'It is being billed as the "must-read" political book of the year.' The Independent '[A] captivating account... It is unlikely that his account will change many minds about this greatly flawed politician, but its self-lacerating candour and humour deserve a wide audience. It is both a memoir and a manual, one that will serve historians, students of the craft of politics and - if they take the trouble to read it - those Conservatives who are even now working on how to get David Cameron back to Downing Street in 2015. It is the essential political book of the year... There are anecdotes galore involving nudity, vast amounts of alcohol, and dirty tricks. His memoir will be read first for the elegant and lightly told vignettes. McBride can write, which makes it a pleasure to read... So much of this invaluable book is true.' Benedict Brogan, The Telegraph "Although there is no shortage of New Labour memoirs, what gives this book a ghastly fascination is that it is the first no-holds-barred account of life at Brown's court... It is well written, generous to friend and foe alike and the author's undoubted boastfulness is tempered by heavy doses of self-deprecation." Chris Mullin, The Observer "Every third page boasts score-settling, name-calling, desperate recollections of appalling alcoholism. In other words, it's a bloody good yarn. But one thing the Telegraph's Iain Martin pointed out, perhaps even better than the juicy revelations on every page, is how brilliantly written it is as well. And it's not often you can say that about political memoirs. For those of us in the media, of course, the pleasure of scanning the index for friends, colleagues and former lovers was worth the cover price alone. But even for those in other countries, or not particularly interested in the inside baseball world of politics, this is probably the most enjoyable book you can read about that chapter of Britain's political history. Come to think of it, it's probably the most enjoyable book I've read all year." Milo Yiannopoulos, The Kernel "It is pacy and McBride writes with a nice turn of phrase. As a glimpse into the Brown bunker it offers much." Robert Shrimsley, Financial Times "McBride has a tremendous narrative gift, as well as a great clarity of thought. The latter is a marvel... [The alternative reading is that] McBride is still spinning." The Sunday Times "It is an eye-opener about the factionalism - and hate - that can exist within one government." Alison Phillips, Daily Mirror "Damian McBride is a b*****d. And, unsually for a memorist, he's very keen to let you know that from the start... often as interesting for what it doesn't say as for what it does." Helen Lewis, New Statesman "[Power Trip] reveals that McBride's notoriety was well deserved." The Week "I have always admired McBride's writing - imagine Luca Brasi with a Cambridge degree - and am not surprised that his memoirs are proving so gripping, given the material and his genuine talent as a stylist." Matthew d'Ancona, The Telegraph "I've developed an unlikely crush on Damian McBride - His performance on Newsnight was masterly, reducing Paxo to platitudes. McBride's book Power Trip strips away the fluff, the verbiage, the feeble excuses and the patronising twaddle that gushes from our political leaders and their spin doctors and we are left with the equivalent of cage fighting; The Thick of It now looks tame." Janet Street Porter, The Independent on Sunday "In our last issue we reported a couple of jolly transport anecdotes from Power Trip, the autobiography of Gordon Brown's controversial spin doctor, Damian McBride - Well we've finished the book and what a cracking read it was!" Local Transport Today "It's worth [reading] for the insights McBride provides into the way we were governed during the New Labour years." Choice Magazine "This accessible account of the role of Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride provides an insight into many of the main players as well as the murky world of Westminster's journalistic goldfish bowl - McBride has an interesting view on the Brown-Blair feud." Morning Star "Current Affairs Book of the Year: *;This devastatingly forthright account of McBride's years as Gordon Brown's spin doctor and attack dog is the best book I have read all year. " Sian Griffiths, The Sunday Times "The most explosive - and expletive laden - political book of the year." Dan Hodges, The Telegraph "Power Trip is the political memoir of 2013: whatever your feelings about Gordon Brown's former spin doctor - "McPoison" - he has written a racy, lucid and very well-informed account of the last years of New Labour." Andrew Neather, The Evening Standard "A tale of treachery, dishonest, expletives, un-deleted, and the subversion of elected governments by a talented rouge employee who was allowed to run rings round the system, largely unchecked." Times Literary Supplement "Reading Power Trip, one is both fascinated and appalled by McBride's brutal philosophy, self-deception and pride in twisting the truth. What drives him from the first time he is asked to do some work for Brown is his love and admiration for this most unlovable politician." Total Politics "For me the undisputed political book of the year has to be [Power Trip] - disgraced spin doctor Damian McBride's occasionally terrifying account of his life and work in the court of Gordon Brown. He gives an achingly vivid account of his role in New Labour's palace intrigues in his confessional memoir, Power Trip. And he managed to shock even Westminster insiders who'd had an occasional glimpse of his activities... [T]here are enough accounts of systemic leaking and brutal smears to provide a horribly revealing insight into the seamy side of political life. And it's very well written." Mark D'Arcy, BOOKtalk "Best Political Book of the Year" Toby Young, The Telegraph 'It is utterly gripping. I found it enjoyable and appalling in almost equal measure.' Ruth Davidson, The Scotsman
