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Churchill: A Study in Greatness
One of the glorious triumvirate of World War II and founder of the strong Anglo-American friendship that is still apparent today, Winston Churchill stands out in history as a man who led his country through one of its most difficult times, with all of the steadfastness of a fierce and loyal bulldog. Churchill was already recognized as the most diversely gifted man in British politics before, at the ripe old age of 66, he suddenly emerged as a figure of world importance. Becoming Prime Minister on the very day in 1940 that Hitler invaded France and the Low Countries, he braced the British people to continue fighting and even to counterattack the, up to that point, all-victorious Germans. A clever and confident statesman, with an obvious love for the people he served, for years Churchill's character went unchallenged and his inspiring leadership left him above criticism. Recently, however, his record has come under attack. In A Study in Greatness , one of Britain's most
distinguished historians makes sense of this extraordinary man, and his long, controversial, colorful, contradictory and heroic career.
Geoffrey Best illuminates both his strengths and his weaknesses, looking past the many received versions of Churchill, in a biography that balances the private and the public man and offers a clear insight into what made him truly great.
distinguished historians makes sense of this extraordinary man, and his long, controversial, colorful, contradictory and heroic career.
Geoffrey Best illuminates both his strengths and his weaknesses, looking past the many received versions of Churchill, in a biography that balances the private and the public man and offers a clear insight into what made him truly great.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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490 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Best
28 books7 followersAn historian of 19th and 20th century Britain, Geoffrey Francis Andrew Best was Emeritus Fellow of the British Academy, a former Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Professor of History at Edinburgh, Dean of European Studies at Sussex, Academic Visitor at the London School of Economics, and Senior Member of St Antony's College, Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 30, 2021
This is one of two books for my required course at Oxford University.(Churchill:Soldier, Statesman and Politician). Unlike Roy Jenkins book Churchill, I found this book extremely readable and enjoyable.
What is greatness? In Churchill’s case, he was a true leader. In 1940, Churchill led his countryman and women to “stand alone” against the wicked forces of Germany. They followed him and survived. A
Yes, Churchill had issues. He believed, with the exception of Zionism, in the white superiority of the Anglo-Saxons. As an example, he never believed that India could self govern and become successful. He had issues with gender equality even though he married a liberal minded woman.Often, he had very little patience for certain people. He was no angel.
However, he was the right man for the time he lived in and I have found very few leaders in my lifetime the could match him.
What is greatness? In Churchill’s case, he was a true leader. In 1940, Churchill led his countryman and women to “stand alone” against the wicked forces of Germany. They followed him and survived. A
Yes, Churchill had issues. He believed, with the exception of Zionism, in the white superiority of the Anglo-Saxons. As an example, he never believed that India could self govern and become successful. He had issues with gender equality even though he married a liberal minded woman.Often, he had very little patience for certain people. He was no angel.
However, he was the right man for the time he lived in and I have found very few leaders in my lifetime the could match him.
May 26, 2019
לדעתי זו לא ביוגרפיה שמסוגלת להקיף את מלוא הקריירה הציבורית של ווינסטון צ'רצ'יל וראיה אקראית לכך היא הביוגרפיה שנכתבה ע"י אנדרו רוברטס שאורכה 1152 עמודים (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...) ולפי ממוצע הציונים שהספר קיבל אני נוטה להאמין שהיא עדיפה על פני הביוגרפיה אותה אני מסקר.
לעניין זה אצטט מתוך "ויקיפדיה":
"רנדולף, בנו של וינסטון צ'רצ'יל, הוציא לאור את שני הכרכים הראשונים של הביוגרפיה על אביו, ב-1962 התקבל ההיסטוריון היהודי הצעיר מרטין גילברט לעבודה כעוזר מחקר אצל צ'רצ'יל, שעסק בליקוט חומר לכתיבת הביוגרפיה של אביו. לאחר מותו של צ'רצ'יל הבן, לקח על עצמו גילברט את המשך הפרויקט, והפך לביוגרף הרשמי של צ'רצ'יל. הוא פרסם עוד שישה כרכים של הביוגרפיה, שמונה כרכים משלימים הכוללים מסמכים ותעודות וכן תריסר ספרים נוספים על צ'רצ'יל. בסוף 2007 יצא לאור ספר שעוסק ביחסו של צ'רצ'יל ליהודים."
