Book Description

Success often depends on the strength of a single quality: leadership. Winston Churchill is universally recognized as one of the 20th century's great political leaders and his words ring just as true in the world of commerce. A wise, witty, and inspiring leader, Churchill ran Great Britain like a great corporation.

"Perhaps the finest book on practical leadership ever written." — Brian Tracy

Churchill on Leadership demonstrates that the principles that guided Churchill ably translate to private industry today. Author Steven F. Hayward gives strong evidence that, if you remove Churchill from his political context, he would have the resume to be among the great business leaders of any age. Churchill:
• was a financier (as chancellor of the Exechequer) and labor negotiator (as home secretary)
• managed a large transportation network (as head of the British Navy) and far-flung property holdings (as colonial secretary)
• persevered through bankruptcies and other financial disasters
• conceived and introduced innovative new products over the opposition of his colleagues, and reorganized major production operations in the midst of crisis.
With wit and insight, Hayward reveals Churchill's secrets for business success from assembling and inspiring a first-rate team to preparing a wise budget, from communicating a vision to structuring effective meetings, from acting decisively to rebounding from a failure. Laced with epochal events from the historical stage, enlivened with stimulating speculation, and leavened with wit, Churchill on Leadership is both an enjoyable read and a thought-provoking lesson on leadership. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The First Step in the Huge Churchill Lexicon
I read this book without having known anything about Chruchill, as a lesson on leadership under stress. I learned a lot, but I also became very interested in the man. He is fasinating and very brave. I'm very gald I read this book.

The main idea is to study how Churchill made his leadership decicions, and what the reason for that decision was. It's an informative study of the man, and even funny at times. It's always entertaining, but somewhat short of a great story (so 4 stars).

By all means read this book. It's a great way to begin to learn about Churchill, aside from the 3 or 6 volume works available at the bookstore. It's also a good study on decision making based on principles and honest living, strength, and forward thinking. There are good lessons here as well a good reading. I recommend it highly.

A manager's opinion
I have been a manager for over 10 years, and have worked in different industries and different countries. And I gladly admit I still have a lot to learn concerning management. This book talks about concepts we know we should all be applying, such as learning from mistakes, responsibility and organization, attention to details as well as to a master plan, communication, etc. However understanding how Churchill put these concepts to work is fascinating. I did not know that much about Churchill in the first place, perhaps that is why I enjoyed the book so much. It is a nice change from CEOs' biographies. And yes, I am putting some of what I read to work, so it was worth my time and money !

A little silly
I just completed this book yesterday and I must confess if it was any longer I might not have. While it was mildly entertaining, it contains little that is new or particularly informative. The book generally repackages concepts that are written elsewhere and ties them to passages in Churchill's life. Many of the comparisons seem strained. In fact, comparing Churchill's almost single-handed stand aginst tyranny with normal business competition, seems inappropriate and a little silly. It's probably fair to say that the book contains a few kernals of wisdom which would be helpful to anyone in business, or otherwise. These kernals are relatively simple and (it seems to me) obvious. It begs the question, Why, exactly, do we need a book such as this? The people most apt to pick-up the book in the first place are those who already have a more than passing affinity for Churchill. If so, those people will likely have read books which are more informative, historically significant, insightful and generally worthwhile. If this is your first introduction to Churchill, do not let it be your last. Overall, I think there are much better uses for all of our valuable time.

Curious and entertainig, otherwise superficial and arbitrary
Positives: the book is light, easy to read, and contains a few amuzing historical anecdotes from Churchill's life. That's it.

Negatives: it is not a good biography of Churchill, nor a good book on leadership. The author isn't anyone who'd known Churchill closely enough for his "analysis" to be of any value. Neither is he a manager. The author is a writer who must sell books in order to make a living. Please proceed with that in mind.

The book is not wholly bad and would qualify as decent airplane reading, but no more than that.

Another biography, but a different style.
As a longtime fan of Churchill, and in a position of leadership in a commercial environment, the book appeared to be excellant vacation reading. Well it was but only from the 'fan' position. The author sets out with good intentions and early in the book he relates Churchill ways back into the context of today's executive's environment. But, by the middle, and then thereafter, he's lost his way and it becomes a bit idol worshipping with no real relevance to application to today's leadership 'student'. At times Mr Hayward really is squeezing the pips to show Winston as a model to follow - I've suggested dictation from my bathtub but so far my secretary hasn't picked up on the idea. If you want to understand Churchill it's a good read. If it's leadership you want you'll have to browse further. ... Read more

Book Description

Sir Winston Churchill began painting during World War II, and it became his lifelong passion. His works, which number over 500, are of remarkable quality and have received the most positive criticism in the English press. Had he signed his pictures ‘Jones,' the critic would still find himself pausing in front of them, noted one Sunday Times of London art critic in 1949. Another opined that At least a dozen of these pictures will stand against any of the best impressionists. This exclusive, comprehensive collection of the paintings of one of the greatest statesmen in history is licensed by the Churchill Heritage, which will provide marketing support. Written by the renowned art critic who catalogued all of Churchill's paintings shortly after his death, along with Sir Winston's granddaughter-in-law, this sumptuous art book collects all of the images painted by Churchill, primarily in oil on canvas, and in essence provides a look at his life story through his paintings. It also includes authoritative text by the authors, Sir Winston's complete 1925 essay Painting as a Pastime, and 40 rare, previously unpublished photographs of Churchill and his world, in both color and black and white. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A triumph of writing
This, the second (and apparently final) volume of William Manchester's projected biographical trilogy of Sir Winston Churchill, is a triumph of writing style. It will be read for centuries to come, like Boswell's life of Samuel Johnson, as an example of what the English language can be at its best. A biographer of Churchill faces a terrific challenge. He or she has to be able to write, if not as well, at least almost as well as Churchill himself. After a lifetime of journalism and historical writing, Manchester was able to finish this book, the dramatic story of how Churchill came together with the nation that had rejected him. Together, these two forces, Churchill and the British nation - and Manchester correctly personalizes them both, sees them both as equal characters in a dramatic story - forged a partnership to fight Hitler and save the world from disaster.

It would probably be a lot easier for all of us if we all knew what it is like to have courage. I am writing this review at a time when we Americans, and the people of the world, are being called upon to have quite a lot of it. Apparently, the universe is built in such a way that we human beings must try to be courageous whether we want to be so or not. The true reason of history, and of historical books like this one, is to hold a mirror up to courage and the other human virtues, to show us what these virtues are like so that we must follow them if we are able to do so. Like Thucydides said, happiness comes from being free, and freedom comes from being courageous.

