Churchill

By: Roy Jenkins

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 38 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Winston Churchill is an icon of modern history, but even though he was at the forefront of the political scene for almost 60 years, he might be remembered only as a minor player in the drama of British government had it not been for World War II. In this magisterial book, Roy Jenkins' unparalleled command of the political history of Britain and his own high-level government experience combine in a narrative account of Churchill's astounding career that is unmatched in its shrewd insights, its unforgettable anecdotes, the clarity of its overarching themes, and the author's nuanced appreciation of his extraordinary subject.

From a very young age, Churchill believed he was destined to play a great role in the life of his nation, and he determined to prepare himself. Jenkins shows in fascinating detail how Churchill educated himself for greatness, how he worked out his livelihood (writing) as well as his professional life (politics), how he situated himself at every major site or moment in British imperial and governmental life. His parliamentary career was like no other - with its changes of allegiance (from the Conservative to the Liberal and back to the Conservative Party), its troughs and humiliations, its triumphs and peaks - and for decades, especially the crisis years of the late 1930s and the terrifying 1940s, when at last it was clear how vital Churchill was to the very survival of Britain. He evaluates Churchill's other accomplishments, his writings, with equal authority.

Exceptional in its breadth of knowledge and distinguished by its stylish wit and penetrating intelligence, this is one of the finest political biographies of our time.

©2001 Roy Jenkins (P)2002 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A first-class, well-sustained work of history and a masterpiece of biography." (The Sunday Telegraph)
"This is far and away Churchill's best one-volume biography." (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.)

Long but excellent

Roy Jenkins has a unique perspective as a slight contemporary of Churchill when Jenkins was a young man. He also shares the perspective of someone who held high cabinet rank. He has uncovered details I have not heard before. Although this is a very long book, it is worth the effort.

A splendid book, well-read...but....

No doubt the late (Lord) Roy Jenkins' biography of Winston Churchill is a most enjoyable, detailed, and balanced account of WSC's extraordinary life. Not as exhaustive (perhaps exhausting) as Sir Martin Gilbert's official biography, it is nonetheless thorough and enlivened by the author's own long experience in British politics and government.
The narrator is clear and engaging; but was allowed to convey direct quotes by using different accents and tones of voice. When it comes to him reading WSC himself, it becomes annoying as the man's voice himself is so well known and his own recorded speeches so readily available.
On the whole, however, very well worth the listening!

A Satisfying Audit of Churchils Life

This book does a good job of taking you thru the significant moments of the great mans life.
But not Churchills inner life. Perhaps that's because he lived so long and thru so much that it's impossible to cover it in depth. Next i will try a book dealing with a segment of his life.

Seems disorganised and overly complex

Biographies is my favorite genre, but this is the worst biography I have yet tried to read. It is very difficult to understand when different things are occurring, what is meant by some half-sarcastic abstract sentences, and the author keeps interrupting himself with side comments. I gave up after 6 chapters.

Needed more about Churchill the person.

If you were looking for a story about Churchill the politician this book might be for you. If you’re looking for a story about Churchill the person this book does not cover it in great detail.

Unexpectedly boring

Was Churchill worth the listening time?

NO

Any additional comments?

Hard to believe that anyone could make a life of Churchill boring, but Jenkins has managed

Too much paliament

Only recommended if you are real interested in just the parlimentary side of his life.

Long, and dull

My impression is that this book was written and narrated by British men for a British audience. Its overly prosaic style mirrors the Edwardian speech used by Churchill himself 100 years ago, but is no longer captivating, if it ever was. It reveals far more detail than this reader, at least, cared to know about Mr. Churchill's early life, ambitions and political manipulations. I gave up before completing even the first (of six) Audible sections. Sad to say, I will have to find a better book than this to satisfy my desire to learn more about one of the 20th Century's greatest figures.

A Political Lifel

This is a gossipy, chatty, sometimes catty and not always favorable biography of Winston S. Churchill. Among other things, the author was a former MP and political insider holding various offices in government. His father, Arthur Jenkins was a parliamentary private secretary to Clement Attlee - the man who defeated Churchill immediately after WWII. Some of Churchill's most famous aphorisms were insulting to Clement Attlee (A modest man, who has much to be modest about) and one wonders how Roy Jenkins felt about that and if it had any influence on the book.

Regardless, the book presumes the reader is more acquainted with English history and the English system of government than is likely for most Americans. The book focuses almost entirely on the inner political workings of government during Churchill's (and Jenkin's) time. It's also marred by diversions about various political figures who appear only briefly and don't have much to do with Churchill. The reader in England may be familiar with these characters and be interested in what happened to them but the American reader will not. It's almost more of a memoir than a biography because the author often inserts himself especially in the years in which he served in Parliament with Churchill.

I would first recommend William Manchester for a more complete picture of Churchill, even though it's longer and, ironically, incomplete.

I will say the voice characterizations by Robert Whitfield are excellent. By a change in accent or tone he is able to indicate a change in speaker leaving no doubt who is being quoted. This was extremely helpful. In particular, he does a decent imitation of Churchill himself. Even 40 years after his death, Churchill's words and voice are so familiar that it would be disconcerting to hear them spoken any other way.

I have a great attention span; this one beat me

I really do not enjoy disparaging something that someone has obviously worked so hard to make, but I owe it to my fellow commuters. Do not get this book. This is the only audible book that I failed to finish. Almost every sentence follows the established format of a persuasive essay - which would be fine if a sentence could be a persuasive essay, but it clearly should not be.
Each sentence begins with a lengthy introductory portion wherein the basic premise of the sentence is set forth and multiple facts are spilled out, then there is a maddeningly distracting section which attempts to concede to various opposing view points, followed, then, by several more sections that provide evidence to support the introductory portion, and this may, or may not, be followed by a concluding section which may, or may not, summarize the prior analysis - and all of this within the confines of a capital letter and a period.
Now, if you enjoyed my last sentence, then, by all means, buy the book. And if you are a commuter, then it is accurate to say that there are literally miles of these sentences. If you are interested in Churchill, then stick with William Manchester.