Winston Churchill: Soldier, Statesman, Artist

by John B. Severance

A vivid portrait of a unique leader who both experienced and influenced the great social and political changes of the first half of the twentieth century.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Read For School, School, Historical, Middle Grade

144 pages, Hardcover

First published February 22, 1996

About the author

Formerly a school teacher, John B. Severance now writes full time. He lives in Westerly, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Heidi'sbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter and I finished reading aloud this children's biography called Winston Churchill: Soldier, Statesman, Artist. This is an invitingly short book on Winston Churchill's life. For the life of me, I can't figure out the low rating this book received on Goodreads. The book starts with Churchill's young life, goes into his time in the Boer War, WWI, and his political offices, then WWII and after. Now, it is not long or difficult but it is very interesting for the young age for which it is intended. It is a positive account of his life and a great introduction to the world leader for children.

I suspect people read the book, were intrigued with the content, and wanted more. This is perfect for the middle grades. If kids desire to learn more after reading this book, that's even better. Recommended.

[Aubrie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very informative. The author keeps this book moving at a very fast pace, which made the timeline slightly confusing at times, but it also kept it very interesting.

[Noel Adams]

Really good intro to Churchill. The lone admirable man among the World War II triumvirate of Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill, he was a man of integrity and conviction. I read it for my kids and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Anh Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for history, for my 10th grade son's homeschool curriculum.

Not the hardest book to read, but a very good introduction and summary of Sir Winston Churchill. Very informative reading. I knew this about Churchill before reading this book: he was the PM of the UK during WWII and a fearless and effective leader during this time, and he said a lot of witty things.

This book taught me more. It covers not just the political aspects of Churchill's life, but a lot of the more personal details. I had no idea that he was an artist. Not a professional, but I enjoyed seeing the photos of his studio and various paintings. He wasn't bad! I also ignorantly believed that he was revered all the time in the UK and this was definitely not so, as he had lost his fair share of elections. I had no idea that he won the Nobel Prize--not for peace like many political leaders, but for Literature! He had written volumes of books about WWII.

I enjoyed seeing a lot of his humanity too--his darker moments and bouts of sadness. Enjoyed the parts about his wife, Clementine, as well.

All in all, not a bad book! 4/5 stars, light reading, and recommended as an overview for anyone who wants to know more about Churchill.

[Anand Veeraraghav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Severance's book, as expected, is about the British Prime Minister. We learn about Winston Churchill, from his time as a lonely child all the way through his death. This includes the hallmarks of his career, such as his time as a soldier as well as the political ambitions that defined him. There is also plenty about Churchill's family, and the other aspects that turned him into a larger-than-life individual.
Now, this book is written for children (or at least, teenagers). I read it in a bit of a hurry, with a trip to the National Churchill Museum in Fulton, MO coming just after I finished the book. Being that it was a quick read meant for a younger audience, I managed to mow through the book before flying out. It was very informative (I say that even though I already knew a lot about Churchill), and really "prepared" me for my trip to the the museum, allowing me to enjoy it even more. The book speaks to an American audience well, and helps us understand how a British politician's journey progressed. There truly is merit to reading children's books -- they're quick reads, and can be very, very informative.

[Tanya Shearin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written primarily for young readers, Winston Churchill: Soldier, Statesman, Artist by John B. Severance is a well-written biography about his well-known political figure. The book covers Churchill's life from birth to death, but primarily focuses on his work in the military and in Parliament. It details the events that led up to his becoming the Prime Minister during World War II and how that role was such a key role in the success of the Allied forces in winning the war. The book also relates the joys he discovered in painting during the times he was not actively working in politics. Written clearly, the book is a great resource for anyone who wants a basic understanding of the life of Churchill.

[Avinash Veeraraghav · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book is a good 'crash course' on Winston Churchill. I got this book from the local library in preparation of my visit to America's National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Missouri, and I learned so many things about the man that I didn't know before. I've studied Churchill much more than the average American, but even I'd much to learn. True, this book is meant for children and adolescents and it doesn't cover every detail, but Severance has written it well. He didn't cover everything, but that is to be expected. The reason why I took one star off is that the map of Europe that was shown is rather anachronistic. Otherwise, it's a good read.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Churchill's life and greatest achievements! This book is written on a level that upper elementary can grasp, but can also hold the attention of adults. World War II is briefly explained, with important points given a little detail.

I loved all of the quotes and intend to re-read the book and highlight them. Churchill was a witty man, and truly inspired and ruled over the people of England during their "finest hour."

[Ishan Samarasinghe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it talks a lot about Winston Churchill's life. This book is in depth of how he was feeling. I learned that he was an artist.Winston Churchill was a man who helped Britain get out of world war 2 and I found out he died in 1965.

[Allison TeVelde · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible man, with some incredible accomplishments. I did not realize how much into painting he was!

Best quote: "There is a great deal of difference between the tired man who wants a book to read and the alert man who wants to read a book."

