What do you think?
Rate this book
Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill
In modern memory, Winston Churchill remains the man with the cigar and the equanimity among the ruins. Few can remember that at the age of 40, he was considered washed up, his best days behind him. In Young Titan, historian Michael Shelden has produced the first biography focused on Churchill’s early career, the years between 1901 and 1915 that both nearly undid him but also forged the character that would later triumph in the Second World War. Between his rise and his fall, Churchill built a modern navy, experimented with radical social reforms, survived various threats on his life, made powerful enemies and a few good friends, annoyed and delighted two British monarchs, became a husband and father, took the measure of the German military machine, authorized executions of notorious murderers, and faced deadly artillery barrages on the Western front. Along the way, he learned how to outwit more experienced rivals, how to overcome bureaucratic obstacles, how to question the assumptions of his upbringing, how to be patient and avoid overconfidence, and how to value loyalty.
He also learned how to fall in love. Shelden gives us a portrait of Churchill as the dashing young suitor who pursued three great beauties of British society with his witty repartee, political f lair, and poetic letters. In one of many never-before-told episodes, Churchill is seen racing to a Scottish castle to prepare the heartbroken daughter of the prime minister for his impending marriage.
This was a time of high drama, intrigue, personal courage, and grave miscalculations. But as Shelden shows in this fresh and revealing biography, Churchill’s later success was predicated on his struggles to redeem the promise of his youth.
He also learned how to fall in love. Shelden gives us a portrait of Churchill as the dashing young suitor who pursued three great beauties of British society with his witty repartee, political f lair, and poetic letters. In one of many never-before-told episodes, Churchill is seen racing to a Scottish castle to prepare the heartbroken daughter of the prime minister for his impending marriage.
This was a time of high drama, intrigue, personal courage, and grave miscalculations. But as Shelden shows in this fresh and revealing biography, Churchill’s later success was predicated on his struggles to redeem the promise of his youth.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2013
58 people are currently reading
1434 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 20, 2015
I am probably one of the few people in the world who has not read a book about Churchill. I am not interested in reading about politics and I am not interested in reading about war, ergo Churchill has been outside my range. Yet of course he has been an heroic figure in the British landscape all my life, with the drip, drip, drip of anecdotes that this always involves, and that false sense that one knows the man. It was definitely time I took steps to find out more.
This book describes Churchill's life between the end of the Boer War, up until 1915 - and his big tumble from political power.... the time between his first triumphs and great fall - before he returned with all guns blazing to see us through the Second World War.
Michael Sheldon was a journalist for The Daily Telegraph for twelve years, and it shows. He injects a lot of human interest into his telling of this story, which is the hook I (shamefully) always need to keep going with history books or biographies. He has made me want to read more about Churchill, and rush out and get books on several other people too - H.H. Asquith, Jennie Churchill, Violet Asquith and Lloyd George...he gives wonderful and intriguing sketches of them all.
Issues in the book that particularly fascinated me:
My favourite quote from the book is Churchill talking to Violet Asquith "We are all worms. But I do believe that I am a glow worm" Absolutely so - and this excellent book shows this to be true time and time again. I thought it was a great read.
This book describes Churchill's life between the end of the Boer War, up until 1915 - and his big tumble from political power.... the time between his first triumphs and great fall - before he returned with all guns blazing to see us through the Second World War.
Michael Sheldon was a journalist for The Daily Telegraph for twelve years, and it shows. He injects a lot of human interest into his telling of this story, which is the hook I (shamefully) always need to keep going with history books or biographies. He has made me want to read more about Churchill, and rush out and get books on several other people too - H.H. Asquith, Jennie Churchill, Violet Asquith and Lloyd George...he gives wonderful and intriguing sketches of them all.
Issues in the book that particularly fascinated me:
My favourite quote from the book is Churchill talking to Violet Asquith "We are all worms. But I do believe that I am a glow worm" Absolutely so - and this excellent book shows this to be true time and time again. I thought it was a great read.
March 19, 2021
"Get enough to live on without asking anybody for anything. That's the first condition for success, or indeed, of decent living; that's the prime necessity of life. Every man of us should think of nothing but that till is achieved. Afterwards one can do what one likes - please keep that in front of you as the object of your life!" ~ Winston Churchill.
