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Winston S. Churchill #5
Winston S. Churchill: The Prophet of Truth, 1922–1939
One of history’s greatest public figures rises to the occasion, delivering much needed leadership to a nation on the brink of war.
The fifth volume of the acclaimed biographical masterpiece opens with Churchill’s return to Conservatism and to the Cabinet in 1924 and unfolds into a vivid and intimate picture both of his public life and of his private world at Chartwell between the wars.
Gilbert strips away decades of accumulated myth and innuendo, showing Churchill’s true position on India, his precise role (and private thoughts) during the abdication of Edward VIII, his attitude toward Mussolini, and his profound fears for the future of European democracy. Even before Hitler came to power in Germany, Churchill saw in full the dangers of a Nazi victory. And despite the unpopularity of his views in official circles, for six years he persevered in his warnings.
This book reveals for the first time the extent to which senior civil servants, and even serving officers of high rank, came to Churchill with secret information, having despaired at the extent of official lethargy and obstruction. Within the Air Ministry, the Foreign Office, and the Intelligence Services, individuals felt drawn to go to Churchill with full disclosures of Britain’s defense weakness and kept him informed of day-to-day developments from 1934 until the outbreak of war. As war approached, people of all parties and in all walks of life recognized Churchill’s unique qualities and demanded his inclusion in the government, believing that he alone could give a divided nation guidance and inspiration.
“A milestone, a monument, a magisterial achievement . . . rightly regarded as the most comprehensive life ever written of any age.” —Andrew Roberts, historian and author of The Storm of War
“The most scholarly study of Churchill in war and peace ever written.” —Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times
The fifth volume of the acclaimed biographical masterpiece opens with Churchill’s return to Conservatism and to the Cabinet in 1924 and unfolds into a vivid and intimate picture both of his public life and of his private world at Chartwell between the wars.
Gilbert strips away decades of accumulated myth and innuendo, showing Churchill’s true position on India, his precise role (and private thoughts) during the abdication of Edward VIII, his attitude toward Mussolini, and his profound fears for the future of European democracy. Even before Hitler came to power in Germany, Churchill saw in full the dangers of a Nazi victory. And despite the unpopularity of his views in official circles, for six years he persevered in his warnings.
This book reveals for the first time the extent to which senior civil servants, and even serving officers of high rank, came to Churchill with secret information, having despaired at the extent of official lethargy and obstruction. Within the Air Ministry, the Foreign Office, and the Intelligence Services, individuals felt drawn to go to Churchill with full disclosures of Britain’s defense weakness and kept him informed of day-to-day developments from 1934 until the outbreak of war. As war approached, people of all parties and in all walks of life recognized Churchill’s unique qualities and demanded his inclusion in the government, believing that he alone could give a divided nation guidance and inspiration.
“A milestone, a monument, a magisterial achievement . . . rightly regarded as the most comprehensive life ever written of any age.” —Andrew Roberts, historian and author of The Storm of War
“The most scholarly study of Churchill in war and peace ever written.” —Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times
1165 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1976
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577 people want to read
About the author
Martin Gilbert
249 books417 followersThe official biographer of Winston Churchill and a leading historian on the Twentieth Century, Sir Martin Gilbert was a scholar and an historian who, though his 88 books, has shown there is such a thing as “true history”
Born in London in 1936, Martin Gilbert was educated at Highgate School, and Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating with First Class Honours. He was a Research Scholar at St Anthony's College, and became a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford in 1962, and an Honorary Fellow in 1994. After working as a researcher for Randolph Churchill, Gilbert was chosen to take over the writing of the Churchill biography upon Randolph's death in 1968, writing six of the eight volumes of biography and editing twelve volumes of documents. In addition, Gilbert has written pioneering and classic works on the First and Second World Wars, the Twentieth Century, the Holocaust, and Jewish history.
Gilbert drove every aspect of his books, from finding archives to corresponding with eyewitnesses and participants that gave his work veracity and meaning, to finding and choosing illustrations, drawing maps that mention each place in the text, and compiling the indexes. He travelled widely lecturing and researching, advised political figures and filmmakers, and gave a voice and a name “to those who fought and those who fell.”
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Born in London in 1936, Martin Gilbert was educated at Highgate School, and Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating with First Class Honours. He was a Research Scholar at St Anthony's College, and became a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford in 1962, and an Honorary Fellow in 1994. After working as a researcher for Randolph Churchill, Gilbert was chosen to take over the writing of the Churchill biography upon Randolph's death in 1968, writing six of the eight volumes of biography and editing twelve volumes of documents. In addition, Gilbert has written pioneering and classic works on the First and Second World Wars, the Twentieth Century, the Holocaust, and Jewish history.
Gilbert drove every aspect of his books, from finding archives to corresponding with eyewitnesses and participants that gave his work veracity and meaning, to finding and choosing illustrations, drawing maps that mention each place in the text, and compiling the indexes. He travelled widely lecturing and researching, advised political figures and filmmakers, and gave a voice and a name “to those who fought and those who fell.”
