
Unleashed
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Narrated by:
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Boris Johnson
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By:
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Boris Johnson
About this listen
THE UNMISSABLE, UNVARNISHED MEMOIRS OF BORIS JOHNSON
A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES, TELEGRAPH, DAILY MAIL, TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES
‘ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY, MIND-BLOWINGLY EXPLOSIVE’ ED BALLS
'SENSATIONAL' DAILY MAIL
Boris Johnson has always been larger than life. Controversial, untrammelled by the normal rules of politics, his route to becoming Britain’s prime minister included a landmark career as a journalist, two terms as London’s mayor, leading the Vote Leave Brexit campaign and acting as foreign secretary. He won the largest Tory majority since 1987 when he went to the polls in December 2019 for a mandate to ‘Get Brexit Done’ – only to have his administration hit by the global Covid pandemic and toppled in a Tory putsch.
Unleashed is his account of his time in politics, and a book that shatters the mould of the modern prime ministerial memoir. Written in his inimitable style, it is honest, unrestrained and deeply revealing about the politician who has dominated our times.
This is his story of the fifteen years since he trounced Ken Livingstone at the polls to become mayor of London. Riots, tackling knife crime, bikes, buses, the London Olympics, and so much more. He writes about his role in Brexit, takes readers through all the big decisions and his reasons for taking them, and describes how he nearly died from Covid.
Underlying everything in the book is his view that the UK is an extraordinary country and should have an exceptional future. These are the reflections of a political leader who believes fundamentally in levelling up – that there are millions of people in Britain who do not have the present they need or the future they deserve, and that it is the first job of politicians to put this right.
It is all here. From soup to nuts, warts and all. As a journalist he was famed as a blurter of unsayable truths, and he has drawn again on this quality for the book. About people, policies, mistakes and triumphs. This is it – the reality as he saw it: unvarnished, unlocked, unleashed.
©2024 Boris Johnson (P)2024 HarperCollins PublishersCritic reviews
‘Johnson writes better than any other politician – his memoir is proof… Unleashed is incomparably more readable than a standard political memoir…A breezy Wodehousian persona wafts the reader along’
TELEGRAPH
‘Authentically amusing…he writes with energy and originality’
THE TIMES
‘A racy, charming and sometimes thought-provoking romp… teasingly settling a few scores with the likes of his former Downing Street advisers Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain, and — the Iago of the tale — Rishi Sunak. A rattling yarn in his own terms… he takes the reader inside his own doubts, uncertainties and — distinctly qualified — insecurities’
FINANCIAL TIMES
‘This is a box of Turkish Delight as addictive as the White Witch’s in Narnia. I defy anyone to finish the book without smiles constantly breaking out, and without having to acknowledge there is actually something heroic – often chaotic, but still heroic – about the man’s determination to champion Britain’s virtues’
MICHAEL GOVE, THE SPECTATOR
'Boris Johnson’s memoir is funny – occasionally properly, laugh-out-loud funny –and he knows how to spin an entertaining yarn. Unlike most other politicians, he can write. These are rare qualities in Westminster and his autobiography, when it hits fifth gear, is a reminder of what might have been; not least the impassioned defence of levelling-up and hymns to the opportunities of Brexit'
THE TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES, Books of the Year
'The most eagerly awaited memoir of the year is also by far the most entertaining'
DAILY TELEGRAPH, Books of the Year
'Revelatory and entertaining in equal measure'
CAMILLA TOMINEY
What listeners say about Unleashed
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Love booksXx
- 27-10-24
So Interesting
Really enjoyed listening to Boris book. So much I learnt about his career. Ups and downs but what came across was his love for the Country.
I really do think if it canst for pandemic, Boris would have got the country to a much better place
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- Lewis
- 20-10-24
new found respect
I love how in depth Boris goes into his accounts in government. I found a new respect for Boris
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- janice nicholson
- 31-10-24
Brilliantly read
I’m not into politics at all, but thoroughly enjoyed this book , boris is such a down to earth man
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- Bob
- 07-11-24
Excellent book
I feel I know a lot more now about Boris and the times in which he has served as Mayor of London, an MP and Prime Minister. A very interesting, well read and entertaining autobiography. Well worth the money.
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- Jamshepetjan
- 12-11-24
Candid
Would probably rival Churchills candid narrative ability. A very honest and credible insight into his terms as Mayor of London and Prime Minister throughout which he acknowledges his weaknesses and mistakes whilst highlighting his over riding strengths.
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- Chris Hamblin
- 21-11-24
Boris at his arrogarrogant entertaining best
the whole story is like when you bring a puppy home, it runs around the house destroying things, then takes a massive dump on the carpet and sits there with it wasnt me expression on its face.
it is a highly entertaining book rather than being non fiction maybe based on actual events would be better
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- Amazon Customer
- 22-11-24
Brilliant memoir
As an avid political memoir reader/listener this might be my favourite yet. Glad I listened to this one as the narration is great and there’s some funny moments that are made funnier when read by him.
He’s a good author: there’s some quite humbling and honest parts where he comes off as quite human. He’s also great at articulating his thoughts; if you were ever unsure as to why Brexit makes sense, he articulates euroscepticism a lot better than most. Also, you start to understand why we were really struggling with a strong strategy for Covid.
A good mind on him, shame he was hindered by his complacency with backbenchers and trusting people like Dom Cummings and rishi.
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- Marion
- 08-11-24
His honesty
I found his honesty refreshing and made me laugh, a really interesting read, we have lost a great Prime Minister.
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- pamelula
- 16-11-24
Brilliant
Thoroughly enjoyable listening - whatever your politics. Boris's ability as a wordsmith and narrator make this an excellent experience
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- alan ball
- 20-12-24
Haste la vista baby
Whatever you may think of Boris-and he certainly divides opinion-this is a fascinating read, it’s obviously his version of events, but very interesting and informative too
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