It is too bad that this is where Manchester's great biography of Churchill must end, but he has brought the story to its climax. The work of people like Manchester is an inspiration to other writers, and perhaps some other historian will appear some day to finish the work begun and broken off here.

A look at one of history's most courageous figures
Though I have not read the first of this series, I plan on doing so immediately upon finishing Volume 2. Manchester is a terrific writer, a portrayer of history as a kind of tragic story and not a conglomeration of facts and figures. Churchill's resoluteness in the face of English apathy in the 1930's is well-demonstrated, but this is no fluff piece; WSC is shown as a real man who had very real faults, and seeing these in relation to his accomplishments keeps him human in our minds. In addition to the tremendous story, it's first-rate literature. For those interested in the war period and the relations between Churchill and other allied leaders, may I suggest "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which details further the wartime relationship between FDR and WSC.

A Real Beauty- The Best Churchill Volume I've Read
Anything and everything with Mr Manchester's name on it is superior. But this 2nd WSC volume may surpass all his other work . He shows in fine detail how this eccentric,brilliant,pushy,bulldog of a man manipilated,charmed and bullied his way,and what a rough time he had in convincing the smug British establishment in the mid 30's of the dangers brewing in Germany.At the time WSC was "out in the cold".It's an old story,but the sheer drive of Mr. Churchill, and the ostrich-like ability of his compatriots to look the other way,here amounts to a fresh,mesmorizing account. WSC's days in exile are described in minute detail, even his habit of walking around Chartwell in his birthday suit,and the reaction of his female secretary.All the players are here,and Mr Manchester's method in exploring motives and personalities will keep the pages turning...I suggest giving the TV a rest for a couple of weeks to make an effort to read this.It may be more interesting now with the parallels in the post 9/11 world.

GRIPPING PRELUDE TO WWII
Winston Churchill was one of the most dynamic leaders of the 20th century and Mr. Manchester does not disappoint in his gripping follow-up to Vol. 1 of THE LAST LION. We're told in sometimes too much detail Churchill's activities at home and at his desk between the two world wars: painting, fixing up his beloved Chartwell, writing endlessly to pay for his lavish lifestyle during a world depression and keeping tabs on those bullies across the Channel. In his "wilderness years" when he was a political pariah, he boldly warned over and over the threat to world peace but was laughed at and ultimately ignored. The gripping finale leads up to Churchill's restored to power as the world teeters on the edge. The beautiful characterizations of the main players in this drama are just one of the many attributes to be gained from this wonderful bio. Sadly, it's an incomplete story because Mr. Manchester, due to poor health, cannot complete this series and refuses to let someone help him --- I cannot blame him as the writing is very singular and a monumental job would face his (in effect) ghostwriter. We must therefore satisfy ourselves with what we have and rue the writer who thinks he's got all the time in the world to finish what he started.

4-14-01 CSPAN BOOKNOTES
Today [4-14-01] Lady Mary Soames [nee Mary Churchill] stated on CSPAN Booknotes that William Manchester is ill and will not complete the third book on Sir Winston Churchill.

Godspeed William Manchester, and thank you for everything....... ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Blake's masterly biography of Benjamin Disraeli, thegreat British Prime Minister, Conservative leader, and man of letters.Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81), Earl of Beaconsfield, Prime Minister ofEngland (1868 and 1874-80), and Conservative leader, was one of thegreatest and most colorful political figures in British history. Aconfidante of Queen Victoria, tireless champion of England,parliamentarian of genius, Disraeli was also a superb and enduringnovelist and correspondent. This monumental portrait by Robert Blake isconsidered by many to be one of the finest political biographies everwritten. Lord Blake is former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University,Provost of The Queen's College, Oxford, and Editor of the Dictionary ofNational Biography. 850 pp 5 x 8 ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Essential
Robert Blake's biography of Disraeli is now nearly 40 years old (it was first published in 1966), yet it retains a freshness seldom equalled in any type of biography, let alone a political one.

Disraeli is one of the most compelling figures in British history, certainly nineteenth century political history. Yet as Blake points out, he was actually in power for very little of his career, and at a late stage in his life at that. The paradox is explained by the socio-political characteristics of the age. Blake does that with great skill, avoiding the danger of turning a biography into a general history.

"Disraeli" is a fascinating study of a complex and interesting individual. Yet this book is also a must for anyone wanting to understand political development in Victorian Britain, and in particular Conservative Party history.

G Rodgers

Dizzy he was not
During the high tide of the Victorian era, the political life of the nation was dominated by two men, Disraeli and Gladstone. Gladstone is an obvious choice for one of the top statesmen of the era, he was elected four times to the premiership. Disraeli was not quite so fortunate. However, given the short period of time that he was in office he accomplished a great deal. He brought the tories back from the dead, passed a reform bill and managed to acquire the Suez Canal. At the Congress of Berlin, Disraeli's command of the situation even impressed Bismark (not exactly a slouch in these sorts of things). Not bad from a rather foppish young man who specialized in "Silver Fork" novels (a fictional version of lifestyles of the rich and famous in the 19th century).

Blake's book is the best one on the subject of Benjamin Disraeli. The complex story of the novelist turned politican is brought out in all of its facets. Disraeli was probably one of the most interesting people to be prime minister (after perhaps Churchill and Walpole) and Blake's book shows the reader how he did it.

The Perfect Biography
Blake's Disraeli is not only flawless in its interpretation of Disraeli but also in its style. It is a work by which all other biographies must be judged. Simply put, it is the perfect biography.

First rate
This is a work of considerable scholarship which chronicles the life of one of Great Britain's outstanding statesmen. The book covers the political life of Disraeli admirably, but also gives a view of the private Disraeli: confidant of Victoria, prolific novelist, inventor of the crouton.

Robert Blake Does Not Disappoint
Robert Blake's study of Benjamin Disreali, twice Prime Minister and prolific novelist, is one of the best I've read. Both Disreali's personal life and political career are handled with respect, and there is no unnecessary conjecture to mislead the reader. The resulting biography is both fascinating and informative, advancing chronologically from Disreali's parentage to his death and detailing the aspects of his personality and the extraordinary good luck that enabled him to rise so far in the British political system. Throughout, the reader is offered anecdotes from acquaintances, excerpts from letters, and portions of the speeches that gave Disreali his reputation as a matchless orator. Particularly touching are the stories illustrating the friendship he and his sister shared, and the mannerisms which characterized his personality. Overall, Robert Blake displays great knowledge of both Disreali and the politics that he loved so much. Therein lies the book's only fault, from an amateur's perspective; at times the references to the system can confuse a reader not fully familiar with British politics. However, any admirer of this great statesman cannot afford to miss reading this work, which already shows signs of becoming a necessary reference. Any historian, amateur or not, could easily view this volume as indispensable. ... Read more

Book Description

Warrior and writer, genius and crank, rider in the British cavalry’s last great charge and inventor of the tank—Winston Churchill led Britain to fight alone against Nazi Germany in the fateful year of 1940 and set the standard for leading a democracy at war.

