3 comments about Churchill: The Unruly Giant.

1. I am a great fan of Churchill and am always expanding my collection of books about and by the great man. I purchased this book shortly after its publication. I was impressed by Rose's crisp narrative and ability to describe the salient points of Churchill's life. He is able to do this in one volume - not easy to do when the offical biography runs 8 volumes! The only negative about this work is the length to which Rose goes to remain as impartial as possible. I say this is a negative because oftentimes there is much enjoyment to be gotten by reading a book about Churchill where the author's bias is clear. (Since most Churchill biographies are written by obvious admirers - like the yet incomplete William Manchester series; or evident detractors like Charmley.) This work is, sometimes painfully, without bias. This attribute makes "Churchill: The Unruly Giant" a fine introductory work for any reader wanting to learn more about Churchill; and form their own opinion on the greatest man of the 20th Century.



2. Rose does a good job of providing a one volume biography of Churchill. However, it was obvious to me that he was neither as familiar with Churchill as Martin Gilbert nor as talented a writer as Manchester. His strength is in his objectivity which yields a fair view of the giant.



3. This book is an easy to read competant one-volume biography of Churchill. Neither as detailed or as erudite as Manchester's (The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone 1932-1940), but Manchester never finished his. It is also not as exhaustive as Mr. Gilbert's, but that is ok because Churchill deserves an accesible one volume biography. He was a legend in his own time several times over. In India, the Boer War, Cuba and then in the government in the First World War he became deeply interested in non-conventional assaults on the Central Powers through such places as Gallipoli. After the war he was instrumental in the intervention against Bolshevism and in the creation of Iraq and the support of the British Mandate in Palestine. But then he fell fromf avor over India and his support of the King. He was 'alone' in the 1930s and derided as a war-monger because he dared to warn of the coming war. Brought in in 1939 and 1940 by the government as a last gasp with many feeling that he would be left to sue for peace he instead delivered victory. Dropped in 1945 he returned one last time and helped warn the world of the danger of Communism.
   
   This is a nice biography and a fair one as well, not hagiographic.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman

No comments about Amy Johnson.

1 comments about Elizabeth: The Scandalous Life of the Duchess of Kingston.

1. I was surprised that the editorial reviews consider this a "fascinating" and "delightful" story. I did not find it so in the least. Basically, young Miss Chudleigh impulsively elopes with Augustus Hervey and soon afterwards they part for good. Many years later she marries the Duke of Kingston without divorcing Hervey basically to avoid the scandal of divorce. The "highlight" of the book is her trial for bigamy, more than 35 years after leaving Hervey and some years after the Duke's death (the charge initiated by the Duke's disinherited nephew). Before and after her conviction, the story concentrates on her legal problems, her travels and her interest in buying up property -- I could barely slog through the second half of the book and admit to skimming some of it.
   
   I am very interested in 18th century English history and have read all the popular history I could find, especially biographies of fashionable ladies like the Duchess of Devonshire, Mrs. Fitzherbert, Mrs. Jordan, Countess of Bessborough, Lady Caroline Lamb, among others. All were fascinating women. Elizabeth, Duchess of Kingston, bigamist or not (really, who cares?), is not nearly in the same league.

No comments about Henry VIII (Profiles in Power Series).

1 comments about D-Day Hero: CSM Stanley Hollis VC.

1. This book written by Mike Morgan is an absolute must for anyone interested in military history.Stan Hollis cannot be praised enough for his superb bravery and courage and Mike Morgan does him proud,Hollis is one of the all time British Heroes who makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Highly recommended well researched and well written.

1 comments about Silence Will Speak: A Study of the Life of Denys Finch Hatton and His Relationship With Karen Blixen.

1. historical dokument of the life in east africa at the beginning of this century

1 comments about George II: Puppet of the Politicians? (Exeter Studies in History).

1. As a scholarly biography of George II, Prof. Black's work must be praised simply for its existence, since it is the first of its kind. And as usual, Black has done a great deal of original research. The flaw, as so often with Prof. Black's books, is that his tremendous output seems to limit the time he has to refine each volume. Although mainly a conventional narrative biography, George II: Puppet of the Politicians is also in places developed thematically, and one is never quite sure that a fact raised as topical is not also of importance in the narrative itself, since Black seldom says. In addition, the thematic illustrations are littered throughout the narrative, making it unclear at times whether the thematic section is important at that time, or whether it was just convenient to raise that issue there. Subheadings within chapters and more transitional language could have helped.
   
   Black is also stymied--as all writers about George II are--both by the paucity of the king's own writings, and by the strongly idiosyncratic personalities of three of the king's contemporaries who wrote about him: Lord Hervey, Horace Walpole (4th Earl of Orford), and the Duke of Newcastle. All three writers were wildly self-involved, and thus their writings reflect a lack of perspective about their subjects in general, and George II is certainly no exception to that.
   
   Black does an excellent job of highlighting two facets of George II's monarchy that one hopes will be seen as defining him in a more thoughtful light than the legacy left by the "waspish" Hervey and Walpole: first, the king's concern (much like his descendant the Queen) to perform what he saw as his job as dutifully as possible (one is made to wonder if the king's insistance on doing his duty, and his irritation when others seemed to avoid doing the same, is what made him as querulous as he often was), and second, the king's preoccupation with--not necessarily his electorate of Hanover--but European affairs in general. Black makes it clear that much of Britain's foreign policy during George's reign originated with the king, not with his ministers or his wife, and that more credit should be given to the king for his part in successes that have been attributed to Sir Robert Walpole, Pitt the Elder, and others. One thing is clear: additional research into the archives of Continental foreign ministries may help to further highlight the king's role in making foreign policy.
   
