Speaking My Mind

Brings to life some of the behind-the-scenes moments of what has been a transformative period in Irish and global politics – Mary Regan * Sunday Independent *
A lively and easy read and can help in future examinations of a very fast-changing Ireland – John Downing * Irish Independent *
A great read … fascinating insights – Brendan O’Connor * RTÉ Radio 1 *
Refreshingly honest * The Guardian *
Whatever your views on Varadkar and his political legacy, you’ll be gripped by these stories * Sunday Independent *
Candid … engagingly honest * Financial Times *
He is easy, cosmopolitan company, judiciously bitchy, but never cruel. I own a lot of books written by and about Irish politicians and this one is the most human in its telling * The Times *
There is gossip, revealing text exchanges and entertaining titbits … the reader gets a good sense of the pressures of serving as taoiseach – Diarmaid Ferriter * Irish Times *
Highly illuminating on the relationship between self-suppression and the reactionary social conservatism he once espoused … There’s real life and real insight in these passages * The Observer *
Fascinating insights into his own thinking and the behaviour of others – Irish Daily Mail

Leo Varadkar grew up in Dublin, the son of an Irish mother and an Indian father. He studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin, but practised as a doctor for just a short time before becoming a full-time politician after election to Dáil Éireann (the Irish parliament) in 2007.

He became a cabinet minister in 2011 and in 2017, at the age of 38, he became Taoiseach. Leo Varadkar served as Taoiseach until 2020 and again from late 2022 until his resignation in April 2024. He lives with his partner in Dublin.

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