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Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader Kindle Edition

by Matthew Qvortrup (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 237 ratings
“Drawing from rich behind-the-scenes knowledge,” a biography of the woman who led Germany for sixteen years (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Angela Merkel, who has held control of the European Union and successfully negotiated with Vladimir Putin, has been one of the most crucial and formidable fixtures in contemporary politics. This book weaves the personal story of the former German chancellor with the vivid history of post-World War II and post-Cold War Europe in a riveting account of the political titan’s ascent from obscurity to become one of the most influential leaders in the world, responsible for making Germany freer and more prosperous than it has ever been.

This updated edition of the definitive biography follows Angela Merkel from her bleak childhood in East Germany through her meteoric rise to power, and includes up-to-date information on recent pressing concerns such as the refugee crisis. Offering an unprecedented look at how Merkel’s inimitable personality and perspective allowed her and her staff of mostly female advisors to repeatedly outmaneuver a network of conservative male politicians, Angela Merkel is essential reading for anyone interested in politics and current affairs, or simply in the story of a truly remarkable woman.

“Well-written and informative.” —Booklist
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  1. Print length
    471 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    ABRAMS Press
  4. Publication date
    August 22, 2017
  5. File size
    7.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Angela Merkel has been Chancellor of Germany for the past 11 years; arguably, she remains the most powerful political leader in Europe. Yet most Americans are unfamiliar with her personal or political life, so this first English-language biography can help alleviate that shortcoming. A well-written and informative tribute to an extraordinary political leader.”
- Booklist

“In Angela Merkel, Matthew Qvortrup masterfully weaves together the key episodes of this turbulent life and most unlikely political career, and provides compelling evidence that there is no better way toward a deeper understanding of the present than revisiting the past.”
- Professor Ludger Helms, University of Innsbruck; author of Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chancellors

“Qvortrup’s writing comes alive when recounting political machinations...The reader leaves the book with plenty of facts about Merkel’s life and possessing a better understanding of recent German politics.”
- Publishers Weekly

“In a world full of disappointing national leaders, Matt Qvortrup provides us with an insightful, revealing, vivid reading of a leading woman who tops them all.”
- Amitai Etzioni, author of The Active Society

“Impressively researched, exceptionally detailed, extraordinarily well-written, organized and presented, Angela Merkel: Europe's Most Influential Leader is a consistently compelling read from beginning to end.”
- Midwest Book Review

“Written in a lively and engaging style, Angela Merkel is a joy to read. It is an extraordinary and incisive book, which gives us a unique insight into the life and times of the woman who almost single-handedly transformed the politics of her country and of the world.”
- Arend Lijphart, Research Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of California, San Diego

About the Author

Matthew Qvortrup is currently professor of political science at Coventry University’s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations. Previously, he was academic director in the Department of Security and Management at Cranfield University. He was educated at Oxford and the University of Copenhagen and has written for Bloomberg Businessweek, The Sun, The Scotsman, and The Times. He also appears as a regular commentator for the BBC, on both radio and television.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MXC6XWQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ABRAMS Press; 1st edition (August 22, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 22, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 7.7 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 471 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 237 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
237 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides great insights into Angela Merkel's political life and contemporary German politics. Moreover, the language is easy to read.

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6 customers mention "Insight"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights into Angela Merkel's political life and contemporary German politics.

"Well written and easy to read. Educational and informative for those who are not familiar with German history and politics. Enjoyed reading it." Read more

"...She is a spunky woman. I had hoped for the book to be a bit "warmer", being more personal. But it's definitely worth the read." Read more

"...This book provides significant insight to her development as a politician and signature achievements, particularly her stance on the immigration..." Read more

"Excellent book: easy to read and follow, providing great insights about contemporary Germany politics and the tremendous feats of Angela Merkel, a..." Read more

3 customers mention "Language"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the language of the book easy to read, with one customer noting it is well written, and another mentioning it is fluent in Russian.

"Well written and easy to read. Educational and informative for those who are not familiar with German history and politics. Enjoyed reading it." Read more

"...She is fluent in Russian which has helped her over the years as she negotiates trade agreements and other issues with Russia...." Read more

"Excellent book: easy to read and follow, providing great insights about contemporary Germany politics and the tremendous feats of Angela Merkel, a..." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read.