I have to admit that I too often fall prey to the cardinal sin of judging a book by its cover, and the wages of that sin, many times have been disappointment. So when the Young Titan with a dashing face of young Winston Churchill kept pulling me in, my scepticism was at all-time high, but thank Michael Shelden, this turned out to be a glorious exemption.
Most biographies, I argue, are nothing but overviews of someone's life concentrating on the juicy aspects but not the substance. They barely scratch the surface. It's inconceivably hard to condense someone's life, however short and uneventful it was, within 500 pages. So most biographers, at least some, retort to the highlight moments; the "twitter" moments - the ones that would have been trendy in this social media age. They are too lazy to do their homework, and this is precisely where Shelden struck gold. He went digging, and knowing the nearly-impossible task of unearthing Winston Churchill in his wholeness, he decided to concentrate on his formative political years which, evidently, were where the backbone of his character was formed.
With self-awareness of greatness that lays yonder, Churchill, early on, at an age where some of us were still in diapers, decides to write his life story the way he wanted it to be written. And he wrote it in deeds. Deeds that were filled with so much dynamism and romanticism that can only be matched in the world of fiction. At 26 years of age, Churchill had gone to war in Africa, captured, escaped and came back as a war hero, got elected as an MP, pursuing the most beautiful women of his time, and in his own words - had written as many books as Moses. But Churchill was not all glitter. With boyish arrogance, notoriety, overconfidence and a sharp sense of wit, he could say things that could even provoke a reprimand from the king himself. Churchill, at the pick of his youth, had no brakes. And if he had them, he didn't use them. No wonder he called himself a hooligan.
The author overly dwelt on his romantic pursuits than I thought was necessary and in the process, we are able to see this side of Churchill that is almost muted in history books. At his core, beyond the flamboyance and the bravado, underneath the expensive silk pyjamas that he was so fond of, we see a man with a tender heart yearning to feel and to be filled with love to a point where he is begging for it. With three denials and consequently three heartbreaks in a row, it was interesting to see Winston Churchill, as great as he was, still struggling in the art of wooing. His fine penmanship and perfect poetic prose in letter writing often fell short of the desired objective which meant that these women he desired could only see him as a friend at best and not a lover. As a man, I know this pained him more than he could admit. Friendship is the worst token of appreciation you can give a man who is in love with you. You rather cast him to obscurity.
Quite frankly I don't know why I'm giving this book four stars because it's clearly within the prisms of a classic. I started it with great expectations and excitement and wrapped it up with awe and wonderment at the great force of character Winston Churchill was and how Michael Shelden was able to lay it out on canvas with such beautiful strokes you could hardly find a fault. No wonder one reviewer remarked at how among the ten books he has read on Churchill, this was by far the best. To me, this served as a perfect introductory lesson to Winston Churchill 101 and I can't wait to read the next book about this titan though I'm afraid the bar has been set so high.
I have to admit that I too often fall prey to the cardinal sin of judging a book by its cover, and the wages of that sin, many times have been disappointment. So when the Young Titan with a dashing face of young Winston Churchill kept pulling me in, my scepticism was at all-time high, but thank Michael Shelden, this turned out to be a glorious exemption.
Most biographies, I argue, are nothing but overviews of someone's life concentrating on the juicy aspects but not the substance. They barely scratch the surface. It's inconceivably hard to condense someone's life, however short and uneventful it was, within 500 pages. So most biographers, at least some, retort to the highlight moments; the "twitter" moments - the ones that would have been trendy in this social media age. They are too lazy to do their homework, and this is precisely where Shelden struck gold. He went digging, and knowing the nearly-impossible task of unearthing Winston Churchill in his wholeness, he decided to concentrate on his formative political years which, evidently, were where the backbone of his character was formed.
With self-awareness of greatness that lays yonder, Churchill, early on, at an age where some of us were still in diapers, decides to write his life story the way he wanted it to be written. And he wrote it in deeds. Deeds that were filled with so much dynamism and romanticism that can only be matched in the world of fiction. At 26 years of age, Churchill had gone to war in Africa, captured, escaped and came back as a war hero, got elected as an MP, pursuing the most beautiful women of his time, and in his own words - had written as many books as Moses. But Churchill was not all glitter. With boyish arrogance, notoriety, overconfidence and a sharp sense of wit, he could say things that could even provoke a reprimand from the king himself. Churchill, at the pick of his youth, had no brakes. And if he had them, he didn't use them. No wonder he called himself a hooligan.
