Rating: 
Summary: Full of details, but no history
Review: Jenkins is an engaging writer and quite familiar with Parliament,
but he fails as a biographer because he concentrates only on Churchill and assumes the reader knows all the details of the history Churchill lived through. Compare this to William Manchester's superb Churchill biographies, The Last Lion parts 1 and 2. Manchester is a historian and grounds everything he writes in the history of the period. Oh, how much better Jenkins would have been had he done the same.
Rating:
Summary: Full of details, but no history
Review: Jenkins is an engaging writer and quite familiar with Parliament, but he fails as a biographer because he concentrates only on Churchill and assumes the reader knows all the details of the history Churchill lived through. Compare this to William Manchester's superb Churchill biographies, The Last Lion parts 1 and 2. Manchester is a historian and grounds everything he writes in the history of the period. Oh, how much better Jenkins would have been had he done the same.
Rating: 
Summary: A biography worthy of its subject
Review: This is a very long book, but then, Winston Churchill had a very long and productive life. It's very interesting reading, although occasionally the author goes so deeply into minutia that my eyes glazed over and my brain threatened to shut down completely. One of the problems I had with the book, excellent though it was, is that I couldn't follow closely enough the intricacies of the British Parliamentary system. This, I realize, isn't the author's fault, but my own unfamiliality with how politics works in England. I'm sure that a British reader might have the same feeling when reading a book by an American author about Congress. When the book went into these types of discussions I just plodded along gamely, and sooner or later muddled through. I did enjoy the book, however, for Churchill was a great man, with all of his faults, which Mr. Jenkins does not hide. Perhaps the book could have been shorter, but that was his call, and so I will bow to his superior knowledge. Read it, at the very least, for Churchill's role in World War II. We have a lot to thank him for in that respect, and this book explores that role quite well. For that period of his life alone, I recommend this work.
Rating:
Summary: A Refreshing Return to the Life of Sir Winston
Review: I have always enjoyed reading about Churchill and his life. When one does read a Churchill biography, he or she needs to rest since Sir Winston's life, though long, moved at an incredible pace. It has been a long rest, so I was delighted to read Jenkins' take on Churchill. Thankfully, he brought to me a refreshing look at a most prescient politician, scholar, keeper of the English language, soldier, statesman, and interestingly enough, artist. Jenkins' biography moves as quickly as Churchill's life...and all in all, it is a great tour de force worthy of reading.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Political Biography
Review: Roy Jenkins, who has combined careers both as a successful author and politician, has written a sweeping, 912 page one volume biography of Sir Winston Churchill, the "Greatest Englishman." This begs the question, do we really need another Churchill biography? After all, we have the eight volume "official" biography, begun, with two volumes, by his son Randolph, the remaining six written by Martin Gilbert. Gilbert also produced a dutiful one volume summation. We have two volumes out of a projected three by William Manchester, unfortunately not finished because of Manchester's failing health. But that is just to scratch the surface. There is a perceptive and competent biography by his life-long friend, Violet Bonham Carter, the diaries of his physician, Lord Moran, and the diaries of his long-time private secretary, John Colville. There is even a revisionist biography, by John Charmley. Churchill said that history would treat him kindly, because he intended to write it. This he accomplished in his six volume history of the Second World War and in autobiographical accounts of his early military exploits. After his three (eventually four) volume account of World War One was published, Arthur Balfour said, "Winston has written a great [in size] book about himself and called it 'The World Crisis.'" Despite this, Jenkins' volume is enormously welcome. His is likely the last biography to be written by someone who knew him, or at least had met him, served with him in Parliment, and as a major political figure himself, though in a later era, understands the political and Parlimentary atmosphere in which Churchill lived. His biography is the best political appreciation of Churchill career that we are likely to get, political in the sense of understanding how Churchill rose and (often) fell in Parlimentary esteem, how Churchill operated in the cabinet and how he connected (or failed to connect) with the British electorate. Jenkins is also not afraid to summarize the principal points of a period in Churchill's career, rather than wade through a chronological approach to political problems now too distant from us to have much meaning. He also will offer judgments on the success or failure of Churchill's policies, unlike Gilbert, who is non-judgmental in the extreme. He is perhaps too harsh on Churchill over The Dardanelles campaign of World War I, a great failure but at minimum an inventive effort to avoid more pointless casualities on the Western front. He is skillful in weaving in Churchill's various illnesses and physical declines to explain how the aging warrior became less effective in later years. The book is extremely well written. If Jenkins is a lesser politician than his subject, he is also a better writer, the author of splendid biographies of such figures as Gladstone and Asquith. These literary gifts are matched with an encyclopedic knowledge of modern history, so that he is able to draw illuminating comparisons. Even to himself. Noting that Churchill dined often with Lloyd George when the latter was Prime Minister in the early 1920's, Jenkins notes in a footnote that as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Wilson cabinet, apart from officials banquets he never had a meal with the Prime Minister. I note quibbles in other reviews of this book that it is "too English," both in content and style. I would defend the author on both scores. Although there is the occasional reference that falls deaf to American ears, this is a serious biography with a significant level of detail. It does help to have read something about the man and the period as background. But to have denuded the book of this information would have made it a much poorer thing. I would also defend Jenkins' style, which is graceful if sometimes convoluted. To the reviewer who only got started on the book, I would say, go back and give it another shot. You will get used to the language and will be better for the experience. All literature should not be reduced to the level of John Grisham or Stephen King. I think a more telling criticism is that we read the book and are enlighted, charmed, educated, but...do we ever see the "man in full"? We are tantalized with bits of information about his relationship with his wife, Clementine (why is she always vacationing separately?), but without any real explication of their marriage. There are references to his periods of depression, the "black dog," but how serious were they? Jenkins is good on Churchill as a writer, as one would expect from a fellow writer, and best on Churchill as a politician. But as fine as this biography is, I would rate Manchester's effort as getting closer to the man. There is, in Manchester's first volume, about a thirty page description (if memory serves) of "a day in the life" of Churchill, which somehow says more about Churchill the man than all of Jenkins' 912 pages. Still, Jenkins has written an extemely valuable and readable effort, the best one volume biography in my opinion, and the best we are ever likely to see of Churchill in his political role.
