Winston Churchill and the Art of Leadership: How Winston Changed the World

by William Nester

First of a collection of books that examines how history’s greatest leaders acquired power and then employed it for their own ends – and for good or ill.

Many indeed, are the biographies of Winston Churchill, one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. But what was that influence and how did he use it in the furtherance of his and his country’s ambitions? For the first time, Professor William Nester has delved into the life and actions of Churchill to examine just how skillfully he manipulated events to place him in positions of power.

His thirst for power stirred political controversy wherever he intruded. Those who had to deal directly with him either loved or hated him. His enemies condemned him for being an egoist, publicity hound, double-dealer, and Machiavellian, accusations that his friends and even he himself could not deny. He could only serve Britain as a statesman and a reformer because he was a wily politician who won sixteen of twenty-one elections that he contested between 1899 and 1955.

The House of Commons was Churchill's political temple where he exalted in the speeches and harangues on the floor and the back room horse-trading and camaraderie. Most of his life he was a Cassandra, warning against the threats of Communism, Nazism, and nuclear Armageddon. With his ability to think beyond mental boxes and connect far-flung dots, he clearly foretold events to which virtually everyone else was oblivious. Yet he was certainly not always right and was at times spectacularly wrong.

This is the first book that explores how Churchill understood and asserted the art of power, mostly through hundreds of his own insights expressed through his speeches and writings.

Genres: History, Leadership, Biography, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Politics

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 14, 2020

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This was a good biography that delved into Churchill's personality and statesmanship. I've always wanted to know more about him, so this was a good, short, easy-to-read book that gave me more information about him. There are a lot of cites in the book, however, so at times it felt like I was reading a term paper rather than a book. Also, the forward and introduction were way too long. (The book didn't start until 8%.)

I didn't realize he had such a contentious relationship with so many people in government, or that he suffered from so many personal demons. It's a testament to his strength that he was able to accomplish so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Frontline Books for the free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Nester does in 288 pages what Andrew Roberts tried in 1150: Capture the essence of the great but flawed Winston Churchill. In his recent acclaimed bio of the British PM, Roberts even tosses in the kitchen sink. Nester doesn’t need to. Sometimes less is really more!

We learn about Churchill as child, adventurer, reformer, scapegoat, Cassandra, commander, and cold warrior. Meticulously researched, rich in anecdote and quote, this vivid text shows how Churchill’s bold leadership kept the West free. A triumph!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 30 Sep 2020

Thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#WinstonChurchillandtheArtofLeadership #NetGalley

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be the first to admit that, although I have obviously heard of Winston Churchill and have a surface knowledge of his role in WWII, this is the first time I have actually read a biography about him (although I have read a biography about his wife, Clementine). It is an interesting and informative read, if at times a little wordy. I found the author balanced in their approach and assessment of the subject. Churchill's personal, political, and military failings, and the consequences of these were discussed in detail and not glossed over. Yet at times I felt my attention wandering a little, and because of this I rate this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Pen & Sword/Frontline Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Phil Curme · Rating 4 out of 5]

What more is there to say about Winston Churchill? Given the vast number of books written about the man, and his own prolific output it’s a fair question. And yet the publication of this latest biography might be well-timed given the ongoing public debate about Churchill which appears to have coalesced around his status as the man who put a stop to the appeasement of Hitler on the one hand, and his supposed culpability for the Bengal famine of 1943 on the other. This book seeks to explore the full breadth of Churchill's public life with a particular focus on his skills and capabilities as a leader in both wartime and peacetime. in doing so it provides a more nuanced view of one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century.

The seven chronologically arranged chapter headings are particularly well chosen and in summation capture Churchill's character quite nicely - an adventurer, a reformer, a scapegoat, a Cassandra, a commander and a Cold War warrior. As one might expect from an author who teaches political science, the chapters covering Churchill's time in Government are particularly insightful. Churchill was a politician at heart and the author argues that his finest moments occurred in the House of Commons - whether that was championing social reforms at home or opposing tyranny abroad. Churchill's mantra that future prosperity lay in the development of a tripartite relationship with Europe, North America and the Commonwealth remains germane today.

