A major and controversial new biography of one of the most compelling and contradictory figures in modern British life. Born Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, to most of us he is just ‘Boris’ – the only politician of the age to be regarded in such familiar, even affectionate terms. Uniquely, he combines comedy with erudition, gimlet-eyed focus with jokey self-deprecation, and is a loving family man with a roving eye. He is also a hugely ambitious figure with seemingly no huge ambitions to pursue – other than, perhaps, power itself. In this revealing biography, written from the vantage point of a once close colleague, Sonia Purnell examines how a shy, young boy from a broken home became our only box-office politician – and most unlikely sex god; how the Etonian product fond of Latin tags became a Man of the People – and why he wanted to be; how the gaffe-prone buffoon charmed Londonders to win the largest personal mandate Britain has ever seen; and how the Johnson family built our biggest – and blondest – media and political dynasty. The first forensic account of a remarkable rise to fame and power, Just Boris unravels this most compelling of political enigmas and asks whether the Mayor who dreams of crossing the Thames to Downing Street has what it takes to be Prime Minister.
“Through fast prose and a vast array of interviews, Purnell ... portrays better than any predecessor the arrogance, opportunism, and irresistible buffoonery of our most celebrated politician”.
Independent on Sunday
“If you want the full Johnson experience, do read Sonia Purnell's new biography, Just Boris ... Johnson's supporters have depicted the book as a hatchet job. But actually it struck me as commendably fair”
Andrew Sparrow - The Guardian
“Gripping”
Quentin Letts - The Daily Mail
“Future biographers will always be in her debt. Purnell has accumulated a wealth of previously unknown detail”.
Andrew Gimson - The Spectator
“Filled with gems ... will make uncomfortable reading for Boris”.
Camilla Long - The Sunday Times
“Thorough study...sharply narrated and dilgently researched”.
New Statesman
“A rollicking narrative”.
Observer
“This is a thorough biography and Johnson is a compelling subject”.
Financial Times
“Whether you like Boris or loathe him, he is a class act and Sonia Purnell's excellent book is a must read for those who want to understand this mystery wrapped in an enigma”.
Jerry Hayes - Spectator.co.uk
“One of the many virtues of Purnell's forensic biography is that she broadly leaves the reader to make up their own mind about the true nature of this political phenomenon. Writing as a trained journalist, what Purnell does admirably is marshall the facts, warts and all, about this man”.
Conservativehome.blogs.com
“Sonia Purnell's Just Boris stood out as a critical, illuminating view of London's great blonde egomaniac”
Anne McElvoy - New Statesman
“Thoroughly researched and well-crafted ... If you want to know who and what Boris is, read Sonia Purnell's book”.
Literary Review
So, bumbling Boris Johnson is lovable and funny? Well, have I got news for you
Article by Sonia Purnell - The Guardian read here
Sonia Purnell, author of Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition, addresses The York Union about Boris Johnson's rise and his future watch here