The author overly dwelt on his romantic pursuits than I thought was necessary and in the process, we are able to see this side of Churchill that is almost muted in history books. At his core, beyond the flamboyance and the bravado, underneath the expensive silk pyjamas that he was so fond of, we see a man with a tender heart yearning to feel and to be filled with love to a point where he is begging for it. With three denials and consequently three heartbreaks in a row, it was interesting to see Winston Churchill, as great as he was, still struggling in the art of wooing. His fine penmanship and perfect poetic prose in letter writing often fell short of the desired objective which meant that these women he desired could only see him as a friend at best and not a lover. As a man, I know this pained him more than he could admit. Friendship is the worst token of appreciation you can give a man who is in love with you. You rather cast him to obscurity.
Quite frankly I don't know why I'm giving this book four stars because it's clearly within the prisms of a classic. I started it with great expectations and excitement and wrapped it up with awe and wonderment at the great force of character Winston Churchill was and how Michael Shelden was able to lay it out on canvas with such beautiful strokes you could hardly find a fault. No wonder one reviewer remarked at how among the ten books he has read on Churchill, this was by far the best. To me, this served as a perfect introductory lesson to Winston Churchill 101 and I can't wait to read the next book about this titan though I'm afraid the bar has been set so high.
May 14, 2023
Young Titan is a work for the true Churchill enthusiast. This is very much a personal biography, focusing on WLSC's youthful romances and interactions with friends and colleagues. Those seeking to learn more about the major events in which Churchill participated during the covered period--e.g., Tonypandy and Gallipoli--are better off seeking other sources. On the other hand, staunch Churchill aficionados will find that this book provides some insights on the great statesman that are difficult to find elsewhere.
March 19, 2017
When many think of Winston Churchill, it is undoubtedly as the elder statesman with the jowly, bulldog face and steely determination to stand alone against the Nazis. In Shelden's Young Titan: The Making of Winston Churchill we see instead an overly confident, young, aristocratic talk of the town who romances a number of women, most of which turn down his proposals for marriage, before finding and marrying Clementine Hozier who will remain his lifelong companion.
One of the most interesting contributions of the books to Churchill studies is Shelden's look at the complicated relationship between the politically astute and active Prime Minister's daughter Violet Asquith and the young Churchill. It is a sad tale of Violet's unrequited love and leaves the reader to wonder what might have happened had Churchill decided on Violet instead of Clemmie. Given Violet's interest and actual participation in politics in contrast to Clementine, one is left wondering if she could have been the UK's Eleanor Roosevelt.
As Shelden correctly points out, many at the time and since have seen Churchill as a man undeserving of his fame having little to do with actual achievement and instead a reliance on his family's name and wealth. In reality the Churchills were not well off compared to other in the aristocracy and particularly after his defection to the Liberals, the Tory Party elite very firmly looked down upon the younger man. Churchill was always his own man with, as Asquith is quoted as saying, the "streak of lightning in the brain" that showed a true genius underneath. He worked incredibly hard at writing and speaking, practicing for hours and committing great swathes of writing to memory. Shelden points to his trials in politics and in love as the building blocks of the later man he would become.
The end of the book perhaps shows Churchill's greatest political failure in his decision as First Lord of the Admiralty; to attack the Dardanelles resulting in the utter disaster at Gallipoli in 1915 during the First World War. Shelden does give Churchill more leeway than he deserves in this regard, trying to point the finger at the mentally unstable "Jacky" Fisher as the responsible party as well and Prime Minister Asquith and cabinet member Lloyd George. While undoubtedly Churchill was the better war leader, this was his single worst decision as a military leader and even at the time he was well aware he was responsible having said to a visitor while in the midst of painting "There is more blood than paint on these hands".
While it is remarkable that Churchill recovered from this disaster, albeit some 20 years later, it was nonetheless still an epic military blunder. However, Shelden does show that Churchill essentially sent himself into exile in the trenches rather than remain in a do-nothing government post and it is hard not to admire a man for voluntarily going to face death himself after having consigned others to the same fate.
Overall this was an informative and enjoyable read and Shelden is currently working on a second volume which will hopefully be as informative as this one.