Like no other portrait of its famous subject, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill is a dazzling display of facts more improbable than fiction, and an investigation of the contradictions and complexities that haunt biography. Gretchen Craft Rubin gives readers, in a single volume, the kind of rounded view usually gained only by reading dozens of conventional biographies.

With penetrating insight and vivid anecdotes, Rubin makes Churchill accessible and meaningful to twenty-first-century readers with forty contrasting views of the man: he was an alcoholic, he was not; he was an anachronism, he was a visionary; he was a racist, he was a humanitarian; he was the most quotable man in the history of the English language, he was a bore.

In crisp, energetic language, Rubin creates a new form for presenting a great figure of history—and brings to full realization the depiction of a man too fabulous for any novelist to construct, too complicated for even the longest narrative to describe, and too valuable ever to be forgotten.

... Read more

Reviews (28)

Fresh take on a well-told story
This must have been a hard sell at the publishers: a brief book (only about 250 pages in a small format) on one of the most written-about subjects of recent history. And in a form that may never have been tried in biography before: not in chronological order but in 40 short chapters - each one, well, a different way to look at the subject. Yet Ms. Rubin pulls it off with seeming effortlessness. Her innovative format, rather than being gimmicky, does indeed bring a fresh approach to the facts of Churchill's life that many readers will already know well. And although not a historian of the stature of Manchester or Gilbert, her writing shows a clear and unabashed personal voice that brings enthusiasm, even intimacy, to a subject more often given a far weightier treatment. Future generations may eventually feel that the Churchill story is exhausted, but Ms. Rubin proves that there was indeed room for one more Churchill book on the shelf. This is a superb book. Buy it.

A Grand Portrait of a Great Man
This is an excellent book -- a must for Churchill fans. Many of my favorite stories about Sir Winston are here, but I also learned lots of things I didn't know. (Do you know what the Great Man's last words were? What his favorite brand of cigar was? Whether he was a hero to his valet? Read the book and find out.)

"Forty Ways" is an extraordinarily honest book: Rubin does not pretend that a biographer can know it all. She presents both sides to questions about Churchill's drinking, his "black dog" depressions, his relations with the two Randolphs in his life (his father and his son), his egotism ("I am so conceited," Churchill wrote his mother, that "I do not believe the Gods would create so potent a being as myself for so prosaic an ending" as an early death). There is no effort to deceive the reader here, to trick him into embracing the author's favorite theory: Rubin candidly admits that her Churchill is a hero and a great man, but she insists that the reader must draw his own conclusions.

Rubin is splendid on Sir Winston's use of language, the blessings and burdens of his Spencer-Churchill heritage, his painting, his bulldog bellicosity, his "island nation" patriotism, his relations with Hitler, the Romantic qualities of his historical imagination, the "Dickensian aptness" of his name, his complicated relations with his wife. ("Oh my darling do not write of 'friendship' to me," Churchill told Clementine, "I love you more each month that passes and feel the need of you & all your beauty. . . . I am so devoured by egoism that I wd like to have another soul in another world & meet you in another setting, & pay you all the love and honour of the gt romances.") The end of the book is extraordinarily moving.

The Churchill who emerges in "Forty Ways" is more complex than we knew. No traditional portrait, conceived and finished in a conventional way, can possibly do justice to the man Isaiah Berlin called "the largest human being of our time." Only an exercise in what the poet Keats called "negative capability" can possibly comprehend his contradictions. "Forty Ways" conveys the exquisiteness of the tensions in Churchill's life and personality without pretending to resolve them in the name of Thesis. Yet the effect is rather to add to his greatness; and the impression one comes away with is of a hero of Homeric proportions. The "horrors of war cannot rob the progress of the sun," Rubin quotes Churchill as saying. There is a world of intelligence in that line; the reader of the "Iliad" remembers that in that poem no day is so terrible but that the poet must describe the splendor of the sun when it rises and when it sets. Such an heroic vision was Churchill's as well.

A loosely labeled historian
I have read Meacham and Jenkins to get an understanding of what I understood to be a fascinating man. This book its so utterly different and completely better than the typical historic epic written by the typically historical historian, it will overwhelm with its approach. Highly, highly, highly recommended. You will keep it in your library for future enjoyment.

For something completely different...
A really interesting look at a fascinating (if overanalyzed) man. The book is far from perfect--the 40 chapters do overlap and can be repetitive--but is really worth reading. The various perspectives remind anyone interested in history that the meaning of it all depends on where you are standing and where you look. Churchill was a great man and I learned many great facts, stories, and and perspectives from this unique book. It works another level as well--as a critique of the biographical form. It reminded me in that way of Alain De Botton's enjoyable novel "Kiss and Tell." Oh well, enough of that.

Forty fresh perspectives
I was recently asked which year in the 20th Century I would choose to live and why. I said "1940" with the rationale that this was the great turning point in history when the values of western civilization might've been lost. They weren't lost because a single indominable man stood firm. Had the newly installed PM, in May-June of that year, sided with Halifax and the other peace seekers, Hitler would have won. What followed would have been just mopping up.

Gretchen Rubin succinctly illuminates this great man in a new and fresh format. She writes extremely well. This is the perfect first or second book for a reader just catching the Churchill bug. (Following Manchester and Gilbert) It belongs on any short list of Churchill books. One hopes Ms. Rubin won't stop here. ... Read more

Book Description

W.E. Gladstone (1809-1898) was prime minister of Great Britain four times during the Victorian era and is considered one of the most important political figures in modern British history. This biography provides a new assessment of Gladstone's life and career, placing him firmly in the context of nineteenth century Britain. Surveying a broad range of source material, Partridge begins by examining Gladstone's early life, education, entry to Parliament and marriage. He goes on to look in detail at Gladstone's terms as prime minister concluding with his fourth ministry, when Gladstone, by now in his eighties, returned to power.Partridge recounts how Gladstone tried and failed to resolve the problems of Ireland, which had become his great obsession, for the last time and eventually reties from politics in 1894 and died a few years later.

