chri5ti's review against another edition
4.0
This was a wonderful "light" biography of churchill's life. I thoroughly enjoyed it. He was a remarkable politician and man. He led such a busy life that most of his biographies are several volumes. This was nice as it was more of an overview of his life.
thebeardedpoet's review against another edition
4.0
This brief biography of Winston Churchill made for pleasurable bedtime reading for a couple of weeks. I learned that Churchill did poorly in school when he was young and his father treated him like a failure. Pushing beyond that Churchill developed his writing abilities and hustled opportunities to get into the action in various wars so he could write his experiences and support himself as a war correspondent. His writing and military action brought him fame which opened the door for position in politics and government. Churchill had a gift for foreseeing threats to the UK, so was vitally important in operations in the first World War. By the time WW II rolled around, Churchill was made Prime Minister and, as Johnson outlines, his ability with strategy, communication, and relationships won the war. Without Churchill it is doubtful the Germans would have been defeated. I found it fascinating that after the war Churchill lost elections and was retired from government which allowed him the time to write a comprehensive memoir / history of WW II. Doing so he established his own heroic stature and significance for all time. This book has sparked my interest in reading Churchill's own writing and possibly a longer, more detailed biography on the man.
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fast-paced, witty, opinionated short biography of the great man. Johnson is a conservative, and I could quarrel with his near-blind adulation and toning down of some of Churchill's controversial actions (e.g., Tonypandy). But for a quick overview, this is highly entertaining. See also Geoffrey Best's longer and more even-handed biography.
dsullivan's review against another edition
2.0
The author is a fanboy who thinks Churchill single-handedly saved the world. He does mention a few of Churchill's short-comings, but quickly makes excuses or shrugs them off.
ivantable's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t enjoy this biography as I thought I would. As an American, I don’t understand much of the British political system, and the author doesn’t go at any length in explaining. Because of its brevity, it seems this is the kind of biography for one already acquainted with Churchill. Furthermore, Churchill is a wildly contradictory figure: there is much that draws me to him and there is also much the repels me. I think I’m going to pick up another biography. Maybe Manchester's three-volumes. We'll see!
brussel777sprouts777's review against another edition
4.0
This is a concise biography (<170 pages) of one of the most important leaders of the Allied effort in World War II. Healthy values Churchill embraced include hard work balanced with relaxing during down time, not letting failure get in the way of your ambitions, letting go of the negative which includes forgetting issues with your enemies, and enjoying a great sense of humor.
I am grateful to the author for helping me find a new hero!
I am grateful to the author for helping me find a new hero!