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 20, 2023
1100 pages to cover 17 years in the life of a man; the level of detail is just unsurpassed. But the text is always relevant. We follow Churchill as a politician in power as Finance Minister, but also as a simple MP alone in particular when he led the opposition to the policy of appeasement from 1932 on to 1939; also as a prolific and brilliant writer, a phisosopher, a man of ideas and a family man. A period which revealed the extent of his talents and of his resilience. A supremely principled man in an era when so-called realists wanted to make arrangements with the devil.
This book shows how all this life experience prepared him to eventually become the wartime PM that Britain would need, capable of leading and not just following timidly the waves of public opinion as Chamberlain did, a man who was crushed by his inability to react to the Nazis, his ''peace in our time '' being the ultimate expression of his failure. Churchill reintegrated the Cabinet in 1939 because Chamberlain had little choice, since his political adversary was now the man with the most credibility in Britain with the ability to inspire the trust of the population and of the allies of the country.
This book shows how all this life experience prepared him to eventually become the wartime PM that Britain would need, capable of leading and not just following timidly the waves of public opinion as Chamberlain did, a man who was crushed by his inability to react to the Nazis, his ''peace in our time '' being the ultimate expression of his failure. Churchill reintegrated the Cabinet in 1939 because Chamberlain had little choice, since his political adversary was now the man with the most credibility in Britain with the ability to inspire the trust of the population and of the allies of the country.
July 24, 2025
I struggled to keep going with this; my small brain I would suppose. I'm glad I did, more just so I could put the feather in my cap.
I'm no academic and I think I bit off a little too much.
I'm no academic and I think I bit off a little too much.
August 3, 2016
This entire series is a must for any fan of Winston Churchill. The detail is incredible.
May 24, 2023
Comprehensive biography of Churchill covering the years 1922 to 1939. The period begins with Churchill as Chancellor of the Exchequer presenting five budgets, then a long period out of office "the wilderness years" when he completed many of his literary accomplishments and then the time from 1933 onwards when he foresaw the threat from Hitler and badgered the Government to be prepared but instead a failed policy of appeasement took place. Finally, at the outbreak of war in September 1939 Churchill was made First Lord of the Admiralty (for a second time in his long career) and a member of the War Cabinet. The Admiralty signalled "Winston is back".
March 4, 2025
Reviewing a book like this is an impossible task.
Since reading The Last Lion trilogy by Manchester & Reid, I have been utterly captivated by the life of Winston Churchill—especially the period covered in this volume. Here was a man who had everything to lose by standing firm in his convictions, whether on the formation of Palestine, the removal of India from the empire, the Russian Civil War, or his unyielding opposition to Nazi appeasement. Time and again, he found himself in the minority, yet history continually vindicated him.
In reading about Churchill, I echo his own words while working on A History of the English-Speaking Peoples at the height of Nazi appeasement: "It is a relief in times like these to be able to escape into other centuries." Churchill serves as a reminder that convictions endure, even in an era where we are bombarded with digital-age partisanship masquerading as principle.
Since reading The Last Lion trilogy by Manchester & Reid, I have been utterly captivated by the life of Winston Churchill—especially the period covered in this volume. Here was a man who had everything to lose by standing firm in his convictions, whether on the formation of Palestine, the removal of India from the empire, the Russian Civil War, or his unyielding opposition to Nazi appeasement. Time and again, he found himself in the minority, yet history continually vindicated him.
In reading about Churchill, I echo his own words while working on A History of the English-Speaking Peoples at the height of Nazi appeasement: "It is a relief in times like these to be able to escape into other centuries." Churchill serves as a reminder that convictions endure, even in an era where we are bombarded with digital-age partisanship masquerading as principle.
April 20, 2018
This volume provides the lead up to WWII. At this point, Churchill is in his 50's and early 60s. There is a lot of ground covered. Tremendous insight is provided as to the stance of the UK and France in how they were dealing with the rise of the Third Reich's Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler. A lot of detail, and you can see how Churchill is maturing into the elder statesman. His bravery is continuing to grow stronger, and he never embraced the appeasement policies of Chamberlain. Well written, although once again, quite long at about 1100 pages.
October 25, 2018
Excellent biography by Martin Gilbert. This is a very long volume but it's so detailed and right on the money. I took notes because there's so much to digest. I did learn a few new things that are not covered in other biographies of WSC. There are hours of endnotes too. Outstanding job. I will be moving on to Vol 6 to see WSC back in the govt. Great stuff!
April 1, 2019
It was fascinating to see how a man so enlightened in some aspect of the human condition could be so oblivious to others. As perhaps the longest book in the series, it may seem like a big effort to start reading, but in reality, this has been the easiest of read in the series so far.
August 7, 2022
Volume five of eight was long, over 1,100 pages. Each of the five has been a treat, an opportunity for growth and understanding, a blessing. I can't praise this biography enough. Strongly recommended!
March 21, 2023
Outstanding!
The author "painted" a clear picture of the years prior to WWII and both the victories and defeats of governments.
The author "painted" a clear picture of the years prior to WWII and both the victories and defeats of governments.
August 17, 2023
A hero of mine: one of the 'young upstarts' who dared question the status-quo; and, point a finger at the growing menace on tother-side of the channel.
A detailed and great read.
A detailed and great read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews