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Without Churchill's inspiring leadership Britain could not have
survived its darkest hour and repelled the Nazi menace. Without his
wife Clementine, however, he might never have become Prime
Minister. By his own admission, the Second World War would have
been 'impossible without her'. Clementine was Winston's emotional
rock and his most trusted confidante; not only was she involved in
some of the most crucial decisions of war, but she exerted an
influence over her husband and the Government that would appear
scandalous to modern eyes. Yet her ability to charm Britain's
allies and her humanitarian efforts on the Home Front earned her
deep respect, both behind closed doors in Whitehall and among the
population at large. That Clementine should become Britain's 'First
Lady' was by no means pre-ordained. Born into impecunious
aristocracy, her childhood was far from gilded. Her mother was a
serial adulteress and gambler, who spent many years uprooting her
children to escape the clutches of their erstwhile father, and by
the time Clementine entered polite society she had become the
target of cruel snobbery and rumours about her parentage. In
Winston, however, she discovered a partner as emotionally insecure
as herself, and in his career she found her mission. Her dedication
to his cause may have had tragic consequences for their children,
but theirs was a marriage that changed the course of history. Now,
acclaimed biographer Sonia Purnell explores the peculiar dynamics
of this fascinating union. From the personal and political
upheavals of the Great War, through the Churchills' 'wilderness
years' in the 1930s, to Clementine's desperate efforts to preserve
her husband's health during the struggle against Hitler, Sonia
presents the inspiring but often ignored story of one of the most
important women in modern history.
'A METICULOUS HISTORY THAT READS LIKE A THRILLER' BEN MACINTYRE,
TEN BEST BOOKS TO READ ABOUT WORLD WAR II An astounding story of
heroism, spycraft, resistance and personal triumph over shocking
adversity. 'A rousing tale of derring-do' THE TIMES * 'Riveting'
MICK HERRON * 'Superb' IRISH TIMES THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In
September 1941, a young American woman strides up the steps of a
hotel in Lyon, Vichy France. Her papers say she is a journalist.
Her wooden leg is disguised by a determined gait and a distracting
beauty. She is there to spark the resistance. By 1942 Virginia Hall
was the Gestapo's most urgent target, having infiltrated Vichy
command, trained civilians in guerrilla warfare and sprung soldiers
from Nazi prison camps. The first woman to go undercover for
British SOE, her intelligence changed the course of the war - but
her fight was still not over. This is a spy history like no other,
telling the story of the hunting accident that disabled her, the
discrimination she fought and the secret life that helped her
triumph over shocking adversity. 'A cracking story about an
extraordinarily brave woman' TELEGRAPH 'Gripping ... superb ... a
rounded portrait of a complicated, resourceful, determined and
above all brave woman' IRISH TIMES WINNER of the PLUTARCH AWARD FOR
BEST BIOGRAPHY
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Chosen as a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by
NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, the Seattle Times, the
Washington Independent Review of Books, PopSugar, the Minneapolis
Star Tribune, BookBrowse, the Spectator, and the Times of London
Winner of the Plutarch Award for Best Biography "Excellent...This
book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down." --
The New York Times Book Review "A compelling biography of a
masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave
people -- and a little resistance." - NPR "A meticiulous history
that reads like a thriller." - Ben Macintyre A never-before-told
story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of
World War II, from the author of Clementine. In 1942, the Gestapo
sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all
Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." The target in their
sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way
into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed
Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became
the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--despite her
prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of the French Resistance,
revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. Virginia established
vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives
down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even
as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her
head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally
escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain,
her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more
lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating
swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day. Based on new and
extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered
the full secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspiring
story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over
shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking
story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.
"Engrossing...the first formal biography of a woman who has
heretofore been relegated to the sidelines."-The New York Times
From the author of the New York Times bestseller A Woman of No
Importance, a long overdue tribute to the extraordinary woman who
was Winston Churchill's closest confidante, fiercest critic and
shrewdest advisor that captures the intimate dynamic of one of
history's most fateful marriages. Late in life, Winston Churchill
claimed that victory in the Second World War would have been
"impossible" without the woman who stood by his side for
fifty-seven turbulent years. Why, then, do we know so little about
her? In this landmark biography, a finalist for the Plutarch prize,
Sonia Purnell finally gives Clementine Churchill her due. Born into
impecunious aristocracy, the young Clementine Hozier was the target
of cruel snobbery. Many wondered why Winston married her, when the
prime minister's daughter was desperate for his attention. Yet
their marriage proved to be an exceptional partnership. "You
know,"Winston confided to FDR, "I tell Clemmie everything." Through
the ups and downs of his tumultuous career, in the tense days when
he stood against Chamberlain and the many months when he helped
inspire his fellow countrymen and women to keep strong and carry
on, Clementine made her husband's career her mission, at the
expense of her family, her health and, fatefully, of her children.
Any real consideration of Winston Churchill is incomplete without
an understanding of their relationship. Clementine is both the
first real biography of this remarkable woman and a fascinating
look inside their private world. "Sonia Purnell has at long last
given Clementine Churchill the biography she deserves. Sensitive
yet clear-eyed, Clementine tells the fascinating story of a complex
woman struggling to maintain her own identity while serving as the
conscience and principal adviser to one of the most important
figures in history. I was enthralled all the way through." -Lynne
Olson, bestselling author of Citizens of London
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Chosen as a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by
NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, the Seattle Times, the
Washington Independent Review of Books, PopSugar, the Minneapolis
Star Tribune, BookBrowse, the Spectator, and the Times of London
Winner of the Plutarch Award for Best Biography "Excellent...This
book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down." --
The New York Times Book Review "A compelling biography of a
masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave
people -- and a little resistance." - NPR "A meticiulous history
that reads like a thriller." - Ben Macintyre A never-before-told
story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of
World War II, from the author of Clementine. In 1942, the Gestapo
sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all
Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." The target in their
sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way
into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed
Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became
the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--despite her
prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of the French Resistance,
revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. Virginia established
vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives
down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even
as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her
head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally
escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain,
her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more
lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating
swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day. Based on new and
extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered
the full secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspiring
story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over
shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking
story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.
A major and controversial new biography of one of the most
compelling and contradictory figures in modern British life. Born
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, to most of us he is just '
Boris' - the only politician of the age to be regarded in such
familiar, even affectionate terms. Uniquely, he combines comedy
with erudition, gimlet-eyed focus with jokey self-deprecation, and
is a loving family man with a roving eye. He is also a hugely
ambitious figure with seemingly no huge ambitions to pursue - other
than, perhaps, power itself. In this revealing biography, written
from the vantage point of a once close colleague, Sonia Purnell
examines how a shy, young boy from a broken home became our only
box-office politician - and most unlikely sex god; how the Etonian
product fond of Latin tags became a Man of the People - and why he
wanted to be; how the gaffe-prone buffoon charmed Londonders to win
the largest personal mandate Britain has ever seen; and how the
Johnson family built our biggest - and blondest - media and
political dynasty. The first forensic account of a remarkable rise
to fame and power, Just Boris unravels this most compelling of
political enigmas and asks whether the Mayor who dreams of crossing
the Thames to Downing Street has what it takes to be Prime
Minister.
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