This engaging work provides a deep and thorough survey of the life and significance of Gladstone, and is a welcome starting point for all those interested in one of the most prominent and complex characters of Victorian Britain. ... Read more

Amazon.com

He was something of a bully, something of a blowhard, without friends and always in search of a sympathetic audience for his monologues. Yet, writes John Keegan in this slender but thorough portrait, Winston Churchill was unquestionably the right man for the time.

Few biographers are better equipped than Keegan, the eminent military historian, to write of Churchill as a wartime leader. Indeed, Keegan suggests, Churchill was never more at ease than when confronting some fierce enemy, whether across the English Channel or a range of Afghan hills; it was from the saddle that he developed his "vision of how an enlightened empire might transform the future of mankind." The rise of other, less enlightened empires helped put an end to his own, but Churchill steadfastly insisted on a strong role for Great Britain in the postwar world--in which he succeeded, even if voters turned him out of office almost as soon as the war ended.

Keegan's respectful portrait assesses Churchill's many accomplishments (and a few noteworthy failures) as he sought, in Churchill's ringing words, to "resist oppression, to protect the weak, to vindicate the profound but unwritten Law of Nations." Admirers of Churchill and students of his time will find much of value in these pages. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A competent short history of World War II's greatest leader.
As a previous reviewer has stated, this is a good short history of Winston Churchill. Keegan does a competent job of giving us the short version on this great man. However it is not really inspired writing, and not a page turner. I found myself plodding through this book and wondering when the tempo would change. It didn't. All of the highlights of Churchill's life are there, it just didn't flow well.
There are many great books about Winston Churchill. Some comprise several volumes. I would rate Manchester the best in terms of biography. Keegan's book is a good first start for those who don't know much of Churchill.

Short, Sweet, and Smart
As with the entire Penguin Lives series, this book was written by an expert who was given the challenge of sharing his knowledge in less than 200 pages. John Keegan succeeds brilliantly. As an expert on World War II, Keegan has written many wonderful and insightful books and this is no exception despite the literary constraints placed upon him. His clear and beautiful prose make the book a quick and enjoyable read, but he does not sacrifice information. I did not know a lot about Churchill before reading this book, but now I feel that I have a good understanding for his achievements and why he was so significant in his own time. It is a fabulous book for an amateur historian who does not want to spend dozens of hours wading through a biography several volumes long and simply wants to know significant events and some good analysis by a renowned historian. A wonderful, well written, and interesting book.

Recommended, but with reservations
As usual, the author gives an informative and intelligent perspective of his subject. I've liked his many other books, and I have enjoyed other biographies of Churchill. Alas, I cannot agree with the author's final enthusiasm for Churchill, or for Churchill's being declared the most important figure of the last century.

As is stated in the book, Churchill had many significant accomplishments, but I am troubled by the author's lack of discussion of his subject's faults. Churchill gave every indication of being a racist. He was also a strict colonialist whose position lacked foresight of many future and bloody conflicts. These issues, that is the facts supporting these conclusions, are all noted by Keegan, but with no elaboration.

Also, why are so many willing to credit Churchill with great courage for his flying in and out of battles? I imagine that many soldiers would be similarly "courageous" if given the option (with mommy's help) to leave the field of battle as they chose. This is what Churchill did in every engagement in which he participated. For me, the courageous are those who remained regardless of the "excitement" level.

Churchill was blinded by his racism, elitism, and flighty ideas of warfare. These were not simple idiosyncrasies with no significant repercussions. His lack of respect for fighting abilities of the Asian race and his insistence on colonialism arguably led to the type of policies for which thousands of British soldiers died. Furthermore, his impulsive (and let's face it, ignorant) ideas of warfare directly led to his pushing and approving disastrous campaigns in both world wars. Again, Keegan failed to follow up on any of these issues and if anything he treated them as peculiar traits of the great statesman such as his cigar smoking, and moodiness.

Churchill wrote volumes on WWII, all of which conveniently overlooks any of his possible errors, but it received enough acclaim (by many for whom I suspected did not actually read the several volumes), and this shaped how many historians and biographers were to later judge the war and Churchill.

I only argue that it is time to honor the man for his accomplishments, but it is not heretical to want a full discussion of him. The British electorate seemed well aware of the dichotomy of the man when they demanded his rise to prime minister, but removed from office him and his party when the times changed.

Exceptional Biography by an Exceptional Scholar
John Keegan is one of the most distinguished military historians of our day. He was an excellent choice to pen this biography of Winston Churchill. Like the other Penguin Lives books, this volume presents an excellent, brief introduction to the life of Britain's WWII Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Keegan begins by telling of his own "immunity" to the Churchillian legend and how that was transmuted into an admiration upon listening to an album of Churchill's war speeches.

Keegan describes Churchill's exploits as a young soldier, his writing life, his days as a Member of Parliament, and his years as Prime Minister. Brief, to the point, this is a very nice introduction to Churchill.

This is a great book for a layman. To those who have already read lengthier biographies of Churchill, this may be a nice review. Popular, not academic.

great biography of a great man
Simply a great biography of a very great man.

It is a compact book of under 200 pages; squeezing Sir Winston Churchill's long and eventful life into this short book must have been hard but Keegan succeeded brilliantly. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Churchill's greatness as a leader beautifully explicated
This book manages to outline the major principles of Churchill's greatness as a leader, and to give a fascinating account of the decision- making process during the Second World War. One of the major elements and this should be kept in mind by Western leaders today is that Churchill even in the darkest hours would not placate and negotiate with Evil. The word 'Defeat' was simply not part of his strategic vocabulary. His indomitable spirit influenced all those around him.
This does not mean as Gilbert makes clear that Churchill did not have his doubts, his despairs, his periods of anger and frustration. But always he was able to overcome , and to keep the main goal, the defeat of the enemy before his eyes. His remarkable courage and his great ability to inspire others , combined with his thorough, responsible and comprehensive intellect helped make him the outstanding political leader of the twentieth century. Whether at the darkest hour of retreat at Dunkirk or in the moments of great relief and victory Churchill made himself the living embodiment of the spirit of the people, the salty and courageously defiant British people he led and loved.
Gilbert is a master of condensation, of wise judgment in writing. He has done all those who care about the subject of Leadership a very real service with this small in size, but great in meaning, work.

