TONY BLAIR: Prime Minister

In this splendid biography, Rentoul begins his tale with Blair's father, a socialist who later became a Conservative. His son would prove every bit as difficult to pin down ideologically. Young Blair, Rentoul says, was a public school rebel "of a strongly anti-Establishment cast of mind." Before attending Oxford, Blair spent a year in London promoting rock 'n' roll acts; while at Oxford, he became the lead singer of the band Ugly Rumours. He was profoundly influenced by the Christian socialism of an Anglican priest named Peter Thomson. After graduation, Blair became a barrister and joined the Labour Party. He won a seat in Parliament in 1983 and spent the next 14 years, a time when Margaret Thatcher dominated British politics, in opposition. As a "soft left" member of Parliament, Blair met the two most important acquaintances of his political career: fellow MP Gordon Brown and media "spin master" Peter Mandelson. With Labour losing election after election, Blair became a leading proponent of party reform, advocating a move away from social permissiveness and toward moral responsibility; he also lessened the influence of trade unions within the party. From Bill Clinton, he learned the importance of seizing the political center. In 1994, Blair became the leader of the Labour Party, and in 1997, he defeated John Major to become prime minister. His first term was marked by historic progress toward peace in Northern Ireland, by fiscal conservatism, an emphasis on education, and skillful media spin control. Rentoul has written the definitive biography of Blair for the present, one that should be read by anyone with an interest in contemporary British politics. Illus. (Jan. 15)

Forecast:Thanks to Blair's unflinching support of the war against terror, he may have a newfound popularity here that could result in increased sales.