My Life in Politics
One of France’s most admired politicians, Chirac was twice elected president and served on a political spectrum from the local (as mayor of Paris) to the international (as prime minister). In this engaging autobiography, Chirac details a life not predestined for politics, for he dreamed of a career in military aeronautics. In 1967, at 35, he entered politics as part of the cabinet of Georges Pompidou. He reflects on 40 years of public life, from support for the development of the Concorde to the social malaise of the 1960s, from selling Iraq its first nuclear reactor to opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, to concerns about European fiscal policies. For Chirac, politics has not been a question of ideology but of people, personalities and sensitivities. Accordingly, he details relationships with major international figures, including George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, François Mitterand, Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela, Shimon Peres, and Yasser Arafat. His chapter on the Iraq War will be particularly compelling reading for Americans. This fascinating autobiography includes photographs chronicling Chirac’s long and admired career. --Vanessa Bush