יחד עם זאת, למי שרוצה לקבל פרטים, אמנם באופן תמציתי ביחס, על האירועים המרכזיים שעיצבו את המחצית הראשונה של ה- 120 באירופה ואשר לצ'רצ'יל היה חלק מכריע בכך, גם ביוגרפיה זו מספיקה לקורא הסביר (שלא לצרכים אקדמיים). כמובן שהחלק המעניין בספר הוא בתקופה בה צ'רצ'יל הנהיג את בריטניה ואת בעלות בריתה במלחמה נגד הצורר הנאצי אבל מעניין לקרוא גם על תחילת הקריירה שלו ועל הספק הכתיבה היוצא דופן והמרשים שלו. פרט טריוויה שלא ידיעתי (אוי לבושה..) שצ'רצ'יל קיבל פרס נובל לספרות בשנת 1963. מאחר שהספר כולל גם דברים שאותי באופן אישי פחות עניינו, כמו מאבקי הכוח הפוליטיים הפנים מפלגתיים וכו' אז בסיכומו של דבר אעניק לספר הזה שלושה וחצי כוכבים.
לעניין זה אצטט מתוך "ויקיפדיה":
"רנדולף, בנו של וינסטון צ'רצ'יל, הוציא לאור את שני הכרכים הראשונים של הביוגרפיה על אביו, ב-1962 התקבל ההיסטוריון היהודי הצעיר מרטין גילברט לעבודה כעוזר מחקר אצל צ'רצ'יל, שעסק בליקוט חומר לכתיבת הביוגרפיה של אביו. לאחר מותו של צ'רצ'יל הבן, לקח על עצמו גילברט את המשך הפרויקט, והפך לביוגרף הרשמי של צ'רצ'יל. הוא פרסם עוד שישה כרכים של הביוגרפיה, שמונה כרכים משלימים הכוללים מסמכים ותעודות וכן תריסר ספרים נוספים על צ'רצ'יל. בסוף 2007 יצא לאור ספר שעוסק ביחסו של צ'רצ'יל ליהודים."
יחד עם זאת, למי שרוצה לקבל פרטים, אמנם באופן תמציתי ביחס, על האירועים המרכזיים שעיצבו את המחצית הראשונה של ה- 120 באירופה ואשר לצ'רצ'יל היה חלק מכריע בכך, גם ביוגרפיה זו מספיקה לקורא הסביר (שלא לצרכים אקדמיים). כמובן שהחלק המעניין בספר הוא בתקופה בה צ'רצ'יל הנהיג את בריטניה ואת בעלות בריתה במלחמה נגד הצורר הנאצי אבל מעניין לקרוא גם על תחילת הקריירה שלו ועל הספק הכתיבה היוצא דופן והמרשים שלו. פרט טריוויה שלא ידיעתי (אוי לבושה..) שצ'רצ'יל קיבל פרס נובל לספרות בשנת 1963. מאחר שהספר כולל גם דברים שאותי באופן אישי פחות עניינו, כמו מאבקי הכוח הפוליטיים הפנים מפלגתיים וכו' אז בסיכומו של דבר אעניק לספר הזה שלושה וחצי כוכבים.
September 21, 2025
The author does an impressive job of compressing a truly incredible lifetime into a very readable 400 pages. He found excellent sources to illuminate Churchill's thought process and private life, and I felt like I really understood him by the end. I only wish the WW2 chapters been structured more chronologically rather than topically, because it reduced the excitement and made it hard to keep track of all the things that happened at a given time.
July 18, 2018
This book is very British in phrasing, terminology, references and style....long run-on sentences with two or three sidebars before getting back to the point and references and slang that are obscure for an American reader. A little distracting for my American palate in the beginning, but as the book went on it became entertaining for the style if not content so much. Once I got more used to that, the WWII Chapters were thrilling. I"m not sure I like the presentation which was topical rather than chronological. This leaves the reader repeatedly starting from the late 30s, follow a topic to the late 40s, then changing topics and going back to the 30s. It also meant several significant events were repeated often and you had to piece together the related topics in time and place.