A fascinating read
This book succinctly and brilliantly encapsulates Churchill's qualities as a wartime leader and shows Martin Gilbert's writing at its best. Ranging across the influence of Churchill's' long experience on his war leadership, his daily pattern of work, his personal example and his relationships with those under his command, this is a fascinating survey, first given by Gilbert in the White House.

Don't waste your money!
As an admirer of Churchill I was very excited by the discovery that there was a new book about him from his official biographer Martin Gilbert. However after ordering and reading the book I was very disappointed. There is absolutely no new information about Churchill in this 97-page "pamphlet". This "pamphlet" is simple the text of a lecture Martin Gilbert gave at the University of Toronto. If you have read "Finest Hour" or "Churchill: A Life" also by Martin Gilbert, there is no need to waste your money and read this abridgement. ... Read more

Book Description

David Irving presents a wealth of hitherto suppressed information that shows a shockingly unfamilar potrait of the great statesman, Churchill. Readers will discover a power-hungry leader who prolonged the war to advance his own career. This is a fascinating, exhaustive investigation of Churchill's intrigues and deceptions before and during WWII. This is a savage debunking of Churchill by the world's most popular revisionist historian and author. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Fascinating Challenge to the Standard View
David Irving is a controversial, albeit very successful writer. His long career and many published historical works have elicited praise from such historians as Hugh Trevor Roper and John Keegan. A good deal of the criticism directed at his scholarly work, it seems, is actually directed at his politics. That's unfortunate, since in fascinating volumes, such as CHURCHILL'S WAR, THE PATH TO WAR, and THE TRAIL OF THE FOX,, Irving does offer portraits, facts, and details of leading figures of the World War period not gleaned from most "standard" histories. CHURCHILL'S WAR (this is volume I) gives us the not-so-idealistic Churchill, the man who was willing to do almost anything to save the British Empire, but in the process actually succeeded in insuring its destruction. As usual, Irving uses a panoply of diaries, private journals, and other original materials. One may disagree with him and his interpretation (certainly the "official" Churchill biographer, Martin Gilbert, would), but you need to READ him first--and you need to put aside his personal politics. His scholarship, debatable yes, can stand on its own.. As a professor of history I find his work very useful and provocative.

THANK YOU MISTER IRVING!!
I do share neil camberly's point of view...especialy about the anonymous critic rating 1 star only from many differentes cities... I am looking for volume II of that wonderfull book of David Irving...If anyone heard about a spare one left somewhere, I am willing to take it... Thanks to contact me in returning my mail. I would like to add that thanks to people like mister IRVING, maybe the future generations will have a chance to know the truth about the second world war and the real part that all the nations played and what were their national interests.

A Flawed Historian
I used to be a convinced Irving reader. Convinced that is that he represented an alternative view of history. This book is the one where he really departed from reality.

All of Churchill's faults, alcoholism, cronyism, poor financial judgement, are high-lighted. The fact that he saved civilisation as we know it is ignored.

The early Nazi leaders biographies and Hitlers War were interesting. I never even picked up on the holocaust denial views in there at the time.

One is judged by the company one keeps......inspect the ranks of Irvings defenders nowadays.....This is not rational objective history.

The truth will out
With the publication of Lord Alanbrooke's "War Diaries", and the (finally!) re-publication of Henry Williamson's "Lucifer Before Sunrise" and "The Gale of the World", Irving's well-documented, totally supported theses are independantly ond objectively confirmed. The mythologizing of the origins and conduct of World War II was begun by Churchill himself, and has accelerated in the last 20 years to a point that anyone not toeing the "politically correct" line is attacked as a Nazi sympathiser.

Irving's early books were universally praised. Almost all authors of major works on Hitler's war leadership and the Wehrmacht High Command -- including the multi-volume official histories written by the MGFA (the German Federal Military History Research Office) -- cite Irving's own books or the sources he has uncovered and employed. However, the "political acceptibility" of the material uncovered (not fabricated) by Irving has lead to his current demonization.

Sometimes, the truth isn't as pretty as we'd like it to be. And when it comes to World war 2, the "truth" is getting harder and harder to find.

Interesting Curio
Irving is a discredited "historian" of dubious credentials and poor reputation, but this book is fascinating in the creative manipulation of supposed new information. In that, Irving is at the top of his game. Sadly, one simply can't believe what he writes. ... Read more

Book Description

For thirty days I was close by him at historic events -- in the places where writers never are.

Before Britain could help the United States in the war against Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair faced a battle against his own voters, his own party, and his own allies in Europe. These were among the most tense and tumultuous weeks the world had seen since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In thirty days, Blair took on his opponents and won.

Through it all, Peter Stothard had unprecedented access to Blair -- from Ten Downing Street and the House of Commons through the war summits in the Azores, Brussels, Belfast, and at Camp David. Stothard brings us inside the corridors of power during this extraordinary time, offering a vivid, up-close view of an enormously popular leader facing the challenge of his life.

Reviews (1)

Its About The Man's Activities - Not What He Thinks
This is a short 200 plus page book and it is a one evening read. Once you start it is hard to put the book down. I just read until I was finished. The cast of characters include Blair (mainly), his son Leo Blair and Cherie Blair (only briefly), his staff Campbell, Morgan and Powell, fellow politicians Jack Straw, Clare Short, Robin Cook, John Reid of the Labour Party and other British politicians and civil servants, George Bush, Colin Powel, and Condoleezza Rice. Chirac, Aznar, and Schroeder are at meetings or involved. Miller the Polish Prime Minister and Arafat make telephone appearances. The press is lurking in the background.

My quick view of the book is that the author and former Times editor Peter Stothard acts like he is not in the room but rather he is a quiet observer just recording the events without comments and editorial comments. A "fly on the wall" so to speak for 30 days. The book starts on Monday March 10 and ends Wednesday April 9. The war starts March 20 2003.

At the beginning or near the beginning of the book Blair acknowledges that Bush will proceed with or without Britain. The war seems set and there will be no consensus at the UN.

What I found odd about the book is that there is very little mention of the WMD's, or the other reasons for going to war. There is no mention of intelligence briefings, or satellite pictures or similar. By March 10 his mind has been made up. It is more about damage control, politics, speeches, and not having ministers resigning and similar. His image in the press and on TV share a high priority along with with diplomacy. By March 10 the decision has been made.

