Karen (Retired Bookseller) Anything Could Happen is a very apt title and description of Grant Robertson's memoir. Told with honesty, optimism and humour. I was hooked from beginning to end as Grant recounts his life from childhood to the end of his vast and varied political career. A fascinating read I highly recommend.
An extract from Angela Walker's review at www.ketebooks.co.nz "What gently emerges from his many yarns is who Grant Robertson really is and exactly why he ascended to the second highest office in the land. We see his collaborative people skills in action. Selflessness, resourcefulness, intellect and a ready humour hover between the lines."
In this illuminating and beautifully written book, Grant Robertson reflects on the major events in his life, from growing up in a loving but complex family, through to his highly successful career as a Labour politician and becoming Finance Minister in the Ardern government during one of New Zealand history's most tumultuous times.
A natural storyteller, Robertson writes memorably about his childhood and teen years in Dunedin: grappling with his sexuality as a teenager, his passion for music and a fleeting career managing bands, his emerging political beliefs, and being told the shocking news that his father had been stealing from his employer and was facing imprisonment.
Robertson paints a vivid picture of life inside parliament - including his time in opposition, where he learnt at the feet of Helen Clark, and the immense privilege and responsibility of being Finance Minister, none more so than when the Covid-19 pandemic threatened to decimate New Zealand's economy.
In recounting the challenges he faced, Robertson writes honestly about how politics works, and why it matters, and his belief in the unique potential of Aotearoa and his optimism for its future.
Memoirs, Biography - Literature and Literary studies, Society and Social Sciences
Paperback
304 pages, H: 234mm W: 153mm
Weight: 414 grams