Purple Homicide: Fear and Loathing on Knutsford Heath

i agree with other readers. this book is rubbish. the author sweeney writes as if he had picked up english from a dictionary. to make matters worse he thinks he is clever and funnty and he is not. he is a dimwit and a bore. how i wish the wonderful martin bell had written this book. that would have been a treat.

and now a reviewer from the UK... (3/3 people found this helpful)

This book is not so much a treaties on political philosophy... Instead what we are treated to is life, imitating art, in a modern-day MacBeth and a very real battle for the truth. In 1997 the Conservative Party fought and lost the General Election with two hands tied behind their backs and a leg in chains. The cause of this predicament? Jeffery Archer, Neil Hamilton and Jonathon Aitken - men who held the public trust and who were found to be liars, cheaters, corrupt or all of the above. This book plots the fall of one of these three and the battle which was fought by an Independent Man (supported by Conservatives, Liberals and Labour supporters alike) to make a stand for truth and integrity.

It has been said that we all get the government we deserve. Martin Bell gave the people of Britain the hope that our expectations of representation can still be delivered. He allowed us to believe that if you separate the "party" from the "politics" in issues of standards that we can replace the hollow with the substantial. (It was particularly pleasing that in his four years as an MP he became hugely popular in Tatton and was widely regarded as a damn fine champion of his constituents).

This is a book about public vigilance that should be force-fed to all public servants in all countries and all students of politics. Let us see if our current government has taken these lessons on board, I for one fear the worst.

A Modern (and real life) Macbeth- Excellent (4/4 people found this helpful)

Purple Homicide tells the story of the 1997 UK General election, and in particular the incredible fight for the constituency of Tatton between Neil Hamilton, former minister for corporate probity, and Martin Bell, ex of the BBC and completely new to the dirty world of politics.
The book, essentially Sweeny's memories of the month leading up to election day, balances the serious, funny and downright surreal sides of the campaign, all brilliantly brought to life by Martin Rowson's cartoons. A book I would recommend to anyone, but would particularly appeal to those who stayed up to watch the downfall of the Tory Party in 1997. A truly marvellous read.

More leftie propaganda (0/9 people found this helpful)

Mr Legend of Wellington knows nothing about gritty British politics. He obviously has some strange agenda here. Purple Homicide is simply another example of the familiar liberal trashing of conservatives that wouldn't have happened in Maggie's day. And Mr Bell: as an MP, he made a great TV talking head.

A delicious account of the triumph of good over loathesome. (3/3 people found this helpful)

Any book which has a character known as Julia Heartless-Bastard,plus a forward by David Soul(who was either Starsky or Hutch,I`m not sure which)has got to be worth investigating. And so it proved.It`s an account of the battle between Martin Bell(better known for TV reports from wartorn places) and Neil Hamilton(better known for taking bribes) for the allegedly safe Conservative seat of Tatton. It`s not entirely impartial;and neither should it be.And even though anyone with even the remotest interest in politics will be fully aware of the outcome,it`s a thoroughly intriguing look at the machinations of an election campaign..the contrast between the slickness of the Tories and the endearingly chaotic approach of their opponents is constantly apparent. I don`t think i`ve ENJOYED a book so much in years..a rivetting story brilliantly told.

Purple Homicide: Fear and Loathing on Knutsford Heath

John Sweeney

Reader Reviews:

one star is too good for this (0/4 people found this helpful)

and now a reviewer from the UK... (3/3 people found this helpful)

A Modern (and real life) Macbeth- Excellent (4/4 people found this helpful)

More leftie propaganda (0/9 people found this helpful)

A delicious account of the triumph of good over loathesome. (3/3 people found this helpful)

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