Governing from the Centre

Overall, there is no book quite like it in either English or French, and, for anyone with an interest in this area, it deserves to be at the top of their reading list. * Political Studies Review *
... like anything written by Jack Hayward and/or Vincent Wright, this book is a pleasure to read. The chapters are chock-a-block with entertaining and always highly relevant examples and anecdotes derived from the authors' observations of French political life over a 30-year period. * Political Studies Review *
... the position of this book is straightforward. It will not be bettered. The names of the politicians will change, albeit only slowly given the sloth-like speed with which French political actors come and go, and the examples will be newer. Even so, the quality of the analysis in this book can only ever be matched, not beaten. * Political Studies Review *
[Hayward and Wright's] major and lasting contribution has less to do with a discussion about institutionalism than to deal with how core executive organizations handle interdependence relationships concerning policy issues in a politically sensitive environment. * Journal of Public Policy *
Hayward and Wright make an invaluable contribution for understanding the French polity ... they offer a comprehensive framework on a missing link in knowledge about politics and policy making in France: the centre. * Journal of Public Policy *
Hayward and Wright show an impressive ability to pick relevant details without losing the general thread of their analysis. * Journal of Public Policy *
... an excellent publication which is written in a lively way. Issues are addressed in an elegant manner. Jargon is avoided, even when the authors are theorizing. * Journal of Public Policy *