The question on everyone's mind is why does Blair back George Bush - the "poodle principle". Blair is almost alone, and the other leaders in the "coalition" do so with great reluctance. They make a minimal contribution to the Iraqi war effort and they seem poised to not want to cooperate or back out at any moment. So why does Blair do it? The only strong point we learn or hear is that by that date (March 10) Blair is determined to proceed seemingly at any cost to maintain US ties with Europe. He has decided to let "history" judge him for how the situation ends rather than trying to further explain his actions privately. He thinks that the UN should be involved, but barring no UN consensus his main point (among his 6 talking points to parliament) is that he does not want the US to become more isolated than it already is through complete 100% unilateral action. So at least Britain will help.

We get a feel for his compressed and overstressed life, a political juggling act, his lack of sleep, his battle to survive as the Labour leader in a parliamentary system where he must face his opposition daily in question period and his caucus weekly. They all seem to be after his job and Iraq is as good as an excuse as any to oppose Blair. Unlike Bush he can be voted out by his own party on a whim - like Thatcher - so he is not secure for the term elected in parliament (5 years).

One thing that comes out is that Blair acts like a lightening rod for many parties that no longer have access to Bush. This includes various Muslim messengers and diplomats visiting him and his talks with Arafat and others by telephone.

Since we already knew most of that - the book seems a bit anti-climatic and deals a lot with the logistics of his day-to-day life, the trivial details, his meals, his assistants, and travel. It gives us an intimate feel for the life of the PM in the confined space of 10 Downing. It covers his meetings with other leaders, and various other dignitaries, his telephone calls to Bush etc. The logistics do not tell us a lot new, although there are some details on Robin Cook's resignation and similar tidbits. He comes across as an energetic and very focused man, with a strong inner compass and lots of self confidence, and a strong determined leader with an ability to take and absorb a lot of domestic criticism.

So the book is all very very interesting but short on any new insights. But still a great book.

Jack in Toronto. ... Read more

Book Description

John Major's autobiography is one of the most personal and revealing ever written by a former British Prime Minister. Eagerly awaited, the remarkable story of his life, from an extraordinary childhood to becoming an influential leader at the forefront of global politics and subsequent fall, is candid, scrupulous, and unsparing.

With complete candor and compelling insight, Major describes how he left school at fifteen, was unemployed, and through hard work and determination was elected to Parliament as a member of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party, which would transform Britain.

Quickly becoming one of Thatcher's Cabinet members, he served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Secretary, and then Chancellor of the Exchequer, the powerful position from which he vaulted to Prime Minister in 1990 when, after Thatcher fell, he fought and won a shrewd campaign to succeed her.

Major vividly recounts his role in shaping some of the most profound world events, including conferring with George Bush on the Gulf War, making the most decisive steps in a generation toward peace in Northern Ireland, leading Britain through the formation of the European Upon, and calling a general election in 1992 in which his party won the most votes in British political history. Yet within months of the 1992 election his government was in troubled waters, and Major is candid about his difficulties and losses and the controversies and divisions within his own party. Through it all, including the landslide defeat of his Conservative Party on May 1, 1997, and his immediate stepping down as party leader and Prime Minister, John Major acted with a dignity rare in politics.

As he talks about his leadership triumphs and defeats and his work with a diverse range of inter-national figures including George Bush, Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Helmut Kohl, and Nelson Mandela, he offers invaluable insight into how political power is exercised both in the United Kingdom and abroad. Here is a fascinating story of a man, his passion for politics, and the genuine and significant contributions he has made to the lives ofthe British and people around the world.

Reviews (9)

From Major to minor...
As I watched the results from the 1997 General Election from the sidelines of America (remembering that ten years prior I had been in the thick of things, on the floor of a count and being shown on BBC intently staring at the bank teller drafted to count the box in which I had an interest), I was variously amazed, pleased, saddened, and in the end, pleasantly surprised at the good humour of John Major, who said very simply, 'Okay, we lost.'

I met John Major first when he was a rising parliamentary star recruited to come to the constituency of the backbencher for whom I worked. He came to give a pep talk to the local Conservatives on a local radio programme; this constituency (Basildon) was considered a dead loss, so much so that the PM and various other Cabinet names wouldn't waste their time making a stop--but John Major came, and, we won.

Major has put together an interesting account of his time in office. Thankfully he concentrates on his political career (not spending hundreds of pages giving us the sort of childhood information that rarely adds value to a political autobiography), starting with his first victory coming to the House of Commons in 1979 (Margaret Thatcher's first victory as leader) and culminating with the 1997 electoral defeat, which he took with relatively good grace and rather few recriminations. And, whereas many political figures spend a large part of their memoirs in a 'If I were still there' mode, Major only devotes a few pages to the follow-up and future (in a five-page chapter entitled Aftermath) preferring not to speculate on irrelevant imponderables, and avoiding the problem of which he was most critical in his predecessor--that being of not wanting to let go.

It was no secret that one of the things the press and public eagerly sought in this book was Major's opinions on the continued attempts by Thatcher to exert an influence in leadership. His rocky relationship with the former prime minister has many examples through the text, some explicit and some subtle (such as the caption from a photo taken at the 1990 Conservative Party Conference, which reads 'Still on good terms with Margaret following the announcement of our entry into the ERM.').

In general, this is a well-written book, and John Major's tenure of office is rather more interesting than popular memory or the press would have one believe, perhaps understandable due to following a person of such flash and sparkle as Thatcher--who could compete with that? Major did in many ways, and, as his autobiography shows, he won in many ways, and when he lost, he was a gentleman.

A major-league biography
I followed up this fine bio with "John Minor, the "Story of the Forgotten Little Brother," which deals with the more obscure and self-effacing, but equally admirable, younger brother. Too bad he didn't win the election instead, but then people would have made jokes about Great Britain being a minor power with a Minor leader. :-)

Refreshingly honest
What struck me about John Major's memoirs was the honesty with which he tackled his subject. I'm a complete politico-skeptic. Always have been; always will be. To me, politicians (no matter what breed) are about as appetizing as burnt toast - and about as useful. But John Major was a man who earned my grudging admiration while he was Prime Minister of Britain. Not that his policies were particularly brilliant, nor that his choice of ministers was very astute; just that he came across as a man doing his best in a difficult situation.

When you read this autobiography, this honesty shines through. He openly recognizes his faults and his mistakes. He continues to stand by political friends and allies who let him down during his years in office. One has the distinct impression that he tells it like it really was.

During his years as Prime Minister, Major had to deal with his predecessor (Maggie) who simply wouldn't let go of the reins of power. He had to deal with rebels in his own party, who were so anti-European that they voted against anything and everything that came from their own government. He had to deal with colleagues who were shown to be less than honest in their dealings. If John Major had one weakness, it was that he didn't get rid of those of his ministers who were stabbing him in the back. He knew who they were, yet he allowed them to continue, hoping that right would prevail in the end.

