Churchill: A Biography

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Bio, If A bit Long & Dense....
Review: But dealing with this subject, 1000 pages may not really be too long! This is probably among the top three of WSC bios, along with Michael Gilbert, and Wm. Manchester's LAST LION (my personal favorite). It covers every aspect of the great man's adult life, the indisputable genius, with a few warts, especially the well known Dardonelles disaster, and the 1940 Norway campaign, being outfoxed and outgunned by the Germans. And the post-war years are also covered, including WSC's famous, cheap shots at the opposing Labor leader Atlee. Also, this is among the few WSC bios that give full credit to his very talented outside interests, especially painting, and shows some fine color pics of WSC's artwork. All in all ,a masterful job, even if a bit long at times!

Rating:
Summary: monumental tome
Review: Naturally a man of the stature and importance of Winston Churchill deserves more than one biography, and this one by Roy Jenkins is impressive in its own way, because evidently a huge amount of research has gone into it. But therein lies a problem - one suspects that the late Lord Jenkins of Hillhead who died on January 5, 2003 was reluctant to leave any of the hard-won information out. This makes it rather heavy going for the most part. I could never imagine reading this book through in one or even several sittings. It is more for dipping into from time to time.

Ian Ruxton, co-author of "Japanese Students at Cambridge University in the Meiji Era", also available here on amazon.com.


Rating:
Summary: A most thorough and engaging biography
Review: Jenkins does Churchill and history much justice in this thorough and detailed biography. Those unfamiliar with British parlimentary history from the mid-19th Century to Churchill's death may be a bit befuddled -- Asquith, Gladstone, George ... all those names! -- but it does not spoil the richness of the history. Jenkins explores Churchill's large ego, his political machinations, and his determination to save the western world. Churchill was a man of many faults and an overlarge sense of his place in the world, but he also succeeded in marshaling the West to fight the great threat of Nazi tyranny. In some sense, the United States would not be the country it is today had Churchill not first steeled the British people to hang in there. This is a long book, but a worthwhile endeavor. It's certainly better and more enlightening to read this 900 pages than the ones Bill Clinton wrote, I believe.

Rating:
Summary: The scope of Manchester's work but more succint &
Review: marginally better. This unabridged audio version of Jenkins book came in two parts, part one slightly longer. It takes Churchill's life to 1940. Manchester's volume 1 "Visions of Glory "takes us to 1932, the beginning of "the wilderness years".
Over all Manchester's book is longer. Jenkin's book doesn't dwell on Churchill's childhood or his parents Jenny & Randolf. That's a plus. Jenkin's reader, Robert Whitfield does a passable imitation, without the lisp. Churchill also mumbled & muttered much of the time. Mr. Whitfield, thankfully, does not. Jenkins does cover Churchill's early military & journalistic career well. However, both authors seem to stint a bit on Churchill's opposition to dominion status for India. Jenkins does a little better with Churchill's relationship with the disgraced Prince of Wales & his strained relationship with Georg IV.
Jenkins had some advantages as an insider being an MP during the last years of Churchill's life. He had resources at his disposal maybe Manchester didn't have. Plus his book is much newer by about 12 years.
Jenkins starts by providing a primer on terms,concepts & traditions peculiar to the British & their way of governing that American readers might not be familiar with.
If you are interested in Churchill you have or you must read or listen to these two great biographies. You won't be bored. I give the edge to Jenkins.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I found this book to be a difficult read--and even more difficult to finish. There are parts that stick out as great tales of Winston Chuchill. But overall there are simply too many details. Unless you are student of British politics there are probably better books to read on this historical figure.