This political memoir had been calling to me from my non-fiction TBR—and clearly I couldn’t resist, since I had bought it in both paperback and audio formats!
This review isn’t part of any promo or blog tour, just my own genuine response to a story I sought out myself. And, What A Story!
About The Book
Over the course of a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to standing for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise.
Tackling ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence, engaging with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister, and Brexit as a Cabinet minister, Stewart learned first-hand how profoundly hollow our democracy and government had become.
Cronyism, ignorance and sheer incompetence ran rampant. Around him, individual politicians laid the foundations for the political and economic chaos of today. Stewart emerged battered but with a profound affection for his constituency of Penrith and the Border, and a deep direct insight into the era of populism and global conflict.
Uncompromising, candid and darkly humorous, Politics On the Edge is his story of the challenges, absurdities and realities of political life and a remarkable portrait of our age.
- Audiobook: 16h 20m (Penguin Audio) published 14 September 2023 (narrated by Rory Stewart)
- Hardback: 464p (Jonathan Cape) published 14 September 2023
- Digital: 436p (Vintage Digital) published 14 September 2023
- Paperback: 464p (Vintage) published 6 June 2024
About The Author
Rory Stewart OBE is a British writer, diplomat, politician, and academic.
Born in Hong Kong and proudly Scottish, Stewart served as a Conservative Member of Parliament from 2010 to 2019, representing Penrith and The Border. During that time, he held several key ministerial roles, including Minister of State for International Development and Minister for Prisons. He also stood for leadership of the Conservative Party in 2019, gaining widespread respect for his honesty, intellect, and integrity.
Before entering politics, Stewart had a remarkable international career: he served as a diplomat in Indonesia and the Balkans, worked for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, and famously walked across Afghanistan in 2002—an experience he captured in his acclaimed book The Places In Between. He has also served as the director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard and is a recipient of the Order of the British Empire for his humanitarian work.
Today, Stewart continues to challenge the political status quo as co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is Politics alongside Alastair Campbell. His sharp insights, unflinching honesty, and deep concern for public service have made him a compelling voice in political discourse—and for many, a rare example of integrity in modern politics.
My Review
I’ve never been into politics—too many arguments, too much drama, and honestly, I’ve managed just fine avoiding the topic altogether.
But something shifted over the last couple of years. I started listening, learning, and—dare I say it—getting curious.
After reading the Keir Starmer biography (or not-biography, depending on how you view it), I picked up Rory Stewart’s Politics on the Edge in both audiobook and paperback, but it sat unread… until recently.
With some health issues occupying my mind, I looked for something different to listen to while getting things done around the house. I started Rory’s audiobook—and I was hooked from the very first chapter.
Having Rory narrate his own story made all the difference. It added authenticity and heart. (And let’s be honest, I’m always drawn in when an author reads their own work—unless it’s Richard Armitage, who’s unbeatable in that department!) Rory speaks with a brutal honesty I wasn’t expecting. He names names, pulls no punches, and lays bare the absurdities and dysfunction within our political system. And because he’s so candid—sometimes shockingly so—you believe him.
What struck me most was how deeply he cared. His work in prisons, for example, showed genuine compassion—not just for the system, but for the people within it. And of course, he was swiftly moved on when it looked like he might actually be making a difference. That tells you everything.
His refusal to serve under Boris Johnson—and his decision to leave politics entirely—made me respect him even more. I can’t help but feel that he could have made a great Prime Minister, but perhaps he’s too principled for that role. He’s not a career politician hungry for power—he’s someone who genuinely cares.
I might even check out his podcast The Rest is Politics, though I still don’t consider myself a political person. But maybe—just maybe—Rory Stewart is the kind of voice that could make someone like me listen a little more closely.
#RoryStewart #PoliticsOnTheEdge #BookReview #NonFiction #Political #UKPolitics
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DISCLOSURE: I purchased this book myself. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own.
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