Churchill

Book buyers will never tire of reading about Winston Churchill, for "the greatest adventurer of modern political history" (RA Butler's verdict) led a life of action-packed drama and global significance. Roy Jenkins' Churchill is the latest biography of this great Briton, following closely in the tailwind of Geoffrey Best's Churchill: A Study in Greatness. Where Best restores altitude to Churchill's dipping reputation, seeing off academic critics of the last decade or so, Jenkins provides a jumbo-size old-fashioned biography, lauding his subject's achievements, sympathising with his quirks, and stepping lightly over his well-known mistakes. As he did in his earlier biographies of Dilke, Asquith and Gladstone, Jenkins sticks closely to the published record, utilising in particular the definitive researches of Martin Gilbert, but he brings the authority and the inside knowledge of British politics to his book, slipping in his own memories of Churchill, and his own comparable experience sat the Cabinet table. It is all here, from the Boer Wars to the nuclear bomb, from the hustings in Oldham to the diplomacy of Yalta, with due coverage of the big moments--at the Board of Trade and at the Admiralty in Asquith's peacetime and wartime cabinets, taking on the appeasers in the 1930s and Hitler in the 1940s. All the books are here, and all the political relationships tetchy and touchy alike, from Lloyd George to Baldwin, Smuts to Stalin, and of course, the British people. Like its subject the book is bulky and at times indulgent, but impossible not to enjoy.--Miles Taylor

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A very interesting book - Rated
A biography written by a political insighter. Very readable. Minor mistake on the election period in the Weimar republic. Can be recommended if you want to read more on Churchill otherwise the best short biography is Bests: "Churchill: A study in greatness".

A Most Interesting Biography - Rated
Churchill by Roy Jenkins is a very readable book with lots of interesting details. It deals with all the major aspects of his life in an interesting and enjoyable style which does not become bogged down in analysis. It also unlike some biographies does not regard Churchill as a perfect prime minister but as the right man for the right time. All in all it is a very good book.

A great audio presentation - Rated
I listened to the abridged audio presentation of this book and have to say I found it extremely entertaining and informative.

It might have been a risky move to get a comedian/impressionist to narrate this book but it pays off. John Sessions does a great job with the text, bringing to life the quotes of Churchill, Attlee, Stalin etc with his brilliant portrayals.

The text itself is well written and doesn't mind pointing out Churchills flaws as well as his strengths. I'd have preferred some more attention being paid to the years 1939- 1945 as, of course, so much happened then. But it seems to be covered at the same pace as the years before and after.

All in all, an interesting history of a great man.

Jenkins hits the spot - Rated
I could give you a 6,000 word thesis on this book commenting on Jenkins' style and how appropriate and logical the information is within. However, this is a detailed and almost unbiased account of arguably the most resourceful and witty semi-American / semi-British men in history.

The fact is - for less than £10 and approximately a weeks worth of reading you can learn a great deal about this noble man and his extraordinary adventures (and good fortune) before making your own mind up about him; and Jenkins' effort!

Personally I feel that it is very much worth a read and suited my reading style better than any of the other Churchill biographies on the market today. As you may have guessed I employ a 'no nonsense' and 'straight to the point' style.

Grandiose work falls short of the mark - Rated
Churchill, it may be said, was great but not good. This book, it might equally be said, is good but not great. This is a pity, for in Jenkins Churchill potentially had a suitably colourful and erudite biographer. Unfortunately this offering, trumpeted on its release as the 'definitive' life of the great man, falls noticeably short of the standard set by Martin Gilbert back in the 1970s, even if it is a little more readable.

Criticisms have been justly levelled at Jenkin's style. Whilst capable of the most sparking witticisms, particularly in his character assessments, Jenkins' grandiose prose often seems turgid and affected. As might be expected, his analysis of Churchill's political evolution - from liberal Conservative to radical Liberal and back again - is perceptive and even-handed, although is lacking in detail. Much use is made of original sources, often quoted verbatim, frequently to illuminating effect and particularly so in the chapters dealing with Chruchill's wartime Premiership.

However, there is little here that has not been said before and with greater brevity. A good introductory text to Churchill, if you're not daunted by the scale, but it does neither subject nor author any great credit.