tenure as leader of the British Labour Party (1994–2007), and Prime
Minister of the United Kingdom (1997–2007). Under Blair's stewardship
the party was rebranded as New Labour and secured a party record of
three successive terms in office. Two of the book's major themes concern
Blair's strained relationship with his Chancellor Gordon Brown, and his
controversial decision to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Blair discusses Labour's future after its defeat at the 2010 general
election, his relations with the Royal Family, and how he came to
respect President George W. Bush. A Journey received mixed reviews; some
criticised Blair's writing style, but others called it candid. Financial
Times editor Lionel Barber described it as "part psychodrama, part
treatise on the frustrations of leadership in a modern democracy". Blair
donated his £4.6 million advance, and all subsequent royalties, to the
British Armed Forces charity The Royal British Legion. It became the
fastest-selling autobiography of all time at the bookstore chain
Waterstones, but promotional events were marked by antiwar protests.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Journey>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1782:
Construction began on the Grand Palace of Bangkok, the official
residence of the King of Thailand.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Palace>
1801:
French Revolutionary Wars: The outmanned and outgunned
HMS Speedy captured the 32-gun Spanish frigate El Gamo.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_6_May_1801>
1882:
U.S. President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion
Act into law, implementing a ban on Chinese immigration to the United
States that eventually lasted for over 60 years until the 1943 Magnuson
Act.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act>
1937:
The German zeppelin Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed
while trying to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey,
killing over 30 people on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_129_Hindenburg>
1941:
American entertainer Bob Hope performed the first of his many
shows for the United Service Organizations.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hope>
1984:
Pope John Paul II canonized 103 of the Korean Martyrs, who were
the subjects of religious persecution against Christians in 19th-century
Korea.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Martyrs>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
softly softly:
(UK, idiomatic) In a very tactful, careful, or nondisruptive manner.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/softly_softly>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
They called me mad, and I called them mad, and damn them, they
outvoted me.
--Nathaniel Lee
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Lee>
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