NOT QUITE THE DIPLOMAT

One of the books in my holiday reading was 'Not Quite The Diplomat' by Chris Patten. He's been a Conservative government minister, the last Governor of Hong Kong, and a European Union Commissioner. He's also a committed Catholic Christian. I wrongly assumed the book would be an autobiography full of juicy titbits about characters he'd come across. In reality it's a political book which has taught me a lot but has needed me to concentrate hard to understand the depth with which he delves into issues. He's unashamedly pro-American AND pro-European but realistic about the deficiencies of both. Reading this book has made me realise just what a shallow understanding I've had about US-European politics, the 'special relationship' between the USA and the UK, the democratic process in the UK, the growth of the European Union, and especially the continued conflict in the Middle East.
As an avid reader of the back pages of newspapers, not the front pages, I'm not sure I'd have got hold of this book If I'd fully realised it's content. Light holiday reading it ain't but I'm glad I've ploughed through it.