Rating:
Summary: ALmost Superb
Review: I eagerly bought this new biography of Churchill who I have long considered one of the "great" men of this century, primarily for his ability to transcend politics and speak directly. The book is an excellent chronicle of his political life with romantic, swashbuckling, warrior, social aspects thrown in for good measure. All in all, a brilliant work. So why not a 5 *? Two reasons: (1) The reading was difficult at times with an excessive use of convoluted writing - a style that the author has displayed time and again. (2) Perhaps for a British subject this would have been an easier read, but it had WAY too many references to [for example] "Scott Dover (later Lord Baldeshire of Manchester) married the first time to Lindsey Davenport (nee Ambrose) - of the Welsh side of the Derbyshires - and the second time to Margaret Thorose (Dame Headley, daughter of the infamous Mark Headley - Lord Ashford).... I found these repeated phrases simultaneously confusing, silly and superfluous. Still, the story grows and it is a good read
Rating: 
Summary: It's not about content, sorry.
Review: Your guidelines ask for reviewers to stick to content. I would be glad to follow your directive, but I couldn't read this book. I'm a biblioholic, reading two or more books a week (no, I'm not retired!), and had a thirty-year career teaching high school English. I guess that what did it. I marched painfully through twentysome pages and gave up. The prose in this tome requires a methodical reader who can stand to go back again and again to decode just what sentences might mean. I should have known on the very first page. "But Churchill was emphatically not among them." Just how is someone emphatically among others?
Rating:
Summary: More English and erudite than educational
Review: Winston Churchill is undoubtedly one of the most important historical figures of the last century. His life has received significant attention. William Manchester has written highly successful, detailed and readable Churchill biographies. On this last point, Jenkins falls behind. Like Churchill, Jenkins has been a Member of Parliament. Like Churchill, Jenkins has had a parallel career as an author. Unlike Churchill, Jenkins fortunately does not appear to have the Churchill lifestyle that demands the constant pursuit of money to fund it. One fascinating aspect of Churchill's life was his prolific command of the spoken and written word, including his memorized speeches and his numerous books. Jenkins offers a short glossary of English parliamentary terms to the (American) reader. This should have been a warning. This book is clearly written for the English reader, one acquainted not only with England's parliament and politicians but also its history, titles, castles and royalty. The glossary is woefully incomplete for the unprepared reader. An awful lot is lost in the 'translation' from English to American. While the depth and quantity of the research is memorable, little of it is new, and much of it requires a thorough grounding in English history to appreciate the rapid shift among names, characters, titles, historical events, places, wars, battles and more. And Jenkins glosses over claims by others that Churchill's conception was premarital, simply describing his birth seven months after his parents' marriage as premature. And his escape from South Africa receives short shrift. Churchill was both a charismatic and a flawed hero. Little of that comes through here. Jenkins use of words like 'tergiversation' will send most people to their dictionaries, not just their Oxford histories. As much as I admire Churchill, loved Manchester's books, and wanted to like this well-reviewed work, I came away more frustrated and tired than engaged by the life of one of history's finest.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant one volume biography
Review: Roy Jenkins (RJ), together with Martin Gilbert (the inheritor of the comprehensive multivolume Churchill biography initiated by Churchill's son Randolph) have each produced slightly different one volume biographies, RJ have written in a very clear and readable style with the primary emphasis on the political achievements of WSC.
The volume is highly recommended both for the review of a remarkable life and its thoroughly readable style.
Rating:
Summary: A strong political biography, with a compelling storyline
Review: This is a very good book, with a strong enough story line through Churchill's life that I found it hard to put down. It captures much of what readers are looking to know about Churchill. It is strongest for the insights into WSC's political life (which is quite a strength as that was WSC's core). Jenkins' own political background is no doubt a huge asset. The writing is generally strong, though sometimes idiosyncratic and overgrown. I appreciated the strongly British view and tone, as it provided a feeling of voice for the author and seems necessary for Jenkins' to convey his political analysis. It is weakest in its ability to convey a complete sense of the heart and soul of the man, something a biography must do to some degree to be wholly successful. For example, WSC's relations with politicians are skillfully described, but his family and personal relationships are sketchy. Also, the book sometimes assumes a detailed understanding of the background historical events, so it may help to have another reference source to fill in the gaps if you aren't up to speed on, say, the points at issue in the Suez crisis. A couple dozen sentences would have gone a long way to fixing this. It also gets bogged down at times in the discussions of WSC's books, and in parliamentary details. So I'd underscore the Booklist and Publisher's Weekly descriptions (see them here in Editorial Reviews), as well as the comments of some reviewers here. The New York Times review gushes and glosses over some of the limitations of the book; it's not much of a guide.
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