The Churchill Sisters

The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine's Daughters

By: Dr. Rachel Trethewey

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

As complex in their own way as their Mitford cousins, Winston and Clementine Churchill’s daughters each had a unique relationship with their famous father. Rachel Trethewey's biography, The Churchill Sisters, tells their story.

Bright, attractive, and well-connected, in any other family the Churchill girls - Diana, Sarah, Marigold, and Mary - would have shone. But they were not in another family, they were Churchills and neither they nor anyone else could ever forget it. From their father - "the greatest Englishman" - to their brother, golden boy Randolph, to their eccentric and exciting cousins, the Mitford Girls, they were surrounded by a clan of larger-than-life characters which often saw them overlooked. While Marigold died too young to achieve her potential, the other daughters lived lives full of passion, drama, and tragedy....

Diana, intense and diffident; Sarah, glamorous and stubborn; Mary, dependable yet determined - each so different but each imbued with a sense of responsibility toward each other and their country. Far from being cosseted debutantes, these women were eyewitnesses at some of the most important events in world history, at Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam. Yet this is not a story set on the battlefields or in Parliament; it is an intimate saga that sheds light on the complex dynamics of family set against the backdrop of a tumultuous century.

Drawing on previously unpublished family letters from the Churchill archives, The Churchill Sisters brings Winston’s daughters out of the shadows and tells their remarkable stories for the first time.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

©2022 Dr. Rachel Trethewey (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“[The sisters’] lives were just as full of drama, passion and tragedy as the Mitfords...this intimate saga sheds much light on the complex dynamics of a family where forgiveness and acceptance were often required.” (The Bookshelf, UK)

“A thoughtful portrait of the lives of three women on the forefront of history, but most importantly, a poignant story of sisterhood.” (Catherine Grace Katz, best-selling author of The Daughters of Yalta)

“This fascinating book brings the lives of [Churchill's] daughters out of the shadows for the first time...the extraordinary talents and resilience of these remarkable women that shine through. A revelation." (Andrew Wilson, award-winning author of Mad Girl’s Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted)

Genuine and authentic account of the lives of the Churchill girls their lives family.

I liked the narrator’s use of separate voices that let me know which person was speaking.

Interesting and important, but I’m not certain what I learned from it

We’ll researched, interesting perspective on such an important time in our history. Well told vignettes but the organization confused me a bit in the audiobook version. As a result, I very much enjoyed the book but don’t think that I will remember it as profound.

So enjoyable and so well done. Thank you

Great read. Dr Tretheway really did her research. Thank you for all the interesting facts. Narrator was fantastic. This book is sure to be a huge success. Brings to light so many issues that people still face today . One can NEVER get enough of the Churchill's.

Gives interesting context to the historical books of Winston Churchill.

This book provides an excellent complement to the historical facts and details written about Winston Churchill’s life and legacy.
I look forward to listening to Clementines biography

The Rest Of The Story

We’re done! I’m very happy to have learned a little something about the beautiful daughters of Winston and Clementine Churchill. I just love their stories. RIP all.