Hailed by Margaret Thatcher as the founder of modern Conservatism, Keith Joseph (1918-94) is commonly ranked among the most influential politicians of the late-twentieth century. A hugely complex and enigmatic figure, Joseph was almost unique among Mrs Thatcher's senior ministers in refusing to write his own memoirs. Andrew Denham and Mark Garnett's acclaimed biography has finally filled this gap in Conservative Party history. It provides not only a detailed picture of a career littered with controversy but also a major study of the role of ideas in politics. For a full understanding of the nature of contemporary British politics it is essential reading.

"A beautifully proportioned work, sound in its judgements and psychologically acute. It constitutes a major contribution to contemporary history, one of the best biographies indeed of recent years."

Vernon Bogdanor