Churchill: A Study in Greatness

Rating:
Summary: Churchill reading at its best!
Review: A compact biography (384 pages) by Oxford Historian Geoffrey Best is far and away the best I have read on Churchill. The many facets of Churchill's life are covered in a series of essays from the author. Best summarizes Churchill's life with clarity and high degree of accuracy.

If you're looking for a comprehensive study on Churchill, this isn't it. You won't find page after page of stilted verbiage here, but you will find a well written presentation of this fascinating man, perhaps the savior of England. If it is possible to write a detailed account of such a varied figure within the brevity of such a small volume, the author has done so admirably.

Though the author clearly admires the subject, this isn't just another "I love Churchill" book. Best gives a fair and balanced account of many areas where Churchill may have erred, such as Gallipolli. The book is fair, and it is no-nonsense, to the point, without a lot of ambivalent inflection.

I have a number of volumes on the life and times of Churchill. I may go to other volumes for research purposes, but this is probably the most enjoyable read I have encountered on the man.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Rating:
Summary: Filling in the Gaps
Review: Best's "Churchill" is somewhat bland, but it fills in many of the details left out of more dramatic biographies. The author shows how Winston Churchill's intelligence, energy and creativity transformed a wide variety of mundane assignments. Churchill built his reputation the hard way, by mastering the details, not by avoiding them.

Rating:
Summary: Not very informative
Review: Churchill is one of the most amazing figures of the last century - yet with all of his background to pick from, this book doesn't present much of him.
This is basically the author sort of randomly meandering around through Churchill's life and then stating his opinion of certain decisions Churchill made. And it's done without providing much of a framework for the various events he discusses. I've read a lot about Churchill and yet I was lost at times trying to figure out where/what/when on some of the events.
There is a lot better out there (William Manchester's 2 volumes for example).

Rating:
Summary: Filling in the Gaps
Review: Geoffrey Best has realized an impressive tour de force in concisely narrating the life of Winston Churchill in less than 350 pages. Best excels at making a cogent analysis of Churchill's strengths and weaknesses. Churchill knew early on that he was called to great things and made his best to make it happen. Churchill's road to destiny was not straightforward in part because of his own personality. "Churchill: A Study in Greatness" is an invitation to know more about an exceptional man who stands out in world history while most of his critics and detractors have sunk into total oblivion.

Rating:
Summary: Churchill: A Cogent Inspiration to Future Leaders
Review: Geoffrey Best has realized an impressive tour de force in concisely narrating the life of Winston Churchill in less than 350 pages. Best excels at making a cogent analysis of Churchill's strengths and weaknesses. Churchill knew early on that he was called to great things and made his best to make it happen. Churchill's road to destiny was not straightforward in part because of his own personality. "Churchill: A Study in Greatness" is an invitation to know more about an exceptional man who stands out in world history while most of his critics and detractors have sunk into total oblivion.

Rating:
Summary: True Greatness
Review: Geoffrey Best undertakes an unenviable task with this book. He attempts to capture the life of one of England's greatest leaders in one book. Best is successful in his attempt.

While it is obviously impossible to list all of Churchill's great stories and accomplishments in just over 300 pages, Best is entertaining in his approach. While this chronological tale may be a bit dry to the average reader, those who enjoy history will embrace this book. Best documents Churchill's attitude that he was destined for greatness early in life, discusses many of his war strategies, and is thorough enough to look into Churchill's family and personal life. Many people are unaware of the tragic lives of his three children, all of which are alluded to in this book. There truly is more to this man than is demontrated in the common pictures history books record of him.

Churchill worked toward bettering England and world almost unitl his death. This man who was largely self taught played a large role in shaping contemporary Europe even when he was no longer the Prime Miister. Even when his idea of the United States of Europe failed, he continued to be an early proponent of arms control and ending communism. The chapters which discuss his later years are among the most fascinating parts of this book.

Books on the life of Churchill can go into much greater detail than this. This book is an excellent starter for learning about the life of Churchill.

Rating:
Summary: True Greatness
Review: Geoffrey Best undertakes an unenviable task with this book. He attempts to capture the life of one of England's greatest leaders in one book. Best is successful in his attempt.

While it is obviously impossible to list all of Churchill's great stories and accomplishments in just over 300 pages, Best is entertaining in his approach. While this chronological tale may be a bit dry to the average reader, those who enjoy history will embrace this book. Best documents Churchill's attitude that he was destined for greatness early in life, discusses many of his war strategies, and is thorough enough to look into Churchill's family and personal life. Many people are unaware of the tragic lives of his three children, all of which are alluded to in this book. There truly is more to this man than is demontrated in the common pictures history books record of him.

Churchill worked toward bettering England and world almost unitl his death. This man who was largely self taught played a large role in shaping contemporary Europe even when he was no longer the Prime Miister. Even when his idea of the United States of Europe failed, he continued to be an early proponent of arms control and ending communism. The chapters which discuss his later years are among the most fascinating parts of this book.

Books on the life of Churchill can go into much greater detail than this. This book is an excellent starter for learning about the life of Churchill.

Rating:
Summary: Geoffrey Best on Winston Churchill
Review: I bought G Best's book because of its apparently good review in John Lukacs book on WSC.

It probably appeals to readers who want a general read about WSC, but in the sense that it appears to be written from existing book sources, it does not seem to offer any new insights - at least it did not for me.

Rating:
Summary: A splendid biography
Review: Mr. Geoffrey Best is a remarkable historian and, possibly as important to the reader, a talented writer. Of course the subject of his study, Winston Churchill, is a captivating one: he was the most important politician in the most important country, and the time he had to live through was plenty with momentous events. There are, at least, three reasons which qualify the book as splendid: First, it is magnificently written, so it`s a pleasure to read. Second, it condenses the life of W.C. in just over 300 pages, which is a notable feat considering such a rich and interesting life (of course most of the details cannot be dealt with), and, third, wherever the author comes across a historically conflictive subject -for example the battle of Gallipolli- he gives a balanced opiníon. So Mr. Geoffrey Best succeeds in conveying to us a vivid image of a character whose actions and words are still reflected in our time.

Rating:
Summary: A good read.
Review: The author (Geoffrey Best) is British and that stands out clearly in this volume, especially in the first few chapters. He comes across stuffy, somewhat pompous, and perhaps too conservative. However, as the work progresses the substance of the story of the Great Man and the events surrounding his life come to the fore, and the author falls to the rear. All told, one ends up in possession of a fine, well balanced biography, though lacking in depth. I found the work entirely suitable to my need for an introduction to Churchill. This book is a broad brush of not an in-depth study.