In the Footsteps of Churchill: A Study in Character - Hardcover

Holmes, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0465030823 ISBN 13: 9780465030828

Verlag: Basic Books, 2005

Inhaltsangabe

Book by Holmes Richard

Über diesen Titel

Críticas

The greatest Briton-so a 2002 BBC poll declared Winston Churchill-comes in for scrutiny in this absorbing profile by military historian Holmes. Of the 20th-century's politicians, Churchill seemed ablest to swirl in the currents of controversy without drowning. He was eminently practical; he worked tremendously hard; he was unquestionably brave; and in almost everything he turned his hand to, he proved a "gifted amateur." He also nourished contradictions, among them an odd steadiness against what was almost certainly advanced alcoholism and a fondness for wearing uniforms; "apart from that foible," remarks Holmes of the latter, "he was the antithesis of a militarist." Yet for all his fine qualities, Churchill was not altogether admirable; as Holmes reveals, he was something of a bully toward his widowed (but by no means cowed) mother, and throughout his life he was an opportunist through and through. Early fame came to him, for instance, when Churchill escaped from a prison camp during the Boer War, leaving two fellow inmates behind; though Holmes believes that Churchill did not intend to abandon them, "I cannot imagine him waiting too long on the far side of that wall." Churchill, however, was plenty self-critical and self-aware. One of Holmes's discoveries in the course of this study of character is especially revealing: haunted by the needless deaths of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers at Gallipoli, a WWI campaign he had championed, Churchill was near-paralyzed at the thought that the Normandy landings of WWII might fail. In the face of neocons who are now busily trying to claim Churchill as a forebear, Holmes reminds us that Churchill was a liberal whom opportunity, and opportunism, swept into the Conservative Party, "which only grudgingly accepted him." He reminds us, too, that Churchill was early on an advocate of a strong united Europe-in part as a way of containing American expansionism as well as Soviet ambitions. A nuanced portrait of leadership, and a fine complement to recent portraits of Churchill by, among others, John Keegan and John Lukacs. (Kirkus Reviews)

Reseña del editor

This remarkable new portrait of Churchill reveals the crucial influences that shaped his character - and the way his character in turn affected his decisions and actions As one of the most admired political leaders of the twentieth century, Winston Churchill holds iconic status in popular memory. But in this incisive new biography, acclaimed historian Richard Holmes offers a remarkable reappraisal of Churchill by examining the influences that shaped his character. Drawing upon never-before-seen materials such as letters between the young Churchill and his parents, Holmes paints the most complete portrait to date of the man who stood up to Hitler and led his people to victory against all odds. Detailing the decisive events of Churchill's life - from his childhood to his experiences in the Boer War through his rapid rise in politics - Holmes demonstrates the central role Churchill's character played in the key decisions of his public life. With an already inflated sense of self, Churchill had several lucky escapes in combat - in the Boer War and the trenches of World War I - convincing him that he was saved for a reason and was destined for greatness. In The Footsteps of Churchill uncovers a surprisingly different Churchill - both admirable and difficult - through the lens of his character.

Über diese Auflage

• Verlag: Basic Books
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0465030823
• ISBN 13: 9780465030828
• Einband: Tapa dura
• Anzahl der Seiten: 288