Enthusiasm marred by errors.
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The enthusiasm Manchester shows for his subject is refreshing after a spate of anti-heroic books knocking Churchill a lot more than he deserved. However, when Manchester moves outside Churchill's life to general British history and politics of the age, there are many mistakes. He even called King Alfred the Great "legendary" in the index! Unforgivable! Top hats in Victorian England were originally worn by the working-class and by policemen, not the aristocracy. His treatment of the Chamberlian front bench - Halifax, etc. and the Baldwin-Chamberlian governments' rearmament policy - is simplistic, as is his knowledge of imperial politics in general. He has been too influenced by the "Guilty Men" mythology (Read "British Re-armament and the Treasury" to see what Chamberlian etc. were up against). However, Manchester knows his Churchill, and it is pleasant that he repeats some good things about him, such as (to take one small example among many larger ones)his concern to exculpate the driver when he was run over and badly injured by a car in America, and his general zest for life. Shows the legends about his drinking capacity were much exaggerated. Churchill, though he made mistakes, had a true greatness which the American Manchester is much more ready to acknowledge than are many of the sour and nihilistic intelligensia in Blair's Britain.
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Tremendous!
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The introduction alone is some of the best prose ever written. I cannot recommend this book too highly. Hope there's a third in the series.
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All Manchester needs is a subject- and here is a Great one
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A truly great subject- Churchill- and one of the best non-fiction writers of the century combine here. It is a long book, but you'll go cover to cover. Manchester doesn't just take you to Churchill, his writing will take you into the time and places of Churchill.
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An immense experience in reading
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William Manchester has done a remarkable job of weaving together an incredibly fascinating story. Churchill's experiences, friends and family, habits, strong points (which are many), faults (which are also many but far short of his strengths), and moods all combine to make him ont of the most fascinating persons ever to walk the earth. Read the intro, and you'll be hooked!
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Fascinating biography about a fascinating man.
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The biography in interesting and reads like current events. He captures the essence of the great man. It is hard to put the book down. He throughly explains Churchill's childhood and how that influenced him later in life. He also captures Churchill's dynamic, adventurous life.
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