[Ryan Darnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent by way of a pictobiography, but little else.

[Caroline Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and not super detailed but gives a good introduction to Winston Churchill's life and how he was involved in pretty much every aspect of history from 1900 until his death.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply fascinating.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Churchill biography I've read but really enjoyed it! Short overview of his life. (pre-read)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up on a whim, enjoyed this overview

[Sarah Gonalez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Winston Churchill was lived as a soldier, journalist, and courageous war leader. Being raised around the rules of the government and close living examples of parliament participants both his father and grandfather, Churchill gained his passion for politics and War related matters. In his later years, he became prime minister of Great Britain, successor disiked Neville Chamberlain. Beside his war career, he was a successful journalist in England, producing books about the controversial topics in Britain at the time. He also wrote about his journeys in Sudan, Cuba, South Africa, etc.

This book was alright to me but since it was required for Global History, I didn't really take the time to settle down and enjoy the book as I should of done. In the time of me reading this book, I learned more of the personal life of Winstom Churchill rather than just his achievements and his actions during his rule as prime minister. It had some quotes from his wife and co-workers that was with him ona daily basis. I appreciated them being very detailed with all the different phases in Churchill's life. This parts helped me understand Churchill through the lens of person that had a strong interest to pursue something and accomplish it. I also enjoyed all the pictures that it had, both of Churchill, his family, and events he attended or witnessed.

On a daily basis, I probably would never be interested in reading or even noticing this book but by doing the Mao Paper on Winston Churchill and picking up this book, I fill I'm more obligatd to take the intiative to leave my little "box of a world", and explore the lives of other people that may have enhanced our history or others. Reading this Biography, helped me realize that having knowledge on others can even change your outlook on life and how to handle others. For example, by reading about Winston Churchill, it's possible to have power and have a kind attitude and true consideration for people.

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiography is of Winston Churchill who has done a lot of interesting things in his life. Some words are challenging so if you’re looking for an easy book this isn't it. When reading you will learn about the life of Winston Churchill. This book is a little less than one-hundred and fifty pages. One-hundred and fifty pages may not seem like much but it is full of fun facts about Winston Churchill. I think readers who enjoy learning about history will enjoy this book. I enjoyed reading this book because I like learning about history. If you’re a young reader maybe this book isn't for you, you should probably consider something easier or something that sparks your interest more.This book is more for information than entertainment. This book includes pictures to help explain the life of Winston Churchill. These pictures helped me understand Churchill better. The facts shared in this book are accurate.The lexile of this book is 1050.Overall I think this is a good book if you’re doing research on Winston Churchill or if you would like to learn about him. Happy Reading!

[The other John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one's a nice little biography of the former Prime Minister of Great Britain and only honorary citizen of the United States. It's written for kids so the text is quick and easy to read and there are nice pictures to illuminate the story. The biggest problem I had with the book was that since Churchill was such a fascinating individual, I would much have preferred a book five times as long. (Not that I have time to read such a tome these days...)

[onysha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of Churchill's life. I especially liked that the author covered Churchill's involvement in World War I, because his role in WWI is often forgotten. The writing was simple and engaging. The only thing I didn't quite like was that the author didn't mention some of the unsavoury things Churchill allowed as Allied leader in WWII, such as the Dresden bombing and the exchange of POWs with Russia. It's good that the author remembered Winston's wife. She's often underrated elsewhere.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

The writing was boring, but the actual facts were very interesting. I was especially surprised to read about how much of a family man Churchill was, and I enjoyed reading about his interests and relations outside of politics.
I didn't know much about Churchill before now, so this book taught me a lot :)

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Winston Churchill, really and truly. There are zillions of books about him but I picked it, you guessed it, because it was short! He was an amazing man, with unbelievable foresight. I guess he was a little arrogant, but when you're a genius, maybe you have the right to be!

[Maren · Rating 4 out of 5]

really a nice sum-up biog for someone like me who is exploring whether I want to dive into a full-length adult bio. A little too hero-worshiping, but I guess that's hard to avoid w/a great guy like WC.

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dry book about someone who didn't seem to be a dry man. "If you cannot read all your books...arrange them on your own plan so that if you do not know what is in them, you at least know where they are. Let them be your friends; let them at any rate be your acquaintances."

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This young adult biography filled in some of the gaps in my understanding of Churchill's life and career, such as how members of Parliament can be elected from varying districts. I also liked the photos!

[Isaiah the Ox · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting story about an interesting person. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about Churchill, but he was a very powerful and smart man. The book was rather dry at parts, but a good book for anyone studying history and wants a very brief overview over Churchill.

[Kaitlynn Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read

[Matthew Lamb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reads at about a sixth grade level. However, it is very concise and informative. Not bad for a quick read.

[Christy Escobar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of biographies, but this book was okay. I liked the pictures, and the fact that pages weren't to hard to read, and understand.

[Sasha (bahareads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the Winston's Wit section at the end of the book.