This book provided good coverage of major world affairs and Churchill's role in them, but at the end of the day, it didn't feel as if we really got into his head, or his personal life sufficiently to feel like we know him after reading this biography. I feel like I know more about things he did, but not as much about the man.
Nevertheless this was a good book, about an interesting subject.
This book provided good coverage of major world affairs and Churchill's role in them, but at the end of the day, it didn't feel as if we really got into his head, or his personal life sufficiently to feel like we know him after reading this biography. I feel like I know more about things he did, but not as much about the man.
Nevertheless this was a good book, about an interesting subject.
Read
October 7, 2019הספר הזה מכיל פרטים היסטוריים שהרעישו אותי, מעבר לכך הוא מאוד מעמיק בסיפורו של וינסטון צ'רצ'יל
קריאה מהנה
קריאה מהנה
May 13, 2011
The subject, Winston Churchill was interesting but this was a very poorly written book. Numerous compound sentences of 40+ words was just one frustration. If you want to read about Churchill, choose another author.
March 30, 2013
Really well done. Obviously, volumes could be (and have been) written about him, but for a good, medium-length biography, this fit the bill. Best has a conversational tone and integrates secondary sources well.
January 3, 2014
This is a good primer of Winston Churchill. It covers all of the main points of his life.
However, Geoffrey Best likes writing very long sentences. I found this book a bit of a chore to read.
However, Geoffrey Best likes writing very long sentences. I found this book a bit of a chore to read.
November 25, 2014
If you really want to understand the man behind the myth, I would strongly recommend you read this book.
July 29, 2020
Geoffrey Best's biography is one of the best of the shorter studies of Winston Churchill's life and achievements. Well written and persuasive, it offers a balanced view of Churchill's strengths and weaknesses and concludes with a positive assessment of Churchill.
In terms of a detailed account of Churchill's life, Best's book has been superseded by Andrew Roberts' recent and much longer single volume biography. But Best holds his place for his reasonable judgments on Churchill and for that reason is strongly recommended.
In terms of a detailed account of Churchill's life, Best's book has been superseded by Andrew Roberts' recent and much longer single volume biography. But Best holds his place for his reasonable judgments on Churchill and for that reason is strongly recommended.
December 21, 2020
What is here is great. And Best takes on many arguments about Churchill and his thoughts and decisions. The only thing missing is Churchill’s response to the Holocaust. We learn what Churchill thinks of FDR, Stalin, the Allied bombing campaign, the atom bomb, and many other war topics. But not one word about the Holocaust. What did Churchill think? What did he want the Allies to do about the concentration camps? How many Jewish refugees did Britain take in? I wish Best told us. Otherwise this is a terrific book. Very compact considering all the history that is covered.
September 20, 2024
Prieš skaitant knygą reikėjo pasidomėti jo autoriumi. Autoriaus specializacija - karo tematika, todėl knygoje aprašomos abiejų pasaulinių karų strategijos, mūšiai, kurie susieti su W. Churchiliu. Labai minimaliai užsiminta apie jo asmeninį gyvenimą, nebent viename skyriuje paminėti vaikystės momentai. Kadangi skaičiau S. Purnell knygą apie Clementine Churchill, tai tikėjausi pasakojimo iš vyro pusės, bet knygoje daugiausia aprašyta jo darbinė veikla, priimti kariniai ir politiniai sprendimai. Pati knyga nėra bloga, bet aš tikėjausi biografinės knygos.
December 21, 2024
Knowing very little about Churchill, I'm now generally caught up. However, for me it was far too focused on the processes and intrigues of English parliament and politics, and lacking in the kind and amount of more personal anecdotes that will help one get the essence of a person. Next to nothing anecdotal about him among his family or as a father, which would've helped with my issue. It is missing some things I wrongly assumed would be included -- exactly how did Churchill react to D-Day? to Hiroshima/Nagasaki? To Kennedy's assassination? To name just a few.
