Pistols at Dawn

A good introduction to British politics

Iain Macwhirter, The Herald

A joy to read: meticulously researched, beautifully written and scrupulously fair

Observer

This is a timely book. It comes at a moment when British politics is haunted by the intimate enmity of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and by all its attendant sub-feuds

Richard Vinen, The Sunday Times

While pistols have long since gone out of fashion, the tradition of the political duel, as John Campbell's delightful book suggests, is far from dead...a wonderfully, irresistibly compelling read

Dominic Sandbrook, The Telegraph

These eight studies are lively, penetrating, intelligent and, like all Campbell's work, exceptionally well written

Philip Ziegler, Spectator

Stylish look at two centuries of quarrels and catfights

The Sunday Times

Entertaining... An elegantly written, wise and authoritative volume

David Stenhouse, Scotland on Sunday

One of Britain's finest political biographers... a rattling good read

Ian Aitken, Guardian

This is a most engaging and rewarding book...stylish, scholarly and notably perceptive

David Brooks, BBC History Magazine

He [Campbell] captures the determining role of personality in politics and the book is strong on tactics, strategy and, most of all, skulduggery

Rohan McWilliam, History Today

a wonderfully, irresistibly compelling read

Telegraph

...cleverly conceived and stylishly executed...

Independent

...well worth staying the course... Campbell's dissection of this last union covers much familiar ground, but he shows just how much a close political relationship can hobble an administration as much as energise it

Independent on Sunday

The book is a joy to read: meticulously researched, beautifully written and scrupulously fair.

Chris Mullen, Observer

stylish book

Sunday Times

Entertaining study

Simon Shaw, Daily Mail