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People like us : Margaret Thatcher and me / Caroline Slocock.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: London, England : Biteback Publishing, 2018Copyright date: ©2018Description: 367 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some colour), portraits (some colour) ; 25 cmContent type:
  • text
  • still image
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781785902246 (hardback)
Subject(s): Summary: As a young civil servant, Caroline Slocock became the first ever female private secretary to any British Prime Minister, and was at Margaret Thatcher’s side for the final eighteen months of her premiership. A left-wing feminist, Slocock was no natural ally – and yet she became fascinated by the woman behind the ‘Iron Lady’ façade and by how she dealt with a world dominated by men. As events inexorably led to Margaret Thatcher’s downfall, Slocock observed the vulnerabilities and contradictions of the woman considered by many to be the ultimate anti-feminist. When Thatcher eventually resigned, brought down by her closest political allies, Slocock was the only woman present to witness the astonishing scenes in the Cabinet Room. Had Thatcher been a man, it would have ended very differently, Slocock feels. Now, in this vivid first-hand account, based on her diaries from the time and interviews with other key Downing Street personnel, Slocock paints a nuanced portrait of a woman who to this day is routinely demonised in sexist ways. Reflecting on the challenges women still face in public life, Slocock concludes it’s time to rewrite how we portray powerful women and for women to set aside politics and accept that Margaret Thatcher was ‘one of us’.
Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Non-Fiction Davis (Central) Library Non-Fiction Non-Fiction 941.085 SLO Available T00800649
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

As a young civil servant, Caroline Slocock went to work at No. 10 Downing Street during the final eighteen months of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. As a left-leaning graduate, she was against much of what she stood for, but became fascinated by the challenges Thatcher faced as a powerful woman, and the way that she was demonised.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

As a young civil servant, Caroline Slocock became the first ever female private secretary to any British Prime Minister, and was at Margaret Thatcher’s side for the final eighteen months of her premiership. A left-wing feminist, Slocock was no natural ally – and yet she became fascinated by the woman behind the ‘Iron Lady’ façade and by how she dealt with a world dominated by men. As events inexorably led to Margaret Thatcher’s downfall, Slocock observed the vulnerabilities and contradictions of the woman considered by many to be the ultimate anti-feminist. When Thatcher eventually resigned, brought down by her closest political allies, Slocock was the only woman present to witness the astonishing scenes in the Cabinet Room. Had Thatcher been a man, it would have ended very differently, Slocock feels. Now, in this vivid first-hand account, based on her diaries from the time and interviews with other key Downing Street personnel, Slocock paints a nuanced portrait of a woman who to this day is routinely demonised in sexist ways. Reflecting on the challenges women still face in public life, Slocock concludes it’s time to rewrite how we portray powerful women and for women to set aside politics and accept that Margaret Thatcher was ‘one of us’.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

  • Preface (p. xi)
  • Chapter 1 22 November 1990 (p. 1)
  • Chapter 2 About me (p. 5)
  • Chapter 3 Meeting Margaret Thatcher (p. 15)
  • Chapter 4 Margaret Thatcher's No. 10 (p. 27)
  • Chapter 5 A woman's voice (p. 65)
  • Chapter 6 Margaret Thatcher's court (p. 81)
  • Chapter 7 Margaret Thatcher and gay men (p. 107)
  • Chapter 8 Clothes (p. 125)
  • Chapter 9 Losing control: Nigel Lawson resigns (p. 149)
  • Chapter 10 Through the looking glass (p. 173)
  • Chapter 11 Hard work (p. 199)
  • Chapter 12 Relationships (p. 209)
  • Chapter 13 Under threat (p. 231)
  • Chapter 14 Sisterhood and motherhood (p. 239)
  • Chapter 15 Love and war (p. 261)
  • Chapter 16 Geoffrey Howe resigns (p. 281)
  • Chapter 17 On the slide (p. 289)
  • Chapter 18 Margaret Thatcher resigns (p. 305)
  • Chapter 19 Margaret Thatcher's final days at No. 10 (p. 315)
  • Chapter 20 Conclusion: Girl Power or Twisted Sister? (p. 327)
  • No. 10 dramatis personae (p. 337)
  • Chronology (p. 345)
  • References (p. 349)
  • Index (p. 361)

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