Critical Appraisal of Margaret Thatcher's memoir, "The Downing Street Years"

When researching historical figures and events, some of the most interesting and useful primary sources can be the written accounts of the particpants themselves. The problem with these sources, however, is that the author(s) version of events can not be taken at face value. First-hand accounts are, in reality, personal accounts that reflect the author's point-of-view and carry with them the author's feelings, prejudices and/or agendas. Such sources are often used deliberately by authors to "set the record straight" and to provide ex post facto justification for controversial decisions.

When using first-hand accounts as primary source material for research, one should attempt to weigh these accounts against other supporting and contradictory primary and secondary source material.

The following is a critical appraisal of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's memoir, "The Downing Street Years." The author was attempting to assess its validity as a primary source for a course taught at the London School of Economics by one of her former policy advisors on Europe.