Churchill: Walking with Destiny

Not a single chapter was finished before I said "Damn, he makes me proud to be English". This books is warts and all, very objective and beautifully written, luring you in from the first page. I can promise that you will laugh regularly, you will be inspired, you will wish you could have had a whiskey and soda with him. I didn't realize Churchill was such an adrenaline junkie which only adds to his character. Winston wasn't perfect but what colossus was? It's a victory that a single volume of Churchill can be so amazing and a testament to Roberts' talent that he could make it so. It's fashionable to hate Churchill (racism, imperialism, etc) and some moments are questionable in modern eyes but many moments to applaud. Really his legions of haters, past and present, hate their own inferiority when compared to his remarkable character. I miss him already.

Unfortunately, I am almost finished this terrific book. Although I'm not an historian by profession, I have enjoyed most of it. The bits I didn't enjoy were the - often too many - details of the political wranglings and their sequelae. What was most enjoyable was WC's childhood background, his resilience in the face of stupidity and resistance, and his incredible insight into what could - and did - happen. Even while not particularly admiring WC's sense that imperialism is generally a 'good thing', it's forgivable in the light of his sense of altruism. What I would dearly loved to have known is why and how someone whose parents were clearly not supportive of him - in fact, the opposite (except in later years, his mother) - managed to not only survive into a grand old age, but was an amazing leader in a time of crisis. But then, the writer isn't a psychologist, I suppose. All in all, a very balanced view of the great man (who, I confess I hadn't much time for before reading the book). It highlights human nature at its best and worst.

Andrew Roberts’ biography of the man who tens of millions worldwide regarded in 1945 as “probably the greatest man alive” is a highly literate page-turner full of fresh perspectives. While not eschewing controversies which dogged Churchill’s reputation throughout his career (most of them exaggerated and stoked by jealous political rivals), Roberts presents the facts & detailed evidence in each case, allowing the reader to draw his/her own conclusions. Among hundreds of previously-published biographies of Churchill, this might justifiably claim to be the best-ever, certainly in a single volume. Roberts’ narrative structure is that of traditional classic biography with a chronological timeline. Alongside the public parliamentary battles and legion of detractors Churchill created by ‘crossing the floor’ not once but twice before 1922 (to more effectively champion his centrist/liberal positions in support of home rule for Ireland, women’s suffrage, the introduction of the welfare state and House of Lords reform), mistakes in the conduct of the First World War are not glossed over but recounted in forensic detail which never fails to engage. Subsequent years ‘in the wilderness’ prior to his celebrated leadership through WW2 are matched by deep insights into Churchill's personal life, chronic financial difficulties and highly supportive marriage. The reader is reminded again and again of Churchill’s great resilience, legendary capacity for work and formidable oratory skill: in the 40 years prior to becoming PM in 1940, Churchill had given more than 1,000 public speeches in Parliament, at formal meetings or out ‘on the stump.’ One factor of which I was previously unaware was the great number of personal injuries Churchill suffered, particularly in his early 20s, including a four-times dislocated shoulder and many broken bones. Fearless - some might say foolhardy - in the presence of physical danger, Churchill was often under enemy fire right up to 1916 when as a serving MP with already a long record of active military service he nevertheless volunteered for the western front following the failure of the Dardanelles venture. He once observed: “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result” and he was, indeed, shot at without result on numerous occasions. Churchill’s legendary impish wit and clever insight shines through even in situations of the gravest adversity. Roberts’ book is a fine lesson in how biography ought to be written and is highly recommended, especially to readers interested in this remarkable and important figure of the 20th century and not intimidated by the book’s >1,000 pages’ length. It’s an impressive achievement.

It's a beast of a book. Huge amount of detail and full of quotes but a very interesting, and surprisingly easy, read. First few pages are coversed in maps and include a Winston Churchill family tree BUT misses a very important trick......no 'timeline' chart ! Something that would have been hugely useful in helping to put so much of the biography into context, especially in relation to the progress of the two World Wars. Maybe they will include one in any reprint.

A superbly researched balanced view of Winston Churchills life. The warts and all biography was an absolute pleasure to read.

Its a magnificent read where the author dwells both onto the praises and the critical aspects of Churchill's life. Good from a neutrality point of view, since Churchill was shaped during the sunset of the Victorian era and most of his views in the modern world do no corelate to the values emphasized on back then.

Churchill était vraiment quelqu'un de 'larger than life', une des personnalités les plus marquantes du 20e siècle sans aucun doute. Ouvrage très instructif et bien écrit que je recommande sans hésitation.

Being German I have so far only read a lot of the well known quotes here and there which sparked my interest to find out more about the man behind them. I ordered this book via Amazon and was initially flattened by the shere volume of 982 pages in small print plus the pages with annotations. Often these books make you tired or eventually give up. Not so with this one. I found each and every page interesting and well told and never got tired of it at all. In fact I found out a lot of new things I did not know about apart from Churchill. I also like the fact that the author portraits WC in detail but leaves his own resume and comments until the last chapter. This gives the book a neutral perspective. All in all, if you want to know the subject, this is a perfect book. I don't regret buying or reading it at all.

Amazing biography by an amazing author. Dr. Roberts is a true storyteller. What I've enjoyed the most, is how he delivers insights about Churchill's private life. A true British icon indeed, and one of the best biographies I've read.

I've read other books about this great statesman and this one is far the best. A very detailed account of his thoughts, reflections and decisions. Quite lengthy but well worth the read. Recommended if you want insight into the greatest stateman of the 20th century.