Expert essays on a fascinating subject, edited by Blake (A History
of Rhodesia, 1978, etc.) and Louis (English History and
Culture/Univ. of Texas). The editors have rounded up 29 specialists
who distill their expertise into brief pieces that summarize many
aspects of Churchill ("perhaps the great figure in 20th-century
history," suggest Blake and Louis). The text glitters with gems
like Russian diplomat Ivan Maisky's prophecy (quoted in an essay by
Robin Edmond) that Churchill would come to power "when the critical
moment...arrives...because he is a major and forceful figure,
whereas the other members of the cabinet are colorless
mediocrities." As George Addison explains elsewhere, Churchill,
even in his early career, was not only a writer/journalist but a
hard fighter for humane social reform, "a founder of the welfare
state." David Cannadine tackles Churchill's family, the
Marlboroughs, a conniving, dishonest, nearly perfect disgrace to
the very idea of aristocracy - but the future politician was loyal
to them, Cannadine says, and it cost him dearly. David Craig's
piece on Churchill and Germany follows, illustrating the British
leader's limitations (no grasp of German language, literature, or
music) but also his lack of rancor and a view of Versailles that
was both shrewd and enlightened. "Churchill and Stalin," by Robin
Edmonds, reveals Churchill's lifelong antipathy to Russia; to
understand the WW II rapprochement between Churchill and Stalin,
it's necessary to read other essays that stress the Britisher's
practicality and absolute willingness to sacrifice anything,
including his own obsessions, for his country. Churchill's
old-fashioned sense of the world surfaces repeatedly in relation to
ideas and people (notably, De Gaulle, in a piece by Douglas
Johnson), but the point emerges throughout that with Churchill's
stubborn mind-set came a realistic, flexible acceptance of life
that stood England in good stead. Lacking an essay on Churchill the
writer; still, a solid bet for anyone concerned with 20th-century
history. (Kirkus Reviews)
Churchill was an extraordinary figure. There has never been anyone
quite like him, and inevitably legends have accumulated. How can he
be treated both realistically and fairly after so much has been
written about his controversial career by himself and others? This
is a fresh look at Churchill and his role in twentieth-century
history. Each of the authors in this book is an authority on at
least one aspect of Churchill's life. The result is a fascinating
interplay of ideas about his policies and motives. Some of it is
critical and unflattering. Even the greatest of statesmen can make
mistakes and misjudgements, and Churchill was at the centre of the
political scene for more that half a century. Yet he emerges with
both his integrity and his greatness intact. His achievement seems
as remarkable as ever. The picture that is drawn by this lively and
readable study is of an astonishing personality with some flaws but
also with immense strengths. The book provides a fuller
understanding of how Churchill came to be, in A.J.P. Taylor's
words, `the saviour of his nation'.
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