Denis Healey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Healey) died on Saturday (3rd October 2015). He was a British politician of huge gravitas who found himself in government during a highly dangerous time for Britain, economically, in the 1970s. Standardly described as ‘the best Prime Minister Britain never had’, Healey possessed what a great many politicians today lack, namely a hinterland of experience. After graduation from Oxford, Healey served in the Second World War in the army initially as a gunner in the Royal Artillery but was commissioned as a second lieutenant in April 1941. Serving with the Royal Engineers, he saw action in the North African campaign, the Allied invasion of Sicily and the Italian campaign, and was the military landing officer for the British assault brigade at Anzio. He was made an MBE in 1945.
All of his life he maintained interests which were away from politics. Photography, music, painting, literature, poetry and the North York Moors were among his passions. He was known to have downed large quantities of claret and was possessed of a brilliant wit. This autobiography charts the progress of this brilliant Grammar School boy from Bradford on to occupy two of the highest offices in the land. It is effectively a history of Britain in the second half of the twentieth century. If you have lived during any of that time, this will jog memories of our political life. It also offers a large number of lessons on how we might assess our current political situation. If it was not well, and entertainingly, written this might look like an intimidating read. But it is well written, and I have no hesitation in recommending Denis Healey’s autobiography.
Enquire at your local library or consult http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-My-Lif. e-Denis-Healey/dp/1842751549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444110941&sr=8-1&keywords=time+of+my+life+denis+healey for full bibliographic details.
610 pages in Politico’s Publishing
First published 1989
ISBN 978-1842751541
Denis Healey