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The Chancellor
- The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel
- Narrated by: Alex Allwine, Kati Marton
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
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The Chancellor
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Summary
An intimate and deeply researched account of the extraordinary rise and political brilliance of the most powerful – and elusive – woman in the world.
Angela Merkel has always been an outsider. A pastor’s daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, she spent her twenties working as a research chemist, only entering politics after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet within fifteen years, she had become chancellor of Germany and, before long, the unofficial leader of the West.
Acclaimed author Kati Marton sets out to pierce the mystery of this unlikely ascent. With unparalleled access to the chancellor’s inner circle and a trove of records only recently come to light, she teases out the unique political genius that is the secret to Merkel’s success. No other modern leader has so ably confronted authoritarian aggression, enacted daring social policies and calmly unified an entire continent in an era when countries are becoming only more divided. Again and again, she’s cleverly outmanoeuvred strongmen like Putin and Trump, and weathered surprisingly complicated relationships with allies like Obama and Macron.
Famously private, the woman who emerges from these pages is a role model for anyone interested in gaining and keeping power while staying true to one’s moral convictions. At once a riveting political biography, an intimate human portrait and a revelatory look at successful leadership in action, The Chancellor brings forth from the shadows one of the most extraordinary women of our time.
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Critic reviews
‘[Marton] has recruited a formidable cast of talking heads … and obtained a remarkable degree of access to the chancellor’s inner circle’
The Times
‘One of the best and most readable text books we have about this “indispensable European” … a fascinating portrait of a powerful woman’
Literary Review
‘A masterpiece of discernment and insight’
New York Times
‘A riveting story, adroitly told, full of engrossing anecdotes and rich details’
Los Angeles Review of Books
‘This is the best English-language biography of her rise from a tough and traditional family, through her career as a physical chemist in communist East Germany, to her current renown’ Foreign Affairs
‘It’s instructive to spend time in Merkel’s competent and humane company … [Marton] has doggedly retraced Merkel’s trail, and the story she brings is a good one’
New York Times
‘Fascinating. For anyone who thinks they know a lot about Angela Merkel; for anyone who knows nothing about Angela Merkel – pick up this book and do not put it down until the very last page’
New York Journal of Books
‘With her signature superpowers of rigorous research and unparalleled empathy, Marton brings us deep into the private sphere of Angela Merkel’
Eliza Griswold
‘A compelling and memorable portrait … Angela Merkel’s life is a testament to the power of commitment, diligence, and the possibilities of politics … Tells that story with insight and grace’
JON MEACHAM
‘An intimate, insightful portrait of an extraordinarily private leader, who, in her quiet and determined way, made Germany the economic and moral leader of Europe’
WALTER ISAACSON
‘It’s a thrilling tale, skillfully told, and a reminder of the role of fate and timing in leadership’
JONATHAN ALTER
‘Definitive and brilliantly written, I discovered again in reading it how astonishing Merkel’s life and career have been – and how eventful the period’
VOLKER SCHLÖNDORFF
What listeners say about The Chancellor
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Mr G A Fereos
- 11-02-24
You would not pick up this book expecting it to be about stoicism, but it is.
If you want to know what it’s like to work for the common good, to be an empath, to control how you respond, and to deal with dickheads in the most respectful, honourable, and rational way, then you will not be lost with this book as your guide.
Angela Merkel embodies curiosity, humility and displays a stoic calmness, that would, if roles were swapped, frustrate even a Buddha monk when it comes to the big decisions of life
Angelas life gives insights which act as an operating manual for life to live immediately, and live in Service.
Angela Merkel - Stoic
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mel
- 11-11-21
An interesting account and worth a listen
I've always found Angela Merkel an intreiguing person but haven't followed her particularly closely. I wanted to know more about her time as leader and this book does a great job of recapping her life and giving a glimpse behind the scenes.
The thing that bothered me was that this reads more like a fan account than a well balanced biography. Any negative aspects are neatly brushed over and Angela is presented as a Godlike saviour of the world. And while she certainly has an outstanding record of achievement, integrity and wisdom, it's hard to believe that anyone could epitomize such flawless perfection.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book a great deal and finished it feeling very much in awe of Angela. For me, she's up there in my top role models, the likes of which we could do more of in politics.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Miriam
- 22-02-22
great content, robotic narration
With the exception of arrogant and presumptive epilogue the content was fascinating.
Unfortunately the English narration sounded robotic and monotone - might be a better title to read than listen
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 23-03-22
Priceless
A true definition of factual pragmatic compromise beyond ideology. Without a doubt a masterclass on optimism.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- tara mulryan
- 05-05-23
Exceptional Book and an Exceptional Leader
A truly inspirational leader… the story of Angela Merkel’s life and leadership has really moved and inspired me…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- IM
- 23-12-21
Outstanding!
Outstanding profile of an outstanding world leader - if only more of the others were more like her!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kristopher
- 23-01-23
An inspirational story of a leader
I love how Angela dealt with the Syrian war crisis, recognising that she was once a refugee who have suffered the atrocities of war, experienced the hunger, oppression and internalised the pain. She stood up to her nation of people to remind them that they were also once refugees and without humility, we are lost as a nation, as people. Germany accepted over 1 million Syrian refugees into their country, 10x more than the UK, France, Spain and other leading EU nations combined. Through her scientific action, she demonstrated her principals and lead collaboration jointly with other EU nations through the COVID crisis at the age of +60. A remarkable book! Highly recommend it.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- SJMc
- 06-01-22
Interesting but a little bit too much fan mail
Interesting to learn about her and appeared well researched and written. Occassionally too much about celebrating a female leader which reduced its potential impact.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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- Magdalena
- 01-12-21
Biased.
Biased and seems that Mrs. Merkel has no flaws.
One of the best quote " She has never lied to her people in fifteen years".
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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- Sam Corkindale
- 12-02-22
Disappointing but still working the time.
The numerous small factual errors (official name of the country was wrong, Merkel was not head if state, etc.) made me doubt some of the author's insights. The book was also too Americo-centric, to the point where Merkel is presented as almost solely focused on the place and its leaders. She isn't! The narrator is very poor - the lazy woman just couldn't be bothered to learn the many 'foreign' names and phrases in the text and obviously thought no one would notice. I noticed. And it grated. It's a book about a European person in Europe for heaven's sake, do some homework next time.
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