Churchill

De: Roy Jenkins

Narrado por: Simon Vance

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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.)

A Useful but Not Entry Level Biography

The book is written from the point of view of the internal workings of Parliament. The author, Roy Jenkins, was himself an MP so this point of view is natural; but I would recommend a working knowledge of British politics before reading this biography. I did not have this and therefore found myself often confused by the names and titles of which there are a great many.

Jenkins crafts the narrative around Churchill's parliamentary life: where he ate, who he dined with, who his friends and allies were, where he vacationed, what speeches he gave and what everyone's impressions were. My complaint is that it is sometimes difficult to place the political jockeying within a greater world context.

For example: Jenkins relates Churchill's speech on the Suez Canal controversy and how it affected Churchill's reputation, but never explains what that controversy was. I think a more educated reader may not find this objectionable, but I found it confusing.

Prior to this book I read "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William Shirer, which told Hitler's story through the lens of greater world events. I like this approach because it had more of a story-like progression to it and easier to listen to. This biography, while informational and certainly helpful was not, to me, as enjoyable to read.

Detailed and effective

Jenkin's biography is Churchill is well written and detailed, providing a very good description of his life. He sticks to the facts with very little conjecture, and where he doesn't have clear facts he provides compelling evidence. This gave me a very good understanding of that great man. Vance is a master reader! He does accents very well and makes the text come alive. Highly recommended.

Best of British Political Soap Opera

This is a LONG book (and thus great value for money). You get not only the portrait of Churchill as a confident, sometimes bungling, always charistmatic figure, but also Jenkins's insights into the British political scene. For instance, when he says that chancellors of the exchequer often expect to become prime minister, he making a wry comment on his own lost expectations. There is just enough analysis and just enough political gossip to make it all fun, and even to sustain suspense, given that we know how it is all going to turn out. The reader is great. He "does" Churchill just well enough to be believable, but not with such emphasis as to be annoying. I have listened to all 25 disks and when my Altzheimers does its job I'll start all over again. The ONLY negative is the time it took to download!

Too much little stuff

This is a big book about a larger than life man. The book captures you early on and then somewhere around WW1 it let me go and it seemed like a chore to stick with the minutia especially between the wars. There seemed to be just too much detail in this book

An Arduous Listen

A thorough narrative of Churchill's personality and politics marred by pretentious, Byzantine, antiquated prose. Most annoying: one needs their French and Latin dictionaries within reach. Happy slogging.