One of the most interesting contributions of the books to Churchill studies is Shelden's look at the complicated relationship between the politically astute and active Prime Minister's daughter Violet Asquith and the young Churchill. It is a sad tale of Violet's unrequited love and leaves the reader to wonder what might have happened had Churchill decided on Violet instead of Clemmie. Given Violet's interest and actual participation in politics in contrast to Clementine, one is left wondering if she could have been the UK's Eleanor Roosevelt.
As Shelden correctly points out, many at the time and since have seen Churchill as a man undeserving of his fame having little to do with actual achievement and instead a reliance on his family's name and wealth. In reality the Churchills were not well off compared to other in the aristocracy and particularly after his defection to the Liberals, the Tory Party elite very firmly looked down upon the younger man. Churchill was always his own man with, as Asquith is quoted as saying, the "streak of lightning in the brain" that showed a true genius underneath. He worked incredibly hard at writing and speaking, practicing for hours and committing great swathes of writing to memory. Shelden points to his trials in politics and in love as the building blocks of the later man he would become.
The end of the book perhaps shows Churchill's greatest political failure in his decision as First Lord of the Admiralty; to attack the Dardanelles resulting in the utter disaster at Gallipoli in 1915 during the First World War. Shelden does give Churchill more leeway than he deserves in this regard, trying to point the finger at the mentally unstable "Jacky" Fisher as the responsible party as well and Prime Minister Asquith and cabinet member Lloyd George. While undoubtedly Churchill was the better war leader, this was his single worst decision as a military leader and even at the time he was well aware he was responsible having said to a visitor while in the midst of painting "There is more blood than paint on these hands".
While it is remarkable that Churchill recovered from this disaster, albeit some 20 years later, it was nonetheless still an epic military blunder. However, Shelden does show that Churchill essentially sent himself into exile in the trenches rather than remain in a do-nothing government post and it is hard not to admire a man for voluntarily going to face death himself after having consigned others to the same fate.
Overall this was an informative and enjoyable read and Shelden is currently working on a second volume which will hopefully be as informative as this one.
July 23, 2013
This is the tenth Winston Churchill biography that I've read and, in my opinion, one of the best. Over the last year I've gotten into "specialist" Churchill biographies - "Mr. Churchill's Profession" (about Churchill as a writer), "Warlord" (about Churchill as a military leader) and now this one (in addition to re-reading the three-volume Manchester bio). In particular, this book provided fresh new insight - something quite rare into so-studied a man as Winston - in the area of Churchill's evolution through his twenties.
In particular, I was impressed by the fresh telling of the story of Churchill and Violet Asquith (the daughter of the Prime Minister and the grandmother of the modern-day actress Helena Bonham-Carter). I was well-aware, from having read numerous other Churchill stories, of their close friendship stretching across many decades and had always wondered why, in spite of the signs, their extreme closeness, the romanticism of their words about each other over the years, they had not married. I had always assumed - given the knowledge of how Churchill was rejected by a series of famous women that he proposed to throughout the first decade of the 20th Century - that she had spurned him. Instead, apparently it turns out that she held a largely-unrequited love for him, but he regarded her as too similar (and perhaps too assertive), and instead kept her, basically, in reserve as he courted Clementine. On account of this, he felt obligated - during their very-short engagement - to make a long journey to Scotland to tell her in person, very-nearly resulting in Clementine breaking off their engagement and also sending Violet into a violent depression.
As I mentioned, despite having read thousands and thousands of pages about Churchill - including Manchester's bio, his own account of his early life, and the authorized biography - I had literally never heard of any of this certainly-significant episode before.
I found the book a thoroughly-interesting read and recommend it very highly.
In particular, I was impressed by the fresh telling of the story of Churchill and Violet Asquith (the daughter of the Prime Minister and the grandmother of the modern-day actress Helena Bonham-Carter). I was well-aware, from having read numerous other Churchill stories, of their close friendship stretching across many decades and had always wondered why, in spite of the signs, their extreme closeness, the romanticism of their words about each other over the years, they had not married. I had always assumed - given the knowledge of how Churchill was rejected by a series of famous women that he proposed to throughout the first decade of the 20th Century - that she had spurned him. Instead, apparently it turns out that she held a largely-unrequited love for him, but he regarded her as too similar (and perhaps too assertive), and instead kept her, basically, in reserve as he courted Clementine. On account of this, he felt obligated - during their very-short engagement - to make a long journey to Scotland to tell her in person, very-nearly resulting in Clementine breaking off their engagement and also sending Violet into a violent depression.