May 30, 2022
Very informative, but a little bit difficult to read. Phrasing is not what I'm accustomed to, but it does get better as you go along. I think the author assumes the reader has a thorough knowledge of WWI and II, as events are referenced rather than described. I would have benefitted from knowing more about Gallipoli, Dardanelles, etc. Overall, again, a very informative book.
December 21, 2024
A well rounded biography of a great man but also highlighting his flaws. Perhaps my lack of knowledge of English history but I found myself needing to review, for example, politicians or events occurring during his life as they were not well explained. There may be better biographies of Churchill around for those less versed in early 20th century English history
November 24, 2013
Below are key excerpts from the book that I found particularly insightful:
1- "Churchill did not see himself as an 'enemy of the people'. He perceived himself as a benevolent friend to the working class, a promoter of social welfare, and the protector of unions' rights and of everybody's civil rights; and indeed the record shows that he was all those things. But the record also shows how little he was prepared to see everybody's civil rights and the security of the state endangered by civil disorder and revolutionary activism. The legend of 'Tonypandy' after all had some justice in it, though for the wrong reason. "
2- "Churchill's words - 'Those terrible "ifs" accumulate' - are only too true. There were numbers of moments when, if events had taken another turn, if advice had been accepted or rejected, or if decisions had been made instead of shelved. history would have been written altogether differently. But one of the most Striking features of the many accounts of the campaign is that each authority seems to choose his own turning-points, and hardly any two are the same."
3- "Two of his deep-down passions and principles were, first, the rule of law as protector of civil and religious liberty, and of the standards of civilisation; and, secondly, the place and prestige in the world of Great Britain and its Empire, as necessary both for the security of the English-speaking people and for the welfare of its other subjects. In the gap which sometimes opened between them may be glimpsed, not at all surprisingly, prejudices and assumptions which he shared with other men of his age, race, nation and class."
4- "Men who take up arms against the State must expect at any moment to be fired upon ... Men who take up arms unlawfully cannot expect that the troops will wait until they are quite ready to begin the conflict ... Armed men are in a category absolutely different from unarmed men ... I carefully said that when I used the word 'armed' I meant armed with lethal weapons or with firearms This crowd was unarmed. These are simple tests which it is not too much to expect officers in these difficult situations to apply."
5- "He still held to the belief that he was destined to do great things for the nation he loved, but when, if or how he would ever be able to do them seemed doubtful even to him. War was what especially excited him and brought out what was most original and powerful within him. Aware of the dangers of such a temperament, he was not the bad sort of man who would wish to start a war in order to shine in it, but his early scepticism about the Treaty of Versailles had been borne out by subsequent events. and by now, the early 1930s, he felt more and more sure that what was still universally known as the Great War would sooner or later become called the First World War."
6- "He was the first British statesman of any note to identify, and to call public attention to, the dangerous twist given to German national aspirations p (which he well understood) by their confluence from 1933 with Nazi ideology and Hitler's leadership. He correctly sensed before evidence had accumulated to support the charge, how dangerous to the peace of the world Germany would become in Hitler's hands."
7- "Churchill was the most prominent of the few leaders of British opinion who refused to believe that this policy of appeasement, once the British government had unmistakably adopted it, was either honourable or sensible. He understood what Hitler meant by the Versailles grievances but something, probably just brilliant intuition, told him that Hitler had much more in mind than the mere redress of them."
8- "Churchill was not the man to let this great machine run without constant inspection and interference. His style of management was striking and peculiar, the most remarkable no doubt of any Prime Minister's, and although it undoubtedly had abrasive and time-wasting aspects, overall and in the long run it did much more good than harm."
9- "War is a constant struggle and must be waged from day to day. It is only with some difficulty and within limits that provision can be made for the future. Experience shows that forecasts are usually falsified and preparations always in arrears. Nevertheless, there must be a design and theme for bringing the war to a victorious end in a reasonable period..."
