Quote: Tony Blair's long-awaited memoir is to be published in September, the former prime minister's publishers have said.
The book, which the publishers say Mr Blair wrote without a ghost writer, will be entitled The Journey.
Mr Blair, who left office in 2007, said it would describe "the human as much as the political dimensions" of his life and time in No 10.
Publication of the memoir, which his publishers say is "frank and open", has been delayed until after the election.
Mr Blair reached a deal with publishing firm Random House in October 2007 to write the memoir.
The fee for the book is expected to run into millions of pounds although neither Mr Blair nor the publishers have commented on the sums involved.
Mr Blair follows in the footsteps of former prime ministers, including Sir John Major and Lady Thatcher, who wrote memoirs after leaving office.
Several key figures from the Blair government, including his director of communications Alistair Campbell, have already released their memoirs.
Mr Campbell was criticised for leaving out details of alleged rows between Mr Blair and his successor Gordon Brown when the latter was chancellor of the exchequer.
The former prime minister said he had not worked with a ghost writer on the book and the work was his alone.
"I have tried to write a book which describes the human as much as the political dimensions of life as prime minister," he said.
"Though necessarily retrospective, it is an attempt to inform and shape current and future thinking as much as an historical account of the past."
Publishers Random House said the book was "frank, open, revealing and written in an intimate and accessible style".
The book will be published simultaneously in the UK, US and Canada and Mr Blair will go on an international tour to publicise it.
Mr Blair, who served as prime minister for ten years and Labour leader for 13 years, will also voice an audio version of the book. |