As I mentioned, despite having read thousands and thousands of pages about Churchill - including Manchester's bio, his own account of his early life, and the authorized biography - I had literally never heard of any of this certainly-significant episode before.
I found the book a thoroughly-interesting read and recommend it very highly.
March 1, 2015
I must confess that I am not an avid Churchill reader; my book interests tend to run the gamut too much to stick to one person or thing. But I still find him to be a fascinating character, hardly a dull moment and I love that he is self aware. He's conceited and knows it; never apologizes for it. This book sets the stage for the rise of Churchill's career. These are the moments in his political career that would help shape and define him. I started off by thinking this was no Manchester biography (which I adored) and I realized it would be unfair to compare it to that work. This biography truly stands alone as it's own good (separate) work and I enjoyed it. Churchill quotes abound and I found his relationship with Violet intriguing (I'll let you read that). Well done.
February 24, 2016
I have already read a few biographies of Churchill which were, for the most part, fairly good. However, I always felt that they skimmed through Churchill's youth and, naturally, focused on him during WWII. By reading this new book by Shelden, I was hoping to gain a few insights into the events that shaped Churchill's life and made him into the person he was.
Since the title suggests that the focus is on young Churchill, I was expecting to read about Churchill's childhood. Nevertheless, Shelden covers Churchill's life from after he returns from the Boar War and up to WWI, which is a missed opportunity, because a lot can be learned about someone from his childhood years.
However, I did learn plenty of new and amusing facts about Churchill, and I do feel I have a better grasp of who Churchill was and what drove him. This book won't change your opinion of Churchill for better and worse. Yet, it will offer you a few hours of enjoyment and amusement.
Since the title suggests that the focus is on young Churchill, I was expecting to read about Churchill's childhood. Nevertheless, Shelden covers Churchill's life from after he returns from the Boar War and up to WWI, which is a missed opportunity, because a lot can be learned about someone from his childhood years.
However, I did learn plenty of new and amusing facts about Churchill, and I do feel I have a better grasp of who Churchill was and what drove him. This book won't change your opinion of Churchill for better and worse. Yet, it will offer you a few hours of enjoyment and amusement.
February 6, 2018
Serviceable biography of Winston Churchill's political rise and fall as a young man. The smooth writing and delightful anecdotes caused it to shine at times, but it also got bogged down in unnecessary detail at other times. A lot of time, of course, is spent in the political world but the author also takes some time out to detail Winston Churchill's often times thwarted efforts to find the love of his life (there were many ladies that he attempted to woo). Clementine, the one he finally married, was described a bit, but it left me wanting to know more about her. It's amazing to see the drive, passion, and genius that resided in such a young man and how he fully utilized it. You can see how these formative years were preparing him for the time when he would come to his zenith during the World War II years.
July 9, 2014
The Young Titan deals with Churchill as a young man, fresh on Britain's political and social scenes. He immediately makes his mark in Parliament as brilliant and intelligent, a forceful orator, a "comer" and ...as untrustworthy. That latter assessment is both from members of his own, first, political party the Tories , and then from the Liberal party, which Churchill joins after a policy dispute with the leaders of the Tories. The fact that Churchill sees a looming deceive
Tory defeat in the next election weighed in on that decision.
More than anything, Churchill wants to be, dares to want to be a great man. This book shows in brief , but fascinating detail, the forging of the political giant.
It also details his mostly frustrated amorous adventures with various rich, prominent and beautiful women, all unsuccessful. All the women from or above his class view Winston as charming, a brilliant thinker and...untrustworthy. Perhaps all those women saw in him a striver, a restless man who wanted a beautiful woman at his side as an ornament to his career, a career which their money and status would greatly help further. Most if the women preferred to keep Winston as a casual friend; only Clementine chose to be his wife.
A reader can easily see how Churchill learned his craft as politician, acting in and on events. Very often he saw things forming on the horizon, either working to head them off, or call the warning. Interestingly, it is apparent that he was a master manipulator, moving pieces on the board to get the desired results. Few , at least few men, could resist his logic, charm and persuasion. Certainly not FDR, who later decided to commit the US to a Europe First war program even though It was Japan, not Germany, who attacked on Dec. 7, 1941.