This book is an excellent read for anyone interested in politics from the inside. Why four stars? Because I think Major spent too long dealing with his early years instead of concentrating on his years in power. Nonetheless, a powerful insight into the Major years in Britain.

Crikey. This is a long book.
At over 700 very indepth pages, John Major goes on a bit. But to be fair to the man, this book is characterised by a fast-paced and detailed narrative. The subject and the effect on British people living through his policies makes it absolutley riveting reading.

As with every autobiography we have the "Where it all began" section. These sections are usually dull, but Major's recollections of his youth are refreshingly different for a politician and extremely unusual for a future Conservative Prime Minister of Britain.

With a lively narrative he goes from schooling to adulthood to Premiership with admirable rapidity uncharacteristic in the world of politics. And with remarkable recall of detail he carries on in a similar fashion throughout the rest of the book. What comes from the pages of this book is that the the man is too nice. He provides an idea of what British politics is like and leaves the reader wondering what he was doing there in such a ruthless, back-stabbing environment.

He shows how his best intentions were consistently undermined by the Tory rebel whilst simultaneously trying to keep at bay an increasingly ridiculous Labour Party and making sure that mainland Europe were happy with the UK's involvement. It sounds a bit tricky and yet he still finds time for his cricket. Throughout this work we hear of Major's achievements as well as his humbling opinions of the times he and his cabinet got it wrong. A breath of fresh air, certainly. Also perhaps unusual in a political autobiography, is that Major refrains from what must be a very tempting practice; namely to bang on about the failings of his "colleagues" and political foes. With a simple ease, Major tells us why someone's policy or behaviour are wrong without resorting to name calling and jingoism as many others would. I find it hard to believe that Major has any enemies at all in the Houses of Parliament now that he has returned to the backbenches.

His retreat from front line politics and the public eye has been managed with considerable composure. This book further indicates the fact that John Major is a "bloody nice bloke".

I am onto Paddy Ashdown's next. I wonder if I will like that as much...

First rate
John Major comes over, rather unfairly in my view, as the Grey Man of British politics. Yet from a political point of view, though he suffers by comparison to his predecessor The Iron Lady, he has some facinating tales to tell, such as the story of a meeting with M. Mitterand which nearly ended in a fist-fight. Indeed, problems both within his own party and with the electorate at large on the question of integration into Europe do rather dominate. The book also gives us an insight into the private world of John Major, the self-made son of an impoverished circus performer who is passionate about cricket and collecting arcane memorabilia (he even put in a bid when Rasputin's pickled genitals were auctioned recently in Paris.) All in all, an excellent read. ... Read more

Book Description

Considering he has been and will remain to be one of the most studied personalities of the 20th century, relatively little has been written about the military service and war experiences of Winston Churchill - even his own writings give scant coverage of this important part of his life, despite his own admission of the impact it had upon him. Most biographies limit their coverage of his days in uniform but this learned and thorough volume gives a full understanding of how Churchill's military service molded his character, and how it served him in his political career.

His legendary qualities of leadership, personal drive and commitment to a cause were all very much honed in his early years when military life influenced his thinking and demeanor.

Did the Army make a man of the boy? Did it prepare him for spirited leadership? And what faults and failings did his military life identify to Churchill himself and his contemporaries?

This most comprehensive examination yet of his soldiering career is destined to become a core work in Churchillian studies ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Real Life Indiana Jones
Great if you have an interest in history, both modern and ancient. This man had a very adventuresome life, from working on a steamer ship in Asia during the Depression, to being at the beginnings of the Cold War in Europe. He even married an Italian princess(a direct descendant of Scipio Afrikanus). This man was a real life Indiana Jones. ... Read more

Book Description

Clementine Churchill — shy, passionate, and high-strung — shunned publicity but was in the limelight throughout her adult life. As a young woman, her character, intelligence, and good looks won the attention of the impetuous Winston Churchill. Their courtship was swift, but their marriage proved immensely strong, spanning many of the major events of the twentieth century.Written with affection and candor by the Churchills" daughter Mary Soames, this revised and updated biography of a lionhearted couple"s life together is not only of historic interest but deeply moving. ... Read more

Book Description

Martin Gilbert's landmark eight- volume biography of Winston Churchill is considered one of the greatest ever written. And the story behind it is every bit as fascinating as its celebrated subject. In Search of Churchill is the critically acclaimed tale of the author's thirty-year quest for one of the legendary leaders and dominant personalities of the twentieth century. This brilliant account is at once a striking portrayal of Winston Churchill as seen through the eyes of those closest to him and a rare, inside look at "the Agatha Christie side of the historian's art" (London Financial Times).

In Search of Churchill reveals the staggering extent of Gilbert's research, an epic undertaking that he began in 1962 as Randolph Churchill's assistant. From that auspicious beginning to the exultant moment when, some twenty-five years later, the author "reached the final file in the bottom drawer of the last filing cabinet," we witness the extraordinary process of countless interviews, of digging ever more deeply to dispel the myths and stereotypes, of alternately charming and cajoling those sources reluctant to confide.

Now, share some of the great moments in Martin Gilbert's pursuit, and meet an unforgettable cast of characters along the way: secretaries, assistants, diarists, correspondents, soldiers, politicians, civil servants; the eminent and the unknown. All had tales to tell, many appearing for the first time in this book.

Through these intimate recollections a remarkable pattern emerges. The impressions Churchill made on those he met, even as an adolescent, were indelible. From schoolmates to members of parliament, family friends to casual acquaintances, all were convinced he was unique —and a true man of destiny. Here, then, is an un-paralleled opportunity to view the complex character of the man behind the public persona—seen at his most unguarded moments.

Filled with intriguing anecdotes that could not be included in the formal biography, In Search of Churchill unfolds with vigorous enthusiasm and unbounded affection for its subject. It is must reading, not only for Churchill devotees, but for all those interested in the art of biography.

