'...the Maclean text is a breath of fresh air. The aim of the book is 'to take a considered look at the Mitterrand presidency as a whole, its place in French history, and the trends for the twenty-first century emerging under Chirac'. The editor, and the organisers of the conference from which it sprang, should be congratulated not just for ... Read moreachieving this aim, and admirably so, but for producing a book which also reflects on the nature of political leadership both in France and more generally in the run up to the millennium.' - Robert Elgie, West European Politics '[G]oes a long way towards allowing interested readers to come to their own conclusions about a flawed, but never less than fascinating, individual and his era.' - James F. McMillan, Richard Pares Professor of History, Times Literary Supplement Show Less