Churchill Defiant - by Barbara Leaming (Paperback)

About the Book

New York Times bestselling biographer Barbara Leaming has written a riveting political dramaof the last ten years of Winston Churchill's public life.

In Churchill Defiant, Leaming tells the tumultuous behind-the-scenes story of Churchill's refusal to retire after his 1945 electoral defeat, and the bare-knuckled political and personal battles that ensued. Her ground-breaking biography Jack Kennedy: The Education of a Statesman, was the first to detail Churchill's extraordinary influence on Kennedy's thinking. Now in Churchill Defiant, Leaming gives us a vivid and compelling narrative that sheds fresh light on both the human dimension of Winston Churchill and on the struggles and achievements of his final years. At last, in Leaming's eloquent account, we understand the tangled web of personal relationships and rivalries, the intricate interplay of past and present, the looming sense of history that makes the story of these years as fascinating as anything in the extraordinary century-long saga of Winston Churchill's life.

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestselling biographer Barbara Leaming has written a riveting political dramaof the last ten years of Winston Churchill's public life.

In Churchill Defiant, Leaming tells the tumultuous behind-the-scenes story of Churchill's refusal to retire after his 1945 electoral defeat, and the bare-knuckled political and personal battles that ensued. Her ground-breaking biography Jack Kennedy: The Education of a Statesman, was the first to detail Churchill's extraordinary influence on Kennedy's thinking. Now in Churchill Defiant, Leaming gives us a vivid and compelling narrative that sheds fresh light on both the human dimension of Winston Churchill and on the struggles and achievements of his final years. At last, in Leaming's eloquent account, we understand the tangled web of personal relationships and rivalries, the intricate interplay of past and present, the looming sense of history that makes the story of these years as fascinating as anything in the extraordinary century-long saga of Winston Churchill's life.

From the Back Cover

Winston Churchill rages against time and his own mortality, in conflict with friend and foe alike, in this tumultuous political drama about his last ten years of public life.