10- "An iron curtain is drawn down upon their front. We do not know what is going on behind ... Surely it is vital now to come to an understanding with Russia, or see where we are with her, before we weaken our armies mortally or retire to the zones of occupation."
11- "As we go forward on our difficult road, we shall always be guided by two main aims of policy. One is to lose no opportunity of convincing the Soviet leaders and, if we can reach them, the Russian people, that the democracies of the West have no aggressive designs on them. The other is to ensure that until that purpose has been achieved we have the strength necessary to deter any aggression by them and to ward it off if it should come. We shall continue at the same time to seek by every means open to us an easement [detente] in international tension and a sure foundation on which the people of the world can live their lives in security and peace."
1- "Churchill did not see himself as an 'enemy of the people'. He perceived himself as a benevolent friend to the working class, a promoter of social welfare, and the protector of unions' rights and of everybody's civil rights; and indeed the record shows that he was all those things. But the record also shows how little he was prepared to see everybody's civil rights and the security of the state endangered by civil disorder and revolutionary activism. The legend of 'Tonypandy' after all had some justice in it, though for the wrong reason. "
2- "Churchill's words - 'Those terrible "ifs" accumulate' - are only too true. There were numbers of moments when, if events had taken another turn, if advice had been accepted or rejected, or if decisions had been made instead of shelved. history would have been written altogether differently. But one of the most Striking features of the many accounts of the campaign is that each authority seems to choose his own turning-points, and hardly any two are the same."
3- "Two of his deep-down passions and principles were, first, the rule of law as protector of civil and religious liberty, and of the standards of civilisation; and, secondly, the place and prestige in the world of Great Britain and its Empire, as necessary both for the security of the English-speaking people and for the welfare of its other subjects. In the gap which sometimes opened between them may be glimpsed, not at all surprisingly, prejudices and assumptions which he shared with other men of his age, race, nation and class."
4- "Men who take up arms against the State must expect at any moment to be fired upon ... Men who take up arms unlawfully cannot expect that the troops will wait until they are quite ready to begin the conflict ... Armed men are in a category absolutely different from unarmed men ... I carefully said that when I used the word 'armed' I meant armed with lethal weapons or with firearms This crowd was unarmed. These are simple tests which it is not too much to expect officers in these difficult situations to apply."
5- "He still held to the belief that he was destined to do great things for the nation he loved, but when, if or how he would ever be able to do them seemed doubtful even to him. War was what especially excited him and brought out what was most original and powerful within him. Aware of the dangers of such a temperament, he was not the bad sort of man who would wish to start a war in order to shine in it, but his early scepticism about the Treaty of Versailles had been borne out by subsequent events. and by now, the early 1930s, he felt more and more sure that what was still universally known as the Great War would sooner or later become called the First World War."
6- "He was the first British statesman of any note to identify, and to call public attention to, the dangerous twist given to German national aspirations p (which he well understood) by their confluence from 1933 with Nazi ideology and Hitler's leadership. He correctly sensed before evidence had accumulated to support the charge, how dangerous to the peace of the world Germany would become in Hitler's hands."
7- "Churchill was the most prominent of the few leaders of British opinion who refused to believe that this policy of appeasement, once the British government had unmistakably adopted it, was either honourable or sensible. He understood what Hitler meant by the Versailles grievances but something, probably just brilliant intuition, told him that Hitler had much more in mind than the mere redress of them."
8- "Churchill was not the man to let this great machine run without constant inspection and interference. His style of management was striking and peculiar, the most remarkable no doubt of any Prime Minister's, and although it undoubtedly had abrasive and time-wasting aspects, overall and in the long run it did much more good than harm."
9- "War is a constant struggle and must be waged from day to day. It is only with some difficulty and within limits that provision can be made for the future. Experience shows that forecasts are usually falsified and preparations always in arrears. Nevertheless, there must be a design and theme for bringing the war to a victorious end in a reasonable period..."
10- "An iron curtain is drawn down upon their front. We do not know what is going on behind ... Surely it is vital now to come to an understanding with Russia, or see where we are with her, before we weaken our armies mortally or retire to the zones of occupation."