"...But it's definitely worth the read." Read more

"Excellent book: easy to read and follow, providing great insights about contemporary Germany politics and the tremendous feats of Angela Merkel, a..." Read more

"This is such a great read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Well written and easy to read. Educational and informative for those who are not familiar with German history and politics. Enjoyed reading it.
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  • Connie
    4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I've learned a lot about her, and admire her more than I did. She is a spunky woman.
    I had hoped for the book to be a bit "warmer", being more personal. But it's definitely worth the read.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Rebecca Mugridge
    5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended
    Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    In preparation for our summer vacation in Berlin, I wanted to read a little about Germany. I picked this biography of Angela Merkel and an overview of German history that I'll write about in another post. Author Matthew Qvortrup is a professor of political science at Coventry University in the UK, and with this book he has written an interesting narrative of Angela Merkel's life. The focus is less on her early life and more on her development as a politician. I found her background fascinating. Ms. Merkel grew up in East Germany and is the first post-reunification chancellor to come from the East. She is fluent in Russian which has helped her over the years as she negotiates trade agreements and other issues with Russia.

    Growing up as the daughter of a pastor in the GDR, she had to learn to be very careful with her words and actions. In college, Ms. Merkel studied physics and mathematics; she was a scientist before she turned to politics. Physics was a field that was relatively safe from Marxist theory and a refuge for many. After German reunification, she became involved in politics and rose rapidly in the Christian Democratic Union, a center-right political party. Her ability to compromise has allowed her to achieve much in her time as chancellor. This book provides significant insight to her development as a politician and signature achievements, particularly her stance on the immigration crisis. This book was published in 2017, so it doesn't contain much about recent U.S.-German relations, unfortunately.

    This book had an index, a lengthy notes section, eight pages of color photographs, and a glossary. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys current events and biographies. I particularly liked reading about politics that had nothing to do with our current horror show of an administration! It's restorative to read about a politician with values, someone who's trying to do some good in the world.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • P. H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book about Contemporary German Politics and Chancellor Angela Merkel
    Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent book: easy to read and follow, providing great insights about contemporary Germany politics and the tremendous feats of Angela Merkel, a consummate puppet master. I've always been a huge fan of Chancellor Angela Merkel and this book made me a bigger fan: she is fantastic. I wish every leader were more like Chancellor Merkel. This book should be read by every contemporary leader.

    While the EU has changed dramatically, especially since Brexit, this book is still useful in order to understand the forces that will shape how Germany and other EU members are transformed. For example, Greece has sought and received tremendous financial aid from China as part of the latter's Belt & Road infrastructure initiative. In early 2018, Ms. Merkel is endeavoring to form a new coalition government in her quest to rule as Germany's chancellor for a fourth term.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • E. Jones
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good Biography Of Former Chancellor Angela Merkel
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2025
    The book, "Angela Merkel Europe's Most Influential Leader," by Matthew Qvortrup, provides an interesting look at her life. It has a good review of many of the issues that she dealt with in her political career, such as the refugee crisis and the Greek financial crisis, as well as how she interacted with the various politicians, both foreign and domestic, that she had to deal with. The most interesting part to me, though, was the description of her early life as a child in East Germany. There were limits, though, to the amount that the author could say about her background, since much of it remains only partially known. For this reason, I found it to be a good book, but not necessarily great book. it is, though, in my opinion, still a worthwhile book to read.
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  • Bohani Hlungwane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is such a great read. It really gives great insight into Angela Merkel’s political life as one of the most important leaders in the world over the past decade and a half. Great tactician
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Lisa in Louisa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Woman in Charge
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Fascinating look at Chancellor Merkel's rise to power. Easy, enjoyable look at a smart, thoughtful, and decisive woman in charge. A true role model for our young women.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Kirsten Martin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Important German chancellor
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Nonfiction political important
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Heather
    3.0 out of 5 stars Haven't finished it yet but has potential
    Reviewed in Australia on December 9, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Half way through reading this but have been distracted by other books to read. Finding it very interesting and will definitely be looking to finish it, especially as she is getting ready to move on in real life.
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  • Maria Neves
    5.0 out of 5 stars Uma verdadeira líder europeia
    Reviewed in Spain on January 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Este livro é uma importante lição de como uma vida pode influenciar um continente. Uma das ultimas verdadeiras lideres europeias e até mundiais. Leitura fácil e informação importante para quem gosta deste tipo de livros.
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  • Tamara
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
    Reviewed in India on August 2, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Liked this book, it gave me some insight on one of the great women leaders of the world, the circumstances and political scenario in Germany and how Angela became what she is today.
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  • Lutz Hagestedt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Merkel-Biographie
    Reviewed in Germany on April 24, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Die beste Merkel-Biographie, soweit ich sehe. Es sollte sie auch auf Deutsch geben!
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  • Henry C Woodcock jr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight as to how Germany deal with a modern Europe
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    The books gives a great insight as to how Germany deals with an ever changing Europe
    The book show what part Merkel wants for a better and more United Europe
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