More than anything, Churchill wanted to be a great man. Greater than his father, who it was said was characterized as, " remarkably brilliant ...[but] untrustworthy.", his father, Randolph who died wasted and a wastrel, killed by an unnamed illness, probably syphilis. He love for his father drove him to great challenges. Often Churchill succeeded; when he failed , he failed mightily.
All prepared him for the greatest challenges of his life, yet to come and beyond the scope of this book.
The book is for those who might be interested in how Winston Churchill grew to become the man of Britain's finest hour, and the world's greatest political leader.
Tory defeat in the next election weighed in on that decision.
More than anything, Churchill wants to be, dares to want to be a great man. This book shows in brief , but fascinating detail, the forging of the political giant.
It also details his mostly frustrated amorous adventures with various rich, prominent and beautiful women, all unsuccessful. All the women from or above his class view Winston as charming, a brilliant thinker and...untrustworthy. Perhaps all those women saw in him a striver, a restless man who wanted a beautiful woman at his side as an ornament to his career, a career which their money and status would greatly help further. Most if the women preferred to keep Winston as a casual friend; only Clementine chose to be his wife.
A reader can easily see how Churchill learned his craft as politician, acting in and on events. Very often he saw things forming on the horizon, either working to head them off, or call the warning. Interestingly, it is apparent that he was a master manipulator, moving pieces on the board to get the desired results. Few , at least few men, could resist his logic, charm and persuasion. Certainly not FDR, who later decided to commit the US to a Europe First war program even though It was Japan, not Germany, who attacked on Dec. 7, 1941.
More than anything, Churchill wanted to be a great man. Greater than his father, who it was said was characterized as, " remarkably brilliant ...[but] untrustworthy.", his father, Randolph who died wasted and a wastrel, killed by an unnamed illness, probably syphilis. He love for his father drove him to great challenges. Often Churchill succeeded; when he failed , he failed mightily.
All prepared him for the greatest challenges of his life, yet to come and beyond the scope of this book.
The book is for those who might be interested in how Winston Churchill grew to become the man of Britain's finest hour, and the world's greatest political leader.
August 11, 2014
Churchill was a man who had not one but two political lives, and given that his second encompassed the Second World War it's hardly a surprise that in any biography the bulk of the attention is paid to his later career. The mental image of Churchill we all have is from his war years - the cigar, the bowler hat, the V for Victory signal. But Churchill was 66 years old when he became Prime Minister and he had spent a good twenty-plus years in relative political exile before that, so it is all too easy to forget his youth, his meteoric rise, his position as the bright young buck of first the Tory and then the Liberal party.
This excellent and thoroughly enjoyable biography covers only a portion of Churchill's remarkable life - his early political career from his first position as an MP to the beginning of his downfall after Gallipoli. Churchill had quite the spectacular rise to power, becoming Home Secretary and then First Lord of the Admiralty when only in his thirties - and as equally spectacular a fall after the disaster at Gallipoli.
In focusing on such a brief period, Shelden has the luxury of examining Churchill's life in more detail than most other single-volume biographies have the opportunity to - and as a result some of the incidents and encounters in this were completely new to me. Churchill's romantic travails prior to his marriage and his relationship with his parents really helped to shed light on his character, and I have no doubt these will influence any future books on Churchill I read.
That an entire book can be written about such a short period is to testament to the life Churchill led - a book that doesn't include the Second World War, or indeed Churchill's early adventures in the Sudan and the Boer War, and yet manages to be as entertaining, enjoyable and informative as this one, is surely to the credit of both the subject and the author.
This excellent and thoroughly enjoyable biography covers only a portion of Churchill's remarkable life - his early political career from his first position as an MP to the beginning of his downfall after Gallipoli. Churchill had quite the spectacular rise to power, becoming Home Secretary and then First Lord of the Admiralty when only in his thirties - and as equally spectacular a fall after the disaster at Gallipoli.
In focusing on such a brief period, Shelden has the luxury of examining Churchill's life in more detail than most other single-volume biographies have the opportunity to - and as a result some of the incidents and encounters in this were completely new to me. Churchill's romantic travails prior to his marriage and his relationship with his parents really helped to shed light on his character, and I have no doubt these will influence any future books on Churchill I read.
That an entire book can be written about such a short period is to testament to the life Churchill led - a book that doesn't include the Second World War, or indeed Churchill's early adventures in the Sudan and the Boer War, and yet manages to be as entertaining, enjoyable and informative as this one, is surely to the credit of both the subject and the author.
January 9, 2016
I thought this was a very interesting book which gave an insight of the experiences which lead to the formation of his personality. He had an incredible command of the English language and a memory to recover choice phrases when making speeches or debating a point in Parliament. He used this ability on his lecture tours and in his writing to make enough money to support his lifestyle. His outlook was also very much coloured by his upbringing and privileged class. He was also a talented painter and the insights in to his construction of elaborate sand castles gave another picture of the man. He stood by his principles which lead to him leaving the Tory Party and to supporting home rule for Ireland. If only that had been sorted out at the time a lot of deaths could have been saved. When he called out the troops either on standby or to suppress rioting showed his class mentality towards the poor. The author gave very little background to why these people were rioting and to do that they must have been desperate. There was a mention of how appalled he was when he accidentally wandered in to a slum district in Manchester and did realise that if something was not done there would be trouble.
Lloyd George was a very wiley politician but most were. The author seems at every opportunity to cast doubt on Lloyd George's achievements and even mentions events well after the period covered by the book and so easy to see with hindsight. However I did very much enjoy reading the book.
Lloyd George was a very wiley politician but most were. The author seems at every opportunity to cast doubt on Lloyd George's achievements and even mentions events well after the period covered by the book and so easy to see with hindsight. However I did very much enjoy reading the book.
November 13, 2013
A very well written history of Churchill's early political career. A meteoric rise and shocking collapse after he is scapegoated for the failed attempt to invade Turkey in World War I . The book is really good on the politics and personalities off edwardinian Great Britain. The politics and animosities of its practioners show that the vitriolic dislike that r's and D's have in modern DC is nothing new. I enjoyed this opportunity to revisit an exciting and interesting time. If you like history ,especially during this time period try this one out. It we'll educate you and give you a renewed appreciation for Churchill the leader, the politician and the man.
May 4, 2013
A highly readable biography that appears to be excellently sourced as well as providing new material. Churchill's early years as a rising politician were fascinating. It's easy to see why the author could stop where he did and still have provided a delightful reading experience. My only question is---where do I go now?
January 7, 2014
Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Even the Grand Old Man himself would approve of this sympathetic, yet probing account of Churchill's early career as a politician. Wonderfully written and terribly engaging. Shelden again creates a biographic masterpiece. Bravo!
November 26, 2020
I liked it in that it portrayed Winston at a different time period within his life, the early years. Most of what I have seen and heard about Winston Churchill pretty much enveloped his years as Prime Minister during World War II, but that was relatively late in life. He also served in politics in the Edwardian period and at the beginning of World War I. At that point, he fell from grace and reentered the army, basically building his career from the bottom up again.
In this biography, you definitely get a sense of Winston as a courageous, determined, and charismatic individual. You can see the young man forming into the Prime Minister that led England through the dark years of the second World War. With that said, the book was, at times, a bit slow, especially at the beginning, but it picked up for me. I haven't read any other Churchill biography, so another one may be better than this one due to the slow pacing.
In this biography, you definitely get a sense of Winston as a courageous, determined, and charismatic individual. You can see the young man forming into the Prime Minister that led England through the dark years of the second World War. With that said, the book was, at times, a bit slow, especially at the beginning, but it picked up for me. I haven't read any other Churchill biography, so another one may be better than this one due to the slow pacing.
December 30, 2022
A very interesting work on the life of Churchill from 1901-1915. These are Churchill's years when he was a rising star in Great Britain, until the Dardanelles for which the future "Last Lion" shared in the responsibility, but took the lion's share of blame. We find Churchill a young leader (he became a member of Parliament at twenty-five and First Lord of the Admiralty at 37), brash, and full of confidence about his role on the world stage. We leave discouraged and disconsolate.
I appreciated and enjoyed Michael Shelden's work. It is interesting, well-paced, and gives us Churchill, his times, and his contemporaries. He also brings to light a perspective on this leader with respect to the battle with anarchist in 1911 that has remained hidden for one-hundred years and which sheds new light on the heart behind the bravado.
Church, according to Violet Asquith, "did nothing by halves." Shelden helps reveal that truth.
I appreciated and enjoyed Michael Shelden's work. It is interesting, well-paced, and gives us Churchill, his times, and his contemporaries. He also brings to light a perspective on this leader with respect to the battle with anarchist in 1911 that has remained hidden for one-hundred years and which sheds new light on the heart behind the bravado.
Church, according to Violet Asquith, "did nothing by halves." Shelden helps reveal that truth.
November 26, 2018
Exceptionally good biography. Focusing on a short period of time, it paints a detailed and exciting picture of Churchill's early years. The author managed to not only present in great detail and animate the character of Winston Churchill, but also every major supporting character. The future Prime Minister seems to me now like an old friend, whose character I know by heart; his supporting cast is a set of vibrant individuals, whose lives I am eager to study like I just studied Winston's.
I didn't want it to end.
I didn't want it to end.
July 29, 2019
I have read most of the major Churchill biographies and yet Shelden managed to find things about him that everybody else missed. Shelden shows us a young intemperate war hero, a man of political ambitions, a deal maker, combative and at the same time easily swayed by a pretty face.
I personally found it oddly amusing to see young Winstons attempts to woo the beauties of his day, and to feel his subsequent rejections. Imagine receiving sappy love letters from one of the greatest orators of the 20th century, and dismissing him.
A complex book for a complex individual.
I personally found it oddly amusing to see young Winstons attempts to woo the beauties of his day, and to feel his subsequent rejections. Imagine receiving sappy love letters from one of the greatest orators of the 20th century, and dismissing him.
A complex book for a complex individual.
October 2, 2025
This book deserves 3.7/5 but I rounded up simply because it was able to make a good, light story of the “middle years” of Winston Churchill’s career. Mostly dealing with the political theatre of his late 20s- early 40s. These years are probably the least reported on of his life, but may have been the most impactful to create the man who we know as the unabashed, relentless prime minister. To quote the young man himself “Politics, are almost as exciting as war and - quite as dangerous…in war, you can only be killed once. But in politics many times.”
November 5, 2017
Poet;Pilot;author;painter......I didn't know Winston Churchill had the time or the skills for these impressive accomplishments. While we all know that he was the prime minister of England,this account tells how Churchill starting pursuing his goals young in life.It explains risks, and the setbacks ,he faced in his younger years.While the book may slow your life down,it is wonderful to learn and imagine the life of the developing Winston Churchill.
February 2, 2023
A fantastic, well narrated encounter with a Winston Churchill who struggled with both challenges and rivals in his early political career. Shelden sets up Churchill as a character we get to know well, an ambitious but dedicated and hard working individual who rose to the top because of his unforeseen political skills. It dives a lot into Churchill’s personal life, and we get to see the man he was and how he became who we remember him as, The Roaring Lion.
September 14, 2017
This was an amazing book. Easy read. Well written. You understand what kind of person Churchill is. Good introduction to someone who wants to get into History reading. One con is that you could clearly see that the author has an extremely positive view of Churchill and usually absolves him of all his mis-givings.
November 16, 2018
Very well written, the author takes what is essentially a very specific time in Churchill's life, which is actually somewhat dull (parliamentary politicizing and back-and-forths is a topic I don't usually find 'fascinating' or 'gripping') and keeps the readers' interest. Overall a worthwhile read and it peaked my interest in the rest of Winston Churchill's life.
March 11, 2020
One of the leaders during World War II , on his journey to being the Prime Minister of that time. Reminding me that he was also a softy before all those challenges and obstacles in his life.
I recommend doing a light reading regarding the goverment and the politicians present in his time to have a full appreciation of the book.
I recommend doing a light reading regarding the goverment and the politicians present in his time to have a full appreciation of the book.
September 28, 2023
Good book for somebody who is studying a thorough life of Winston. There are too many characters in this book. The periods described are between 1900 and 1915, so it is too much information. It was wonderful if the book contained information about his all life period.
November 7, 2020
Excellent overview of the early life of Winston Churchill.
May 14, 2023
A reminder that Churchill was not always an irascible old man.
January 18, 2024
Churchill has more ink trailing him than most famous statesmen. He deserves it, for his victories and his defeats, his failings and his achievements. And Shelden's ink is perfectly formed.
March 9, 2025
I learned lots of new things.
February 11, 2024
"Este mult mai bine ca marile națiuni ale lumii să depindă una de cealaltă decît să fie independente unele de celelalte. Este o condiție foarte importantă a păcii. (Dacă bunurile nu trec frontierele, o fac armatele.)"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews