cover image MADAM PRIME MINISTER: Living a Life in Power and Politics

MADAM PRIME MINISTER: Living a Life in Power and Politics

Gro Harlem Brundtland, . . Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $25 (368pp) ISBN 978-0-374-16716-5

Brundtland was a fixture in Norwegian politics for 22 years. She twice served as prime minister, her final tenure from 1986 to 1996, and also served as leader of the socialist Labor Party. As she recounts here, while prime minister she crossed paths and occasionally swords with her influential contemporaries: Reagan, Bush and Clinton; Gorbachev and Yeltsin; Margaret Thatcher and John Major; and Nelson Mandela. Her familiarity with these leaders, her surprisingly worldwide political profile and her feminist worldview create an enlightening autobiography that offers a European perspective on key international issues, including nuclear weapons and disarmament, the environment and economic development. More novel to American readers than her European perspective is Brundtland's socialist politics and her views on the responsibilities of government. The extremely detailed descriptions of Norwegian politics and politicians, however, will sometimes overwhelm non-Norwegians. The last chapters deal with Brundtland's successful campaign to be Director General of the U.N.'s World Health Organization and her analysis of world health problems. The writing style is plain and direct, virtually devoid of even modest rhetorical devices. But she is thoughtful, straightforward and unflinching, even when describing heartbreaking family tragedies. There are occasional flashes of self-deprecatory humor and much introspection. The overall effect is to create a sense of intimacy between Brundtland and readers, who will find her a remarkable woman, open about the development of her political philosophy and, within the bounds of her natural reticence, about her personal life. 8 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW.(Aug.)

Forecast:There isn't likely to be a broad audience for this, but readers interested in European socialism, the role of women on the world stage, or the environment and world health, will find worthwhile material here.