the political sphere she later went on to enter, as it breaks the stereotypical mould that many Conservatives are often cast in.

Bits of the book were a little predictable, but it didn't detract from the general message of despair that engulfed the Party during the late 80s and 90s. Where now? Well that's the big unanswered question.

Hopefully the hardback version might have a different cover and title. I think this would diversity the readership greatly.