11- "As we go forward on our difficult road, we shall always be guided by two main aims of policy. One is to lose no opportunity of convincing the Soviet leaders and, if we can reach them, the Russian people, that the democracies of the West have no aggressive designs on them. The other is to ensure that until that purpose has been achieved we have the strength necessary to deter any aggression by them and to ward it off if it should come. We shall continue at the same time to seek by every means open to us an easement [detente] in international tension and a sure foundation on which the people of the world can live their lives in security and peace."
July 30, 2017
Outstanding and fresh biography of Winston Churchill. Best is a sublime and focused writer who focused marvelously on the man and his many foibles and virtues. Wonderful read and I highly recommend it.
April 24, 2019
Great book about a great man. It should NOT have taken me this long to get through it!!! Pretty balanced view of Churchill it seemed to me, though he did mostly come down on the side of admiration. An AMAZING man -- probably the GREATEST of the 20th century.
April 2, 2020
Despite the title, no hagiography (although the author is positively inclined towards Churchill). Especially good at capturing his restless energy (and the shifts of party and favorite political issue it brought) as well as giving glimpses of his family life.
February 5, 2018
This is terribly written. It's conversational instead of academic. It averages less than 20 notes per chapter, most of which draw from Churchill's own books. I couldn't finish reading it.
December 9, 2021
Good as a starting point but as others say, a little biased. Easy to read as the author has a conversational style which bodes well as opposed to the dry, academic style of many bios.
October 20, 2024
Labai įdomi asmenybė, o knyga sunkoka. Norėjosi daugiau asmeninio gyvenimo, bet jo mažai, daug politikos ir darbinių reikalų.
June 1, 2020
I remember as a child in Australia hearing of the death of Sir Winston Churchill. I knew he must have been a great man because of the news casts and adult talk. Then a lot of money was raised (it seemed a huge amount to my young mind) to be the Churchill Fellowships.
In finally getting to know this man Churchill in Geoffrey Bests book, I feel a great sense of who this man really was, what he meant to Britain during World War 2 and how devoted yet wise his wife Clemmie was to him.
Best draws the man Winston from all angles describing his character, his sense of destiny and his effect good and bad of those who served in Government with him.
I wouldn’t want to read a book merely extolling the war years. Best begins at the beginning of Winstons life and ends with his death at 90years. Between those years he takes the reader blow by blow on Winston’s journey.
Winston was an incredibly gifted man and his inspiring leadership during World War 2 goes down in history as without equal. Yet he also was a man of flaws and much has been written about that I’m sure. Best also does not hide the darker side of Churchill. He delves into personal events, political events, national and international events: all to show the good the bad and the ugly of Churchill. Yet I the reader couldn’t help but see the underlying protecting of Churchill’s image throughout this book. That was ok with me because I could see how often Churchill made decisions lacking wisdom or consultation. Yet I also saw his courage to speak out warnings eg of the iron curtain before that curtain actually fell. He hated Hitler and all he represented when many in the early days of war wanted appeasement with Hitler.
I am grateful for the many many speeches quoted that show the greatness of Churchill. I also am glad other speeches and letters are quoted which bring his life into better perspective for the reader.
Finally, how could I not say I think Best did great service to Winstons life by revealing the woman he married. Clementine was not only a devoted wife but a wise woman who saw Winstons faults but never said more than needed. After all he wouldn’t always listen to those around him. She cared for him, ran the household and put her energies into war work. Maybe there are many books on Winston Churchill, but this one has given me a well balanced insight into his life and times.
In finally getting to know this man Churchill in Geoffrey Bests book, I feel a great sense of who this man really was, what he meant to Britain during World War 2 and how devoted yet wise his wife Clemmie was to him.
Best draws the man Winston from all angles describing his character, his sense of destiny and his effect good and bad of those who served in Government with him.
I wouldn’t want to read a book merely extolling the war years. Best begins at the beginning of Winstons life and ends with his death at 90years. Between those years he takes the reader blow by blow on Winston’s journey.
