Primeros reseñadoresJacques Chirac

Two-time president of France, mayor of Paris, and international politician, Jacques Chirac stands with Mikhail Gorbachev, Helmut Kohl, and Margaret Thatcher as one of the most iconic statesmen of the twentieth century. In this revealing and informative memoir, he looks back at his 50 years in politics and some of the twentieth century’s most significant events. He discusses his relationship with Saddam Hussein and other Arab leaders, including serving as confidante to Yasser Arafat during the Camp David peace talks, as well as being France’s point person in the early planning stages for the European Economic Union. And Chirac takes us through the toughest challenge that he faced as president—standing up to George W Bush in the run up to the Iraq War and then deciding to keep France’s army out of the military conflict. As much a tour of the historic events that defined the twentieth century as an intelligent and philosophical meditation on the nature and purpose of power, Jacques Chirac gives us a revealing look at the political forces that shaped the world we live in today—as well as an inside look at a country that holds a perennial fascination for us.

Enter for a chance to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of President Jacques Chirac's memoir. One of the most iconic figures of the twentieth century, his epic memoirs spanning the entire scope of his life in the political arena captivated France. Now, for the first time in English, comes MY LIFE IN POLITICS--a disarmingly honest autobiography from a larger than life political character who continues to make international headlines. Followers of world politics, history buffs, and Francophiles alike will be enthralled to experience this first-person account of some of the most crucial events of recent times. Chirac details the full scope of his life in the public eye, from his start in politics as a protégé of General de Gaulle, to his personal meetings with George W. Bush during his presidency and his staunch opposition to the Iraq war that brought him to the center of a fierce worldwide debate. He ushers the reader through the launch of his political star as an aide to Prime Minister George de Pompidou, which earned him the nickname “bulldozer”. Chirac discusses in striking detail the wrath he incurred from the United States and Israel when he sold Iraq its first nuclear reactor, he describes how he kept the City of Lights whole as mayor during the days of the 1968 riots, and the controversial steps that he took as president to privatize the French economy and plan the European Union. These and numerous other landmark events are brought into sharp focus in MY LIFE IN POLITICS, along with Chirac’s assessment of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy. In an updated foreword, Chirac comments on the history and future of American-French collaboration, providing a new perspective on his life and work for a U.S. audience. As one of the towering figures who shaped modern politics, Chirac’s memoir speaks to the present and future of one of the world’s most vibrant and beloved societies.