An astute, engrossing overview of Macron’s presidency and potential.
A political consultant surveys the career of Emmanuel Macron in this nonfiction work.
As an international political coach, former French diplomat, and author of multiple books on European high politics, Lefebvre is keenly aware of the political complexities of 21st-century Western Europe. Divided thematically in chapters that analyze Macron the “Shapeshifter,” “Reformer,” and “Crisis Manager,” to name a few, the book is part biography of the French president and part political commentary. Significant attention, for instance, is given to his romance with teacher-turned-wife Brigitte as well as its political ramifications, which included a smear campaign by Russian-funded media that was echoed by the French right alleging sexual abuse when Macron was 15 years old. Though described here as a “pragmatist,” Macron is also portrayed in these pages as unafraid to take “bold and dangerous” moves, as when he released a satirical video that went viral mocking President Donald Trump and entitled “Let’s Make the Planet Great Again.” Shortly after, Macron continued to goad Trump, confronting him at the G7 Summit with a “tense” handshake that he subsequently described to the French press as “a moment of truth” that signaled he “will not make small concessions.” Admittedly, this book was written before the 2022 French presidential runoffs and was published “in the middle” of Macron’s political career. While the outcome of the 2022 presidential election is still unknown, the work sees Macron as the titular “prototype for a new generation of world leaders.” As in any political narrative, Lefebvre writes, this story needs “bad guys,” and the “villains” here are right-wing populists, from Trump in America to Marine Le Pen in France and a host of “extreme-right” politicians on the rise in Hungary, Poland, and across the European Union. Written in an accessible prose for American audiences unfamiliar with the nuances of French domestic politics, this book effectively balances engagement with the general public with an erudite appraisal that will appeal to scholars and politicians familiar with European affairs. While a bit fawning at times, the work is nevertheless generally convincing in its political analysis.
An astute, engrossing overview of Macron’s presidency and potential.Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-59211-145-9
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Gaudium
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A heartfelt if somewhat unsurprising view of old age by the former president. Carter (Living Faith, 1996, etc.) succinctly evaluates the evolution and current status of federal policies concerning the elderly (including a balanced appraisal of the difficulties facing the Social Security system). He also meditates, while drawing heavily on autobiographical anecdotes, on the possibilities for exploration and intellectual and spiritual growth in old age. There are few lightning bolts to dazzle in his prescriptions (cultivate family ties; pursue the restorative pleasures of hobbies and socially minded activities). Yet the warmth and frankness of Carter’s remarks prove disarming. Given its brevity, the work is more of a call to senior citizens to reconsider how best to live life than it is a guide to any of the details involved.
Pub Date: Oct. 26, 1998
ISBN: 0-345-42592-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1998
An accessible, informative journey through complex issues during turbulent times.
Immersion journalism in the form of a graphic narrative following a Syrian family on their immigration to America.
Originally published as a 22-part series in the New York Times that garnered a Pulitzer for editorial cartooning, the story of the Aldabaan family—first in exile in Jordan and then in New Haven, Connecticut—holds together well as a full-length book. Halpern and Sloan, who spent more than three years with the Aldabaans, movingly explore the family’s significant obstacles, paying special attention to teenage son Naji, whose desire for the ideal of the American dream was the strongest. While not minimizing the harshness of the repression that led them to journey to the U.S.—or the challenges they encountered after they arrived—the focus on the day-by-day adjustment of a typical teenager makes the narrative refreshingly tangible and free of political polemic. Still, the family arrived at New York’s JFK airport during extraordinarily political times: Nov. 8, 2016, the day that Donald Trump was elected. The plan had been for the entire extended family to move, but some had traveled while others awaited approval, a process that was hampered by Trump’s travel ban. The Aldabaans encountered the daunting odds that many immigrants face: find shelter and employment, become self-sustaining quickly, learn English, and adjust to a new culture and climate (Naji learned to shovel snow, which he had never seen). They also received anonymous death threats, and Naji wanted to buy a gun for protection. He asked himself, “Was this the great future you were talking about back in Jordan?” Yet with the assistance of selfless volunteers and a community of fellow immigrants, the Aldabaans persevered. The epilogue provides explanatory context and where-are-they-now accounts, and Sloan’s streamlined, uncluttered illustrations nicely complement the text, consistently emphasizing the humanity of each person.
An accessible, informative journey through complex issues during turbulent times.Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-30559-6
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Metropolitan/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
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