The authors exploration of Churchill's leadership in war offers up a rather polarised picture. His well-referenced pen-portraits of the main players make for entertaining reading. Perhaps the most interesting observations about Churchill's leadership style are delivered in the sections covering Churchill's relationships with Roosevelt, Truman, Stalin and de-Gaulle. On the big strategic questions Churchill was invariably right. His vigorous efforts to alert Western leaders to the Nazi threat in the 30s and, later, his anticipation of the Cold War were profound influences on world affairs. Similiarly his investment in a wartime alliance with the Soviet Union was an instance of spectacularly bold pragmatism.

Of course, at a sub-strategic level, it was a different story. Churchill was continually conceiving and pushing innovative ideas. His championing of tanks as a weapon of war and his early work on social and industrial reform were visionary. However, many of his ideas were impracticable or flawed. Happily, in many instances, these more outlandish suggestions were filtered or discarded by Churchill's peers or - in wartime - Alan Brooke acting with the authority of Churchill's Chiefs of Staff Committee. The author is very critical of Churchill's performance as a wartime commander and whilst many of his points are well made his penchant for counter-factual history leads him into controversial territory. For example, the assertion that Churchill's failure to support an Allied landing in the South of France in 1943 lengthened the war by a year and cost millions of lives is, in the opinion of this reviewer, preposterous.

The book is written with an economy of words and is the better for it. It is peppered with brilliant Churchill quotes and the narrative flows freely, capturing the essence of a man who quite literally changed the world. So, what does it say about Churchill's reputation as a leader? The answer is perhaps surprising in that the author challenges the commonly held view that Churchill was at his peak as a wartime commander. For the author, Churchill's greatness manifested itself in his strategic acumen and through his service as a parliamentarian. Churchill's ability to grasp geo-political realities and drive towards truly impactful outcomes marked him out as a truly outstanding world leader. Whilst his reputation was occasionally dented by ill-judged decisions such as the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign and the policies that he introduced during his inter-war tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer, one must conclude that Churchill deserves his place in the pantheon of great men.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book thinking it would be a self-help type of leadership book, but it ended up showing me how often mistakes are often made (a lot, especially by Churchill) and the role of chance in leadership, (except that when world leaders make a mistake tons of people die). I also hadn't realized how controversial of a figure he was in British societal development through today, how we courted the Communists until they were no longer useful, and why wars do and will keep on occuring even though we like to think we have advanced as humanity. Reading this in parallel with watching "The Fog of War," one recalls Robert McNamara quoting T.S. Eliot:

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."

[Kipi (the academic stitcher) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and well written, but not what I expected from this book given the title. I expected an emphasis on Churchill's leadership style or to learn about Churchill's philosophy on leadership. Instead, it was a history of the wars in which Britain was involved during his lifetime with a minor focus on the part he played in each. Contrary to the subtitle, there is no discussion on how the author believes that Churchill's leadership or his decisions may have changed the course of history and the world. I appreciate the fact that the author was not solely focused on praising Churchill; instead, he pointed out many mistakes he made throughout his life.

The audiobook was read by David Stifel who did a very nice job. He used different voices for Churchill, FDR, Harry Truman, and a few other major characters, and this was a pleasant addition.

[Dorissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not great. From the expansive introduction (29 pages--why?!?!) to the content of the book itself. Winston Churchill and the Art of Leadership read like an undergraduate research paper. As a historian, I know that the overuse of citations in indicative of a writer's inability to come up with new information about a topic. This book provided no new information about Churchill; it simply rehashed information that is common knowledge.

The author's citation's are primarily secondary sources, which also tells me that he did almost no research...instead he just citation chased other historian's work. This is a hodgepodge of a book that shouldn't even be published.

[John Cochrane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really interested in this book and thought it would be an expansion on Churchill’s leadership. Instead it was a rehash of the standard history of Winston Churchill. There were a few interesting tidbits that were new, at least to me, but nothing that discussed the Art of Leadership. I will grant that the author was at least balanced in its reporting of Churchill’s triumphs and disasters. He did however play the benefit of hindsight in a large number of his criticisms and made assumptions of which he had no basis to do so.

Overall it wasn’t bad, but the title is misleading. It is certainly not a first rate history of Churchill nor his Art of Leadership.

[Caroline David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this look in Churchill’s life. He is one of the most complex historical figures we’ve ever seen. This is definitely one of the easier reads about Churchill though it felt long due to so much information. Normally, if you ever read a short biography on Churchill, then it’s not thorough enough but it was actually wonderful. Extremely well done and well cited.

[Chandler Langmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a solid introduction to the life and legacy of Churchill

[thevalkyriereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-researched and well written account of such a mercurial 20th century figure.