Roberts traces his self-sufficiency to his formative years. It was different for Winston Churchill, who was born into affluence (at Blenheim Palace, no less) in 1874. If recent years of political turmoil in the UK have taught us anything, it’s that Prime Ministers come and go, often when they are overtaken by events, and not all of them are effectual or likely to live on in history, let alone in the nation’s psyche. The book’s recent publication coincides with the renewed interest in Churchill thanks to Gary Oldman’s cinematic portrayal in The Darkest Hour, and the 75th anniversary of VE Day, when Churchill had addressed a weary but celebratory nation from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, alongside the Queen. Roberts answers this reasonable reservation by delivering a majestic literary achievement that is likely to greatly increase readers’ appreciation of Churchill’s character and legacy. The question may be if we needed any further commentary on the UK’s greatest wartime leader and best-loved historical figures. Churchill himself was a prolific writer, publishing millions of words, often about his endeavours, during his lifetime. There have been roughly one thousand biographies of Winston Churchill – that’s about one for every page of Andrew Roberts’ extraordinary single-volume doorstopper.
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