Winston was an incredibly gifted man and his inspiring leadership during World War 2 goes down in history as without equal. Yet he also was a man of flaws and much has been written about that I’m sure. Best also does not hide the darker side of Churchill. He delves into personal events, political events, national and international events: all to show the good the bad and the ugly of Churchill. Yet I the reader couldn’t help but see the underlying protecting of Churchill’s image throughout this book. That was ok with me because I could see how often Churchill made decisions lacking wisdom or consultation. Yet I also saw his courage to speak out warnings eg of the iron curtain before that curtain actually fell. He hated Hitler and all he represented when many in the early days of war wanted appeasement with Hitler.
I am grateful for the many many speeches quoted that show the greatness of Churchill. I also am glad other speeches and letters are quoted which bring his life into better perspective for the reader.
Finally, how could I not say I think Best did great service to Winstons life by revealing the woman he married. Clementine was not only a devoted wife but a wise woman who saw Winstons faults but never said more than needed. After all he wouldn’t always listen to those around him. She cared for him, ran the household and put her energies into war work. Maybe there are many books on Winston Churchill, but this one has given me a well balanced insight into his life and times.
September 21, 2025
dnf for me
May 15, 2019
In the biography Churchill: A Study in Greatness, the British author Geoffrey Best paints a portrait of a remarkable statesman, leader, and person in Winston Churchill. He sets out to provide insight into Churchill’s unique character and energy through description of his actions in significant periods or in relation to specific themes. The sometimes non-chronological narrative that he uses to evaluate and describe Churchill serves to fascinate the reader but does little to humanize or subject the former prime minister to criticism. However, Best does not intend to do the latter. He intends to engage the reader and “convey a fair all-round impression of this extraordinary human being,” and to “satisfy the curiosity of readers of the generation younger than [his] own.” Meant to be a narrative story rather than scholarly critique, Churchill entertains while also informing. Readers are brought from his childhood through his political ascent and greatest trials, experiencing the drama side-by-side with Churchill himself.
Best develops no clear or succinct thesis throughout the book (it is a biography after all.) Yet his multi-faceted descriptions of Churchill serve to unify his narrative. The author must be judged in accordance with his central objectives: entertaining and informing. In these capacities, Churchill greatly succeeds. The main character of the book, and the author’s presentation of him, captures the attention of the reader throughout. “He fitted for a while the literary historians’ definition of an epic hero: fully human, fallible therefore, but superior in degree to other men [with] authority, passion and powers of expression greater than our own.” Both in personality and in the positive effects he wrought upon the world (like Britain’s survival and the post-war order, especially in regards to Europe,) Churchill helps Best achieve his objective of entertaining; the man lived a complex and exciting life. The biography captures the reader’s attention like an exciting film, and succeeds in presenting a riveting tale of an awesome person.
Best develops no clear or succinct thesis throughout the book (it is a biography after all.) Yet his multi-faceted descriptions of Churchill serve to unify his narrative. The author must be judged in accordance with his central objectives: entertaining and informing. In these capacities, Churchill greatly succeeds. The main character of the book, and the author’s presentation of him, captures the attention of the reader throughout. “He fitted for a while the literary historians’ definition of an epic hero: fully human, fallible therefore, but superior in degree to other men [with] authority, passion and powers of expression greater than our own.” Both in personality and in the positive effects he wrought upon the world (like Britain’s survival and the post-war order, especially in regards to Europe,) Churchill helps Best achieve his objective of entertaining; the man lived a complex and exciting life. The biography captures the reader’s attention like an exciting film, and succeeds in presenting a riveting tale of an awesome person.
March 10, 2012
25/01/12
I am on page 145 now. I still really enjoy reading the book, however I find the writing style at stages rather complicated. From time to time I have to check other sources to find if Churchill was pro or contra an idea. Also it is assuming knowledge about certain historical events, which I don't have.
The author is rather supportive of Churchill and negative points are kept short and always follow with a lengthy positive paragraph. Which I don't think is a bad thing as the author can have his viewpoint and the subtitle "A Study in Greatness" already prepares for his admiration.
I am on page 82 and hooked. I didn't expect it to be this interesting to read about Churchill's life. Except from the picture of him taken in Yalta, him sitting with Roosevelt and Stalin and smoking his cigar, I didn't know much about Churchill before I started reading this.