   In reading Black's works in general, I have been struck by what appears to be a strong desire on his part to encourage further research into his subjects--I certainly hope this introductory biography will do so for George II.

No comments about Henry V: The Rebirth of Chivalry (English Monarchs. Treasures from the National Archives) (English Monarchs: Treasures from the National Archives).

2 comments about Brunel (Life & Times).

1. Growing up in England and being educated as an engineer I was familiar with the name of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of England greatest Victorian engineers. I had never read much about him or put his life and achievements together or looked at the whole picture. This book solved that problem by providing a thorough easy to read summary of his life and times.
   
   Brunel was born in Portsmouth in 1806 to French born parents. His father was an engineer and provided opportunities for the young Isambard, sending him to be formally trained in France as there was nowhere in England to be educated as an engineer. It was while in France his father spent time in debtor's prison. Upon returning to England we learn about his engineering achievements: Thames Tunnel (after some floods); Clifton Bridge; Bristol Docks; Great Western Railway and Paddington Station; the steamships Great Western, Great Britain and Great Eastern.
   
   The book is about his life and times not just about achievements. We learn about his energy, his up and down finances and his love life. Here is a real human being accomplishing great things through energy, drive and creativity.
   
   This is an easy read with lots of good illustrations. There is a nice annotated bibliography for those wanting to learn more about Isambard Kingdom Brunel.



2. Brunel by Annabel Gillings (a BBC television producer of Science and History programs) is the biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59) whose life and work as an entrepreneurial Victorian engineer in England is nothing short of impressive. He helped his father design and construct the Thames Tunnel, the first in the world to be constructed underwater; he labored on the construction of the Great Western Railway and its Terminus, Paddington Station; and he created three great ships, each of which was the largest in the world when it launched. These and many other achievements earned him fame and prestige long after the stroke that felled him; now, two hundred years after his birth, he remains held in high esteem across Britain. Black-and-white illustrations, including artistic depictions of Brunel's creations, pepper this concise yet absorbing story of one man's colorful life, dreams, and constructive achievements.

5 comments about Christopher Lee, Tall, Dark and Gruesome.

1. In an age where many of today's actors lead lives of wreckless irresponsibility, excessive substance abuse and have multiple marriages, here is a man who has been entertaining us for 50 years AND also has managed to lead a most examplary life. Here is someone who can be a role model for your children.

   Enter Mr Christopher Lee: we all know him as a superb actor, but did you know he is a wonderful singer as well? We may know he is of British and Italian ancestry, but did you know how he is related to Charlemagne or to a brave Cardinal who stood up to Napoleon himself? Here is a man who courageously served his country in WWII, is a extraordinary linguist, and is married to the same lady for 39 years. And now at an age where many people have since long retired, he is STILL charming and entertaining us with yet more magical movie moments. You will not be able to put this book down. I read it over a weekend. You will be moved to laughter, tears, and perhaps inspired to do more with your life than you've done after you witness this man's story. And you'll read it again and again.

   It's just nice to know that heros still exist. And in the show business field no less! Bravo, Mr Lee!




2. Time to get up close and personal with an actor we've all admired for years. This is a facsinating book and with each chapter, we come to realize just how multi-dimensional this versatile actor really is. As he tells the story of his childhood, the World War II years, his film career and his personal life as a husband and Father, you really learn to appreciate this amazing gentleman on more levels than simply his acting. You see Mr. Lee as very human, humerous, talented and outspoken. If you read just one autobiography this year, make it this one!



3. Christopher Lee reveals himself to be tenacious, diligent, precise, hardworking and tireless. He cares about many things and many people. His beliefs are evidenced in his loving actions: serving in the elite armed forces for his country; putting his family first in thought and in deed; and by founding the Charlemagne film company, dedicated to eradicating evil. Mr. Lee appears completely worthy of having Knighthood bestowed upon him. It is most unclear why that hasn't yet happened, and quite disheartening when folks with less transparent qualifications have achieved the honor. At times we fail to fully realize to whom we should bow, to return the service in kind. On behalf of the human race, thank you, Mr. Lee, for advocating for our well-being.



4. Christopher Lee tells about his career in motion pictures, but of course the interesting parts are where he talks about playing Dracula and the problems he had with Hammer Studios. Having seen all of the Hammer Dracula movies it is easy for me to understand why Lee felt frustrated in the role. The character was reduced to being so animalistic; in some films he never even speaks. This autobiography makes it clear Lee could have done much more with the role (and actually got the chance to do so, but in a film made after this book was published). Certainly an interesting book for Lee's fans, but hopefully they will end up with more of an appreciation for the man's entire career in acting.



5. Written in a style that is easy to read and genuinely fun to follow, this autobiographical account of Christopher Lee's "life and times" is delightful. Mr. Lee's own account of his childhood, early adulthood, film career, and genuine love for his wife and daughter often brought me to tears, made me laugh, and inspired me. This was, clearly, someone who made the most of what was given to him in life.

   After reading his autobiography, I can honestly say that this is a man worth knowing. He has had a phenomenal life, accomplished more than most, and appears to be a genuine "good guy" trying to make it through life, just like the rest of us! Hats off to you, Mr. Lee! You are superb.