Churchill

Starred review from September 24, 2018
Roberts (Napoleon: A Life) serves up an extraordinary biography of Winston Churchill. A resolutely pro-British empire “child of the Victorian era” who was emotionally neglected by his aristocratic father and frivolous American-raised mother, Churchill by his 20s had already reported from, fought in, and sometimes written books about imperial struggles in such places as Cuba, Sudan, India, and South Africa. He leveraged fame due to an escape from Boer captivity to win an election to British parliament in 1900 at age 25. As first lord of the admiralty during WWI, he was scapegoated for the military fiasco of Gallipoli in 1915 and cast into the political wilderness, which strengthened his nonconformist, independent nature, Roberts writes, helping him when he became prime minister in 1940. Roberts captures Churchill’s close working relationship with FDR (“the greatest American friend we have ever known”), his distrust of his chiefs of staff, and his excessive faith in Stalin’s promises in 1945. He also captures the man, dispelling the myth that Churchill was prone to depression and revealing his deep love for his wife, Clementine; his egotism, his wit, his loyalty to friends, his penchant sometimes for “selfishness, insensitivity, and ruthlessness”; and his “sybaritic” love of good drink and cigars. This biography is exhaustively researched, beautifully written and paced, deeply admiring but not hagiographic, and empathic and balanced in its judgments—a magnificent achievement. Agent: Georgina Capel, Georgina Capel Assoc.

October 1, 2018
Sprawling life of the great British leader, drawing on previously unavailable documents, including notes of wartime counsels kept by King George VI.No stranger to big biographies or larger-than-life subjects, historian and commentator Roberts (Napoleon: A Life, 2014, etc.) faces a special challenge with Winston Churchill (1874-1965), who closely documented himself and still has managed to inspire a roomful of books. Roberts adds materially to the library by consulting troves of documents unknown or not open to other researchers. He also has a sense of both drama and character as well as the context of Churchill's time. As the author writes early on, Churchill "was born into a caste that held immense political and economic power in the largest empire in world history, and that had not yet become plagued by insecurity and self-doubt." Sometimes Churchill's overconfidence led to disaster, as at Gallipoli; other times it helped his nation steel itself for war, as with his "fight them on the beaches" speech at the dawn of World War II. Roberts turns up fascinating fragments, including solid evidence that Churchill was not always the pro-American some biographers have claimed him to be: "You have to try and understand and master America and make her like you," counseled his wife, Clementine. Better still, the narrative underscores Churchill's attention to the smallest details while seeing the big picture of global strategy in matters such as handling an always-fraught alliance with the Soviet Union against Hitler and laying the groundwork for a postwar world with plenty of tensions of its own, including the question of a Jewish state in Palestine. Roberts' portrait comes warts and all, allowing, for instance, that the leader who decried Nazi air attacks on London would order the leveling by bombing of whole German cities. The author delivers a clear, well-limned view of a complex figure who, in no danger of being forgotten, continues to inspire.The most comprehensive single-volume biography of Churchill that we have in print and a boon for any student of the statesman and his times.

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Starred review from November 15, 2018
For the historian Arthur Bryant, the death of Winston Churchill meant the day of giants is gone forever. But that day dawns again as Roberts retraces the improbable life course that a modern Atlas traverses before fulfilling his boyhood dream of leading Britain through a great national crisis. As Churchill dodges swords and bullets while fighting dervishes in Sudan, Boers in South Africa, and Germans in France, readers see him manifest the physical valor necessary to later lead England through her darkest hour. But Roberts reveals that Churchill's labors as a writer do more than his military adversity to inculcate his unyielding courage. As Churchill pens the histories and biographies that would lead to to a Nobel Prize for literature in 1953, readers see him develop a passionate awareness of history. Roberts identifies one book as a particularly potent influence in priming Churchill for his epoch-making historical role in leading Britain to victory over Hitler: the biography he wrote about his valiant ancestor the first Duke of Marlborough, who, like his descendant, endured political disgrace only to rise again as Britain's wartime hero. Though Roberts frankly acknowledges Churchill's blunders, political and military, this riveting narrative ultimately burnishes the iconic statesman's reputation. A masterful biography, rich in detail and insight.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from November 15, 2018

With his latest work, best-selling author Roberts (Napoleon: A Life) presents a well-researched and exceptionally well-written biography of former British prime minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965). As in the author's equally fine biography of Napoleon, the goal here is neither to glorify nor condemn, but rather to distinguish what led Churchill to greatness. Roberts relays how Churchill believed heritage and character predestined him for his role, and how even Churchill's failures contributed to later successes. Access to previously unavailable archives allows Roberts to paint a detailed portrait of a man he clearly, and deservedly, reveres. The author shows how Churchill found a way to appeal to Englishmen of all classes and mobilize their latent patriotism. This lively story retells the politician's time in captivity during the Second Boer War, an experience that impacted his life and career, especially his later diplomatic relations with Italy and Germany as prime minister. It's easy to agree with Roberts that history would be vastly different if Churchill had not led England during this pivotal time in history. VERDICT This compelling book is likely to become a standard text on Churchill and will be difficult to keep on the shelves.--David Keymer, Cleveland

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2018

With his latest work, best-selling author Roberts (Napoleon: A Life) presents a well-researched and exceptionally well-written biography of former British prime minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965). As in the author's equally fine biography of Napoleon, the goal here is neither to glorify nor condemn, but rather to distinguish what led Churchill to greatness. Roberts relays how Churchill believed heritage and character predestined him for his role, and how even Churchill's failures contributed to later successes. Access to previously unavailable archives allows Roberts to paint a detailed portrait of a man he clearly, and deservedly, reveres. The author shows how Churchill found a way to appeal to Englishmen of all classes and mobilize their latent patriotism. This lively story retells the politician's time in captivity during the Second Boer War, an experience that impacted his life and career, especially his later diplomatic relations with Italy and Germany as prime minister. It's easy to agree with Roberts that history would be vastly different if Churchill had not led England during this pivotal time in history. VERDICT This compelling book is likely to become a standard text on Churchill and will be difficult to keep on the shelves.--David Keymer, Cleveland

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.