At the moment the First World War is raging and Churchill has just become a minister again. He is overconfident, arrogant, outspoken and makes a lot of enemies, but is also energetic, knowledgeable and able. A very inspiring personality.
I may have mentioned before I was educated in Eastern Germany and history lessons excluded any mention of the First World War (except that Germany lost) let alone any information about what was going on in Great Britain or France (or Gallipoli of which I had never heard before I lived in Australia). I will definitely read more about that time period, in case anybody has suggestions...
I am on page 145 now. I still really enjoy reading the book, however I find the writing style at stages rather complicated. From time to time I have to check other sources to find if Churchill was pro or contra an idea. Also it is assuming knowledge about certain historical events, which I don't have.
The author is rather supportive of Churchill and negative points are kept short and always follow with a lengthy positive paragraph. Which I don't think is a bad thing as the author can have his viewpoint and the subtitle "A Study in Greatness" already prepares for his admiration.
I am on page 82 and hooked. I didn't expect it to be this interesting to read about Churchill's life. Except from the picture of him taken in Yalta, him sitting with Roosevelt and Stalin and smoking his cigar, I didn't know much about Churchill before I started reading this.
At the moment the First World War is raging and Churchill has just become a minister again. He is overconfident, arrogant, outspoken and makes a lot of enemies, but is also energetic, knowledgeable and able. A very inspiring personality.
I may have mentioned before I was educated in Eastern Germany and history lessons excluded any mention of the First World War (except that Germany lost) let alone any information about what was going on in Great Britain or France (or Gallipoli of which I had never heard before I lived in Australia). I will definitely read more about that time period, in case anybody has suggestions...
May 25, 2017
It is a basic book to understand Churchill's personality and how he rationalized things. It is an honest book and produces a reading of the man like he was without reverence or adoration, error that most of Churchill's commentators make. He was a clever politician that jump party when it was useful to his political carreer and that would not loose a chance to neutralize his enemies. I read some 70 pages now and my interest hasn't vanished. The assessment of Geoffrey Best is clear, simple without the large gongoric style that British authors like to write. It is strange but in a certain time of reading I remembered the life of Karl Marx, through a biography I am particularly fond off. It exibts the same outspoken person, petulant sometime, direct and controversial on his oppinions. Also common the role of the wives, Clementina in the Churchill's, that performed the role of a close adviser, a cooler of temperament explosions.
May 6, 2014
This was my first biography of Churchill. As far as biographies go, it was fairly good -- I learned things about Churchill I didn't know before. The author clearly admired Churchill, and I closed the book with a great admiration of him myself. There are several faults with this book, however. First, it assumed a knowledge that American readers might not have. For instance the author would say something like, "Churchill was such-and-such which was proven by the amusing incident of so-and-so," and then move on to another topic without describing the incident -- very frustrating. Also, I got the impression that the editors/proofreaders of this book hadn't done their job. Many a sentence I read over and over and it continued to make no sense; there were also typos that shouldn't have been there. I gave it four stars because Churchill shines through in this book and it *was* interesting.
October 25, 2014
Justifiably regarded on of Churchill's best biographies, this book highlights masterfully the complex character, the brilliance, the weaknesses and the eccentricism of one of the greatest men to have ever lived. Reading about the life, character, deeds, political genious and vision of Winston Churchill - and of FDR for that matter - and how he lived up to the needs, responsibilities and challenges of his era, may cause you some depression, especially if you think of the poverty of political leaders we see all around Europe nowadays (especially in the UK). Well worth reading although if you'd like a biography with more analysis and details about Churchill's character and dealings with others it should probably be accompanied with one of the other available books on him.
January 8, 2015
This book is themed based and not really in chronological order. This is no where near as good as Manchester's biography, but I can never get enough of Churchill. One thing he had over Manchester's biography is that it reached Churchill's death (Manchester was unable to finish a third volume due to strokes). Over all good book, but you don't get the depth or how Churchill became the Churchill that rallied the world.
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