Aldous (School of History & Archives/University College Dublin)
chronicles the engrossing political chess match between two vastly
different British prime ministers in lively prose that delivers the
pacing and plot twists of a novel. Aristocratic William Gladstone
(1809 - 98) was a stern moralist, Jewish outsider Benjamin Disraeli
(1804 - 81) an affable orator whose ascendancy to power was hailed
as a breath of fresh air by many among his colleagues and the
public. Disraeli's foppish charm won him the steadfast loyalty of
Queen Victoria, whose admiration was such that she even elevated
him to the peerage, an act that only intensified Gladstone's
intense dislike for his enemy, who heartily reciprocated his
sentiments. Whispers about Gladstone's penchant for prostitutes
hurt his reputation less than it might have in today's political
arena: Even after he insisted that he sought to "save" these women
from their lot in life, opponents and supporters alike merely
laughed about his "benevolent nocturnal rambles." The author offers
an entertaining look at Disraeli's quirky habits, explaining that
the confirmed dandy "was also a parvenu who unnerved his
aristocratic colleagues with his unusual ideas (not least in dress)
about how a country gentleman lived and behaved." After all the
vitriol that passed between the two great leaders, it's oddly
touching to know that upon hearing the news of Disraeli's death
Gladstone noted in his diary, "There is no more extraordinary man
surviving him in England, perhaps none in Europe." Underneath the
motherlode of distaste for each other, Aldous suggests, ran a
hidden vein of respect.No stunning new information here, but a
rousing portrait of 19th-century England's most venomous political
rivalry, featuring a highly readable exploration into the dueling
natures of two powerful men. (Kirkus Reviews)
'Engaging and highly entertaining' Sunday Times The dramatic
confrontation between the two 'mighty opposites' of the Victorian
age, brilliantly recreated by a talented young historian. Gladstone
and Disraeli were the fiercest political rivals of the modern age.
Their intense hatred was ideological and deeply personal. Victorian
Britain ruled the oceans and vast territories 'on which the sun
never set'. The vitriolic duel between Gladstone and Disraeli was
nothing less than a battle to lead the richest and most powerful
nation on earth. To Disraeli, his antagonist was an 'unprincipled
maniac' characterised by an 'extraordinary mixture of envy,
vindictiveness, hypocrisy and superstition'. For Gladstone, his
rival was 'The Grand Corrupter' whose destruction he plotted 'day
and night, week by week, month by month'. Victorians were
electrified by the confrontation. No wonder that when Lewis
Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass appeared in 1871, so many
readers recognised the great adversaries as the warring lion and
unicorn 'fighting for the crown'. Richard Aldous gives us the first
modern telling of this dramatic story of an intense and momentous
rivalry. His vivid narrative style - at turns powerful, witty,
stirring and theatrical - breathes new life into a familiar,
half-remembered tale that is pivotal in Britain's island history.
The Lion and the Unicorn is a brilliant rethinking of the Gladstone
and Disraeli story for a new generation. Richard Aldous confirms a
perennial truth: in politics, everything is personal.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
