Unleashed

by Boris Johnson
Unleashed cover
Good Books rating 3.3
Biography and Memoir
Technical:
  • ID: 278
  • Added: 2025-09-07
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • ISBN: 9780008618216
  • Publisher: HarperCollins UK
  • Published: 2024-10-10
  • Formats: 10
  • Reviews: 3
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Waterstones
Hardback • £30.00

Unleashed shatters the mold of traditional political memoirs by offering a candid, unvarnished account of Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The book details major decisions, crises, and events during his tenure, including Brexit, the 2019 landslide election victory, the London Olympics, riots, crime, and his near-death experience with Covid. Johnson’s narrative is driven by his belief in the UK’s exceptional future and provides a rare glimpse into the inner workings of leadership at the highest levels of power. Beyond recounting political events, Unleashed stands out for its unrestrained style and personal insights, reflecting Johnson’s colorful career as a journalist and politician. The memoir captures both the triumphs and controversies of his leadership, offering readers an explosive and revealing perspective on contemporary British politics and the constitutional shifts that defined his era.

Reviews
Goodreads · 2025-09-01
mixed 2.75

Johnson's storytelling is vivid and humorous but marred by selective memory, lack of introspection, and occasional overwhelming prose.

The reviewer appreciates Johnson's flair for vivid storytelling, especially his engaging accounts of events like the 2012 London Olympics and Brexit negotiations, and enjoys his self-deprecating humor. However, the memoir shows clear weaknesses in glossing over controversial episodes, rarely acknowledging mistakes, and indulging in florid, sometimes overwrought language. The narrative starts interesting and quirky but eventually feels burdened by lies, exaggerations, and dismissals of setbacks, leaving readers questioning the memoir's purpose.

Quick quotes

    Johnson's flair for narrative shines through, especially in his recounting of the 2012 London Olympics.

    Brexit looms large... his insider's view is illuminating, if not always entirely credible.

    Triumphs are outlandishly bolstered, setbacks dismissed.

Democratic Erosion · 2025-04-17
populist 3.75

The memoir is analyzed as a populist narrative where Johnson crafts himself as a charismatic leader misunderstood by elites but beloved by the people.

This review interprets 'Unleashed' through the lens of populism, highlighting how Johnson positions himself as a leader fighting against bureaucratic elites and for national sovereignty, especially regarding Brexit. The memoir's style, featuring onomatopoeia and self-mockery, supports his portrayal as an accessible, fearless figure. The analysis references scholarly theories on charismatic leadership and populism to explain Johnson's strategy of connecting with a devoted base by projecting simplicity and common values, reinforcing his image as the protector against perceived antagonists like the EU.

Quick quotes

    Johnson is not simply a British phenomenon. His empty but dangerous populism is part of a global trend.

    I needed to bee-oing-oing back on to my feet like an India rubber ball.

    Boris Johnson masterfully employs these tactics. He positions himself as the one who truly understands what the people want.

OnLondon · Jack Brown · 2024-11-01
readable 3.40

The memoir is readable and highlights Johnson's more successful time as Mayor of London, though it will frustrate critics who view him negatively as Prime Minister.

Jack Brown sees 'Unleashed' as a readable but flawed memoir that underlines Boris Johnson's relative success as London Mayor compared to his later political roles. He suggests the book serves as a somewhat inadvertent advertisement for the mayoralty itself, portraying Johnson as someone who enjoyed that role significantly more than his premiership. However, the memoir contains little detail on major controversies and includes some undignified language, which might aggravate those critical of Johnson's political career, especially around Brexit.

Quick quotes

    Unleashed contains a great deal that will further infuriate those who view Johnson as a terrible Prime Minister and the awful liar behind Brexit.

    Johnson is a better writer than speaker, although he did have his moments, particularly when he was Mayor.

    Ten of the book’s 60 chapters glowingly describe his time running London.

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