Sometimes I wish to read a short biography just to get the feel of a person's life. This 192 page Penguin bio by the well-know military historian John Keegan is perfect. I have no need for the scores of tomes written about Sir Winston: this book will suffice for my purposes.
My purpose was to understand the broad outline of Churchill's life. I wanted to understand the man in context. My understanding now after reading this book is good enough.
I learned that Churchill outwardly at least adored his father, Randolph, even though his father was a difficult man and he constantly disparaged his son. Randolph seemingly died a failure. Churchill named his own son Randolph.
Intensely ambitious and desiring to experience all that life had to offer, Churchill started his career as a British Conservative, switched to the Liberal Party in the teens, and then switched back to the Conservatives by the time he was named Prime Minister in 1940. According to the author, Churchill was an early advocate of the British welfare state which took shape rapidly after the conclusion of World War II. I certainly did not expect this.
I've always wondered how Churchill was voted out of office immediately after the war. It's so shocking. This book doesn't really make me understand how this could have happened, but it did happen.
Churchill is rightly known primarily as his country's wartime leader during World War II. He deserves the title statesman and all of the accolades you can think of for his leadership along with FDR. His wartime speeches to his countrymen are stirring even today.
When Great Britain stood alone against Hitler before the US entered the war, he declared that Britain would never give up. He famously he had to offer his people only blood, sweat, and tears. Better to die on the ground choking from our own blood than yield to Hitler. Stirring stuff, indeed.
There is a cult of Churchill. I am not one of its members, but I do understand its appeal based on his wartime leadership and speeches. He was a great man.
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