Meeting Churchill: A Life in 90 Encounters

by Sinclair McKay

This insightful portrait of Winston Churchill delves beyond well-known political moments, incorporating perspectives from various individuals who encountered him throughout his life. From Bletchley Park codebreakers to Hollywood stars, Harold Wilson to Gandhi, these lesser-known interactions reveal glimpses of the man behind the legend.

We meet Churchill the mischievous schoolboy with a penchant for singing obscene songs, and Churchill the elder statesman shedding a tear in the House of Commons smoking room. Other incidents include a young journalist rudely dismissing a call from Churchill as a prank, and a visiting Dwight D. Eisenhower dreaming of being strangled, only to awake entangled in Churchill's borrowed nightshirt.

The book showcases the profound transformations during Churchill's lifetime, which ran from Benjamin Disraeli's premiership to the release of the Rolling Stones' Route 66 , and the shift from steam to atomic power. Examining controversial aspects of his legacy, this multifaceted portrait challenges preconceived notions, inviting readers to reconsider the complexities of Churchill.

Genres: Politics

368 pages, Paperback

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Sinclair McKay writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph and The Secret Listeners and has written books about James Bond and Hammer horror for Aurum. His next book, about the wartime “Y” Service during World War II, is due to be published by Aurum in 2012. He lives in London.
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Reviews

[Bertie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the only important things it told me that I didn’t already know, I wish I hadn’t been told…

[Migjol VanMjol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well composed and balanced picture of the man that was Winston Churchill. It dares to look at the good without glorifying and dares to look at the bad without vilifying, leaving the reader to make up their own mind.
Recommended for anyone interested in letting Churchill surprise them in both good and bad ways.

[Dave B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the most in depth and researched book I have read. That didn't make it enjoyable, as the book does not flow or have any feeling to it. The greatest English man ever would not have been impressed.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a few books about Churchill
Most only showed good side whereas this book were comments at the time. Thos esspecially true of Boris Johnson book.
The issues around the general strike were quite revealing
Really enjoyed this adn sort of book to dip back into in the future.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book documents 90 encounters of Winston Churchill throughout his life. The people who've given their account of meeting him are varied - I've heard of a few, but the majority I haven't heard of. Their recounts are sometimes interesting, depending on who they are and in what context they met him. They flow chronologically and we begin from his childhood right up to his death. It was interesting to find out more things about a man who everybody has heard of, but don't necessarily know that much about. I found the later years particularly moving, especially around his death. The book doesn't shy away from discussing some of his less popular opinions or actions, but leaves you to make your own mind up about these.