The critically acclaimed story behind the writing of one of the greatest biographies of the twentieth century

"The process of finding out about any historical character can be a surprising one. . . . In this book I share some of my experiences, in the hope that they may be of interest or amusement, and that something further will emerge from them of the character, struggles, and achievements of Churchill himself." —Martin Gilbert, from the Preface

Praise for In Search of Churchill

"Gilbert here gives us Churchill's vast humanity with the politics largely left out. Readers daunted by the 8,000-odd pages of the official life should start here. They will love it." —The Times (London)

"The work [Gilbert] has done puts all historians of the 20th century, and all students of Churchill, incalculably in his debt." —London Sunday Telegraph

"The portrait of Winston Churchill is . . . vivid and painted with an affection and humour that rarely appear in the official biography." —London Daily Telegraph ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Discovering the Real Winston!
The life of Winston Churchill was so eventful and the available documents relating to his life so voluminous, that penning a complete and unabridged biography of Churchill is truly a lifetime task. So it has been for British historian Martin Gilbert, charged with the task of being Churchill?s official biographer. In this book, Gilbert recounts the events by which he came to become the most extensive living resource of Churchill knowledge and artifacts.

Gilbert came to his task in a roundabout way. Fresh out of Oxford in the early sixties, the young historian concedes he knew comparatively little about Churchill as the great man was not a highly regarded figure among the Oxford academy at that time. Churchill?s son Randolph had been hired by a publishing house to write the multi volume official biography of his father. Gilbert was hired as one of several research assistants. Expecting to stay with Randolph only a short time, Gilbert ended up working with him for more than half a decade. In the first part of the book, Gilbert describes the experience of working with the mercurial and difficult Randolph in putting together the first volumes covering Churchill?s early life. On Randolph?s death in 1968, Gilbert was asked by the publisher to take over the project. Gilbert agreed to do so and a lifetime task was set before him. In ensuing chapters, Gilbert describes his frustrations and pleasures at the enormous amount of written materials by or about Churchill. Perhaps no other historical figure has such an extensive archive. As recounted by Gilbert, his explorations of Churchill?s letters and papers taught him much, not only about Churchill?s impact on British and world history but about Churchill?s character. Yet as Gilbert states, no historical figure can be brought to life merely on the basis of written documents. Fortunately for Gilbert, at the time he did much of his research, in the sixties, many of the people in Churchill?s life were still alive to be interviewed. This includes many of his secretaries, a number of military and political figures with whom he worked and his wife and children. From decades of research, Gilbert emerged with a compelling portrait of a truly great character. A man, not without his faults but still a great liberal, a great democrat, a great leader and a great family man. The book is filled with anecdotes and quotes from Churchill. As one example, Gilbert discovered a letter of response from Labour Prime Minister Ramsey McDonald praising Churchill for his kindness and friendship. Gilbert never found the original letter Churchill wrote to McDonald but wonders what it could have said to elicit such a response from a man Churchill had referred to in open Parliament as ?the boneless wonder?.

Anyone who admirers Winston Churchill and Martin Gilbert must read this book. It is an absolute necessity to any Churchill library. Anyone who would like to learn a little about one of the 20th centuries truly great figures should read it as well.

Take a 30 year literary ride
Biographers spend years, and in this case decades, to bring their work, their subject to us. The manner their books came about is generally shared in their acknowledgement, or a section thanking those people and institutions that were instrumental in helping create the work. Sir Martin Gilbert is one of the great Historians of our time, and his main work as a historian is certainly a man that is truly unique, a historic original, a man who's peers can be counted on one hand.

"In Search Of Churchill" allows the reader to get about as close as he can to the writing of a biography without actually being one of Sir Martin's assistants. His work documenting Churchill is about to cross into its fifth decade. Sir Martin began as an assistant to Sir Winston Spencer Churchill's Son Randolph in 1962. In 1968 he took the task on alone, and has carried it forth, and continues to do so to this day.

Alone of course is the wrong word, while he certainly has written thousands of pages of what many consider the greatest biographical work ever done, hundreds of others living, and others through the papers they left behind, have helped Mr. Gilbert on this lifetime task. Churchill has not been the only subject of this great biographer which is yet another testimony to this historian.

Churchill is a constant, he is quoted almost daily, his speeches are legendary, as are his quips, which were at times poked in fun, and at others ended the careers of their target. Mr. Gilbert works toward answering questions that may not have a definitive answer, but if there is an individual to put forth valid opinion, none are more qualified than he. Why is Churchill a figure of history that has not been relegated to the past's vague memory, why does he routinely appear on magazine covers in this Country and others on a yearly basis? What was it about this man that has spawned an International Churchill Society who counts thousands on Continents around the world as paying members? Why are their new books on this man written on a regular basis, and how many authors have their books in print a century after they were written. Great Author's works line the shelves, but writing was an avocation for this man in addition to his other talents.

Mr. Gilbert brings you along to "meet" people who worked with Mr. Churchill. As his life spanned from the 1870's to the 1960's those who knew him are legion. He was Prime Minister twice, held nearly every major Government position, won the Nobel prize, painted, and held the fort for the Western Democracies until help finally came. If such a man had not lived so large and so long he would almost be more believable as legend and or myth rather than the Statesman, warrior, orator, and one of England's greatest citizens that he continues to be, in some cases in memory only. He did have a head start, as his Mother was American, and perhaps that makes us in the USA feel we can claim him as partly ours.

The embassy in Washington D.C. has a statue of Churchill, in mid-stride he has one foot on American soil and one on the territory of the English Embassy. In life his influence, his determination, and sense of destiny spanned the Globe. Even in death he spans the 2 Countries he loved the most.

His like will never be seen again.

A Must Read
If you enjoy biograhpies or Churchill, this is a book for you. Gilbert has come across some fascinating material in his pursuit of the great man. It is also interesting to see how exactly a biography is written. The book starts out focusing more on the author, but works its way into Churchill. Gilbert steps away from merely events in his life and through letters and those who knew him best, gets down to the inner man. The best part is a letter Churchill dictated when he was only a small boy where he predicts a great deal of his future. Gibert goes right to the heart of Churchill.

Myths and Lies debunked
Churchill has always been somewhat of an enigma; undoubtedly a brilliant politician who, more than any other figure in contemporary 20th Century History, helped shape the lives of millions. Much has previously been made of disasters associated with his decisions both militarily and politically. Through Mr. Gilbert's brilliant research and analysis, however, many of these are shown to have been fabrications or nothing other than spurious lies. Through these pages you learn that he was the "scapegoat" for the Dardanelles debacle and that he was a far more compassionate and human individual than some would have us believe. His treatment of social issues, including organised labour, was before its time and he was certainly not the "heartless" war-monger so often portrayed in this revisionist era. Surely the greatest historical debate would be to pitch Mr. Gilbert against the most articulate revisionist, Mr David Irving: I have no doubt, having read this excellent book, that Gilbert would secure a knock-out in the first round. ... Read more