In this insightful and inspiring biography, New York Times Berlin correspondent Melissa Eddy brings Angela Merkel’s political strategy and rise to power to life in this brilliantly written and organized book. Focusing on her political position and the lessons Merkel and readers learned from her tenure as chancellor of Germany (and a holder of other political positions), Eddy brings Merkel’s life and career to bear in this complete and complex insight. With its iconic cover and excellent organization, Eddy traces Merkel’s political career -- both her triumphs and obstacles -- from her childhood and early career to her recent tenure as chancellor in incredible detail, drawing on media coverage and other sources to build this picture of a powerful political genius and role model for the feminist movement. Eddy’s writing style is to the point and incredibly direct, but she humanizes Merkel while keeping the awe-inspiring elements visible in the narrative. With the brilliant life lesson titles and excellent use of anecdotes throughout the novel, readers get a chance to look into Merkel’s life and see where it can intersect with and inspire their own lives. Well-written, dynamic, and inspiring, this book is a complex, masterful and brilliant insight into one of the great woman leaders of the twenty-first century.

Merkel's Law explores the life of Angela Merkel and the deep changes that she left on the world during her time as a leader. It's a great and easily accessible read for anyone!

📕I knew that she is a cancer too. Hello fellow July baby: “The woman whom media often dubbed the Iron Chancellor had a softer core than she allowed most people to see. The longer she stayed in office, the more it became visible.”
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📗I always liked Merkel. I liked that she had her own rules. I liked that she didn’t care about what others thought. I liked that she knew when she needed to do what. For a country that is considered to be well oiled machine, she was the most suitable leader.
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📘This is probably the only thing where I thought she did dirty. She used Turkey as a buffer, but turned my country into an under qualified immigrant land after all qualified ones stayed in Europe: “When Merkel succeeded in her attempts to bring her European partners around to accepting more refugees, she agreed to a deal under which the European Union paid Turkey billions of euros to close off its borders, preventing more people from heading north. Critics charged that Europe was leaning on Turkey to do its dirty work, but Merkel understood that she had asked as much as she could of Germans.”

Angela Merkel is a boss. A trailblazer. An icon of colorful suits. Formerly the new leader of the free world. Angela Merkel spent a decade economically and politically revitalizing her country. The first woman chancellor of Germany and one of the longest-serving European leaders ever, Merkel’s quiet resolve, calculated confidence, and extreme privacy around her personal life have made her a feminist role model for the ages. Merkel’s Law is a revelatory look at an unlikely vanguard, and at the country she led for sixteen year

New York Times Berlin correspondent Melissa Eddy pulls back the curtain on the woman who engineered Germany’s rise to wealth, power, and an economy worth 3.8 trillion in USD. Drawing upon an unparalleled well of sources close to Merkel, Merkel’s Law traces her childhood in East Germany as the daughter of a clergyman, her meteoric rise to power, and her more recent public acclaim—as well as the numerous setbacks she faced along the way both from political rivals and from men in her own party who scoffed at her ambition. Painting a portrait of a political genius, savvy businesswoman, and model for modern power, Merkel’s Law is not only the story of her life, but the lessons we can learn from it.

I knew little about Merkel except the snippits that we would see on the American news, and I was amazed at her strenght and resolve to do the best she could for the reunited Germany even if it went against her party. Her early life definitely had a bearing on her leadership, and I can admire how she used it for good. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read about this amazing woman.

A short and straightforward biography of one of the most powerful leaders in the world who happens to be a woman. This shows her humanity, integrity, her interests, and that despite a sometimes rigid or awkward appearance she was very passionate about leading. This is broken down into advice sections and chapters with tidbits of wisdom that are easy to embrace.

Girl power!

Well summarized stories and lessons taken from some of former Chancellor Angela Merkel's personal behavior and beliefs and professional actions. It was so interesting to have these put into context, especially with the benefit of time. Well written and easy to read although there was an unusual amount of repetition of some of the specific anecdotes. She is a fascinating figure from a pivotal time and place in history and this made for a really interesting read.

I found Merkel's Law to be absolutely fascinating. I knew very little about Angela Merkel - only that she was the very liberal first woman Chancellor of Germany.

Angela Merkel is the daughter of a Lutheran minister. Her father selflessly moved his family behind the Iron Curtain so that he could work with physically and mentally challenged individuals; those poor souls that the USSR considered to be worse than useless.

Madame Merkel learned as a teenager to work within the Soviet system. She played by the rules, and was able to travel extensively. She also worked as a chemist and physicist using the limited tools available to her. With her intuitive political savvy, Madame Merkel shattered the glass ceiling in Germany.

Merkel's Law is an in-depth look at an amazing woman. This book also provides glimpses of life behind the Iron Curtain.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend Merkel's Law to any and all biography fans.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley.

#MelissaEddy#Merkel'sLaw#NetGalley

Merkel's Law is both incredibly repetitive and lacking much information. Such an important leader deserves a better book written about her.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

"Merkel's Law" by Melissa Eddy is a fascinating look at former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel, the daughter of a clergyman in East Europe, earned a PhD in quantum chemistry and worked as a research scientist. However, she chose to embark on a new path, entering politics after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Her journey to power was far from easy, but Eddy's narrative weaves a compelling story, focusing on key events and 'laws' such as 'know where you come from'. Eddy, the New York Times Berlin correspondent, writes engagingly about her subject and seems to have access to source material and individuals that lead to new insights that I haven't seen before.

Merkel is a remarkable woman, and there are lessons for everyone to learn. Highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.