Douglas Hurd Libri

In September 2015 Queen Elizabeth II becomes Britain's longest-reigning monarch. During her long lifetime Britain and the world have changed beyond recognition, yet throughout she has stood steadfast as a lasting emblem of stability, continuity and public service. Historian and senior politician Douglas Hurd has seen the Queen at close quarters, as Home Secretary and then on overseas expeditions as Foreign Secretary. Here he considers the life and role of Britain's most greatly admired monarch, who, inheriting a deep sense of duty from her father George VI, has weathered national and family crises, seen the end of an Empire and heard voices raised in favour of the break-up of the United Kingdom. Hurd creates an arresting portrait of a woman deeply conservative by nature yet possessing a ready acceptance of modern life and the awareness that, for things to stay the same, they must change. With a preface by HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

After a narrow Labour Party victory that is dependent on Scottish Labour votes, the young, ambitious and right-wing Alcester sweeps in as Tory leader of the opposition. He has married the previous Prime Minister's daughter, and when their baby boy is kidnapped in mysterious circumstances it leads to an upsurge of support for the bright new Party leader. Alcester redoubles his campaign to throw the Scots out of the UK and in parallel the SLA bid for independence - there is violence throughout the cities of Scotland. As the situation gets out of hand, the Prime Minister announces a referendum in favour of the Union and UK membership of the EU as the only way to check his ruthless young rival...

An uncommonly well-written political memoir by a man who has been at the heart of government for a generation. '... in a different league from those (memoirs) written by his accomplices in the Thatcher & Major administrations' Simon Heffer, LITERARY REVIEW

Douglas Hurd's fine political novel, set in the near future, eloquently conveys the sheer anarchic pressure of political life at the top - the way problems jostle for attention in the day, with the small ones prevailing because they are urgent, and the pressure slowly building until it distorts judgement and relationships. With the narrative momentum of a good thriller, THE SHAPE OF ICE reflects the way ominous events can develop from near-invisibility into momentous crises, like the slowly growing iceberg that finally sank the Titanic. PM Simon Russell's personal alarm clock is ticking away. Beyond No. 10, prison riots, bombs in Ireland, corporate blackmail in China and civil unrest in Russia jostle for attention. From the smallest details of the PM's office to the global significance of an international crisis, THE SHAPE OF ICE unfolds the political process with real authenticity.

The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperback Elizabeth II is the longest-serving monarch who ever sat on the English or British throne. Yet her personality and influence remain elusive. This book, by a senior politician who has spent significant periods of time in her company, and is also a distinguished historian, portrays her more credibly than any other yet published. Douglas Hurd was a politician, biographer and novelist who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, as Minister for Europe (1979-83), Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1984-85), Home Secretary (1985-89) and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1989-95). His previous books include his Memoirs, Robert Peel: A Biography and, with Edward Young, Choose Your Weapons: The British Foreign Secretary - 200 Years of Argument, Success and Failure.