What do you think?
Rate this book
A.J.P. Taylor: A Biography
This biography of the great historian fills in the considerable gaps left by Taylor's autobiography, in particular the details of his turbulent personal life and three marriages, and traces his intellectual development from young hardline Marxist to sceptical "TV historian", who preached that history teaches us nothing.
Paperback
First published January 30, 1995
32 people want to read
About the author
Adam Sisman
18 books58 followersAdam Sisman is the author of various biographies, all well received by critics.
His first book, published in 1994, was a life of Trevor-Roper's colleague and rival, A.J.P. Taylor. In 2006, Sisman published a much-admired study of the friendship between Wordsworth and Coleridge. He has won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography/Autobiography
His first book, published in 1994, was a life of Trevor-Roper's colleague and rival, A.J.P. Taylor. In 2006, Sisman published a much-admired study of the friendship between Wordsworth and Coleridge. He has won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography/Autobiography
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 31, 2017
Rock throwing, shit-kicking historian makes good. Except in Oxford where his missiles & missives hit too many dons in the head. Interesting read about that follows Taylor's ideas about the context of pre-WWII : socialism, communism, Russia, Versailles wrongs to Germany, righting those wrongs (called appeasement), German expansionism as a national goal--not just a Hitlerian one, and then the post-war era: Stalinism, Hungarian Revolt, Ban the Bombers, and on and on. Details of his TV and newspaper stardom and his crisp, clean composition methods--he just sat down (or walked around) and did it.
Many details of his complicated home/social life, two concurrent "wives," tight-fisted relationships, and apparent butt-kissing of Lord Beaverbrook.
Bought this bio after being impressed with Taylor's histories of Bismarck, Habsburgs. You should read those, too.
Many details of his complicated home/social life, two concurrent "wives," tight-fisted relationships, and apparent butt-kissing of Lord Beaverbrook.
Bought this bio after being impressed with Taylor's histories of Bismarck, Habsburgs. You should read those, too.
May 16, 2023
Better written, but otherwise inferior to the Kathleen Burk biography. Sisman more or less ignores Taylor The historian in order to concentrate on his rather odd private life and marriage.
Interesting Tidbit: Dylan Thomas was a "Friend" of the Taylors and would often sponge off them. Thomas would drink 15-20 beers a day, and upset AJP Taylor by draining a barrel of Taylor's beer, during a month long stay.
Interesting Tidbit: Dylan Thomas was a "Friend" of the Taylors and would often sponge off them. Thomas would drink 15-20 beers a day, and upset AJP Taylor by draining a barrel of Taylor's beer, during a month long stay.
September 24, 2017
Thorough and very entertaining.
December 11, 2015
Great book about an interesting historian.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews