2:31 pm today

Politics of kindness to be tackled in Ardern's tell-all memoir

2:31 pm today
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern looks on as she attends the "APEC Leaders' Dialogue with ABAC" event during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok on November 18, 2022. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / POOL / AFP)

Jacinda Ardern was 37 when she became Prime Minister in October 2017, making her the world's youngest female head of government. Photo: AFP

A "deeply personal memoir" by former prime minister Jacinda Ardern will be out in early June, promising to share pivotal moments from her leadership and the details behind her decision to step down from the role.

Ardern was 37 when she became Prime Minister in October 2017, making her the world's youngest female head of government. She gave birth to daughter Neve the following June, which made her the first leader of a country in nearly 30 years to give birth while in office.

Book cover image of A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern

Photo: Penguin Random House

During her tenure as prime minister, Ardern navigated the Christchurch mosque terror attacks of March 2019, the Whakaari White Island eruption of December 2019 and the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020.

A Different Kind of Power promises insights into her leadership style, told through her experiences and reflections.

"Some people thought kindness was sentimental, soft. A bit naive, even. I knew this. But I also knew they were wrong. Kindness has a power and strength that almost nothing else on this planet has," Ardern said in a statement.

"I'd seen kindness do extraordinary things - I'd seen it give people hope, I'd seen it change minds, and transform lives."

A Different Kind of Power will be published by Penguin Random House New Zealand.

Publisher Grace Thomas said Ardern's book had "everything a reader could want in a memoir".

"A Different Kind of Power is an inspiring call to action for empathetic leaders as well as a captivating read," she said.

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