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The Political Animal: An Anatomy | 
 enlarge | Author: Jeremy Paxman
Publisher: Penguin
Category: Book
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £4.79
You Save: £5.20 (52%)
New (24) Used (2) from £4.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 19868
Media: Paperback
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0141032960
EAN: 9780141032962
ASIN: 0141032960
Publication Date: September 6, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Eye opening account of our politicians November 20, 2008
This is fascinating account of our politicians and our political process and contains a wealth of information. Paxman gets the ball rolling with an anecdote about a politician who visited his school when he was a schoolboy. Paxman thought that the politician was barking mad and by the sound of things he wasn't far wrong.
There is a huge wealth of information about the political process and the almost psychologically deranged individuals who exist at the centre of it.
One interesting anecdote was when Paxman rang up the House of Commons to ask for an appointment with the former PM, John Major, (this was when he was writing the book) and no one seems to have had the faintest idea how he (i.e. John Major) could be contacted.
Another interesting story concerned the Tory MP Derek Conway. Apparently Derek Conway lost his seat in the 1997 general election and managed to land an excellent job as the chief executive of a charity for felines (or moggies as Paxman calls them). He then gave this job up in order to get back into Parliament. This is the same man who was involved in a scandal over expense claims - although Paxman's book was written well before this incident occured.
An interesting and readable book by the Newsnight grand inquisitor.
Why do we let them run the country? October 29, 2008
The Political Animal by Jeremy Paxman is a very good book examing politics and politicians. It is well written and very interesting but if you don't like Paxman as an interviewer then the style is probably not for you. It is full of interesting insights and anecdotes but does have serious points to make which is why do we let a group of people we have minimal respect for so much control over our lives and also what actually motivates people to become politicians. The Political Animal is a very good book, which is interesting and opinionated.
 Jeremy Smugman Sneers A Lot. July 25, 2007
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is one of the most depressing political books ever, essentially becoming a politician is a huge waste of time which will in all likelihood be a failure and will screw up ones family life. Makes you wonder why they didn't become TV presenters instead.
Some of the anecdotes are fairly amusing, but the overall tone is that the political class is something pitiful to behold.
Why do they do it? November 9, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
What makes for a politician? According to Paxo it is ambition, drive and liking to hear your own voice. To get to the top he unearths the surprising statistic that you most likely will have lost a parent, especially a father, when young.
Paxman writes well in an entertaining fashion so he is a pleasure to read. He charts how one becomes an MP and the duties involved. It is not a family friendly life. Conformity is required, enforced by the whips. If one conforms one may rise to ministerial office and the ministerial life is surveyed all the way up to prime minister. Life beyond office or parliament is also examined. The treatment is both sympathetic and critical. Corruption is shown to be rare. What Paxo omits is the commoner, more hum drum life in local politics. Councillors are too dull beasts for the top journalist. Yet many who become MPs follow the local government route, even those from political dynasties like the Benn family.
A dissection of Politics and politicians September 13, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Two questions stand out in Jeremy Paxman's book. Why do people want to be politicians?; and why do the public mistrust politicians?
Why do people want to be politicians, there is one major reason given by the MP's themselves, to serve the public but as Paxman points out the aphrodisiac of "Power" and control is always there not very far beneath the surface.
Using examples both historic and modern he shows how Politicians climb their way up the ladder of power,only a few reaching the heights of cabinet posts. Some are shown to be very active in their constituency, others less so. Some have a history of voting with their conscience, most though have at least one eye on the main chance.
The second question is answered indirectly so many times in this book. We do not like Politicians because.
Loyalty to party is valued over personal integrity.
Party conferences are no longer anything but commercial side-shows.
The whips, especially New Labour ones, come across almost as Gauleiters, semi house-trained thugs there to oversee that no member considers voting with their conscience rather than what the Leader requires.
They blatantly lie.
The sycophantic questions at PMQ's.
They are backstabbers par-excellence, look at how Mo Mowlem was punished when party members dared to give her a standing ovation during Tony Blair's party conference speech.
They vote themselves inflation busting pay rises and protected pensions whilst dragging their feet over workers who have been sold out by their employers.
Party membership is in decline as people of all political hues despair of the self-serving chancers currently at Westminster.
Recent voting figures show the electorate has switched off in large numbers.
For any politician who still wonders why the people do not trust them I suggest they read this book and then look in the mirror and tell us if they like what they see. Pre-supposing,obviously,that they can even be honest with themselves.
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