Does writing a memoir commit the author to a non-fiction account? Any author must strike a balance between objectivity and idiosyncratic perception of events. Timelines are compressed, emotions factored in, and reputations preserved. But will Boris Johnson’s upcoming memoir possess any credibility at all? Pursued by a track record of Partygate, cronyism, and misuse of political donations to refurbish his flat, it appears unlikely that the memoir will be cathartically candid. Prince Harry’s record-breaking release of Spare gave us more truth than we bargained for (though some would call the updates on the temperature of his genitals unnecessary). Can we expect Johnson to confront his version of the truth to the same degree? As someone notorious for blundering, circumventing, and bare-faced lies, any marketing of Johnson’s memoir as the bracing truth may carry more than a hint of irony.
Since he resigned from Downing Street in July, rumours of a book deal have crescendoed. It seemed inevitable that Johnson, a journalist and author of 11 published books, would capitalise on his powers of rhetoric. Announced on Monday, the memoir will be published by William Collins, an imprint of HarperCollins UK, yet lacks a publication date and title thus far. Arabella Pike, publishing director at William Collins, has promised a ‘Prime Ministerial memoir like no other’, offering no additional information beyond the book covering Johnson’s tumultuous office term. So, what can we expect?
Is it a last-ditch attempt to salvage public affection following a fatal string of scandals? At heart, Johnson is a people-pleaser. His instinct to deliver good news, sometimes thus forgoing the truth, has contributed to his mendacious reputation. If he’s angling to be reinstated as PM, he’ll want to win back the voting public with his signature humorous sloganeering. Andrew Gimson, author of the biography The Rise of Boris Johnson, commented to the BBC that the memoir will be ‘an important exercise in rescuing his reputation’ and that Johnson has ‘got to tell those people I’m worth another go’. This points to a populist manifesto of a memoir: a canvas for a potential reclamation of power. After months of ambiguity, Johnson vehemently claimed in October that he will not mount a bid to run for PM again, as it ‘would simply not be the right thing to do.’ However, in 2014, his assertion that he would not be returning to the House of Commons during his tenure as mayor proved to be (to use some of his favourite jargon) utter balderdash. Perhaps, then, the memoir will artfully skim his chequered past of dishonourable sackings to expostulate on Rishi Sunak’s current government and lever himself into Britain’s good graces again.
Such memoirs are often marketed as a peek behind the polished veneer of celebrity. Former child star Jennette McCurdy recently obliterated her Nickelodeon-curated reputation with the shockingly titled autobiography I’m Glad My Mom Died. But it seems unlikely we will be afforded a glimpse behind Brand Boris. This week, he was found to have given the job of BBC Chairman to Richard Sharp shortly after he helped to secure an £800,000 loan for Johnson. He has since denounced the reports as ‘absolute nonsense’, despite confirmation of their veracity by journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke. If the memoir is a legitimate confession, the public will witness a screeching U-turn of Biblical proportions. Unfortunately, we may instead be treated to wry, subjective rehashings of certain controversial events from his time as PM, which may have a troublesome relationship with the truth.
Understandably, it may prove difficult for a man who claims to ‘not immediately recall’ some of his most contentious comments to pen an honest autobiography. Harder still if he’s not even confident about how many children he has. What is certain, however, is that Johnson’s memoir will be no less divisive than his character.
Image Credit: “Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union” by UK Prime Minister is licenced under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.