The reason why Publicity and Editorial are always distinct departments of the publishing industry came to us magically as we were reading an article in the Daily Telegraph. It’s to stop editors telling everyone how awesome they are. In this particular instance though, it would appear that those editorial types have little to take credit for.
A large part of Daniel Hannan’s review of Fighting Bull, the autobiography of the UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, praises the ‘authenticity’ of the voice within the book. Clearly, Nigel’s fascinating story, of a typical Home Counties boy who became leader of a party that came second in the last European election, remained intact throughout the editing process. In fact, it is so real that the editors appear to have left the book to speak for itself in Farage’s unique tone. And the conclusion that Hannan reaches, having read such an ‘earthy, Hogarthian and utterly honest’ book, is that ‘Nigel Farage is Denis Thatcher on speed.’
Whatever that means, Hannan loves it. We could put select, snappy quotes from his review here, maybe those bits that say...
‘Like most people with the popular touch, Nigel is savvier than you realise at first. His life story pulses with the ideas that actuate him: libertarianism, British particularism and (in the sense of championing the people against the elites) populism.’
Or
‘I wonder whether his party realises how much it owes him... buy the book: you’ll enjoy it.’
...but we’re too modest for that, so you can read the whole review if you like.
Get Nigel Farage's Fighting Bull here for £17.99.