Pitt the Younger: A Life

by Michael J. Turner

William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806) was the youngest ever Prime Minister, and the second longest-serving one. Dominant in British politics for over twenty years, at a critical time in the his-tory of Britain, Europe and the world, he presided over the reforms that set up modern government in Britain (including the introduction of income tax). He also orchestrated Britain's response in the early stages of the war against the French Revolution and Napoleon, living to see British command of the sea established for over a hundred years at the battle of Trafalgar.

Pitt the Younger is the story of an extraordinary career. The son of Britain’s war leader in the Seven Years War, William Pitt the Younger was a born politician who dedicated his life to the exercise of power. His superb oratory, personal probity, and deep understanding of politics enabled him to overcome a lack of bonhomie and a chaotic private life. Michael Turner shows what Pitt achieved and how he achieved it, providing a clear and readable assessment of Pitt’s career.

Genres: History, Biography

320 pages, Hardcover

First published December 19, 2003

About the author

Michael J. Turner is the Roy Carroll Distinguished Professor of British History at Appalachian State University. He has published widely in the fields of British-American interaction, reform politics in nineteenth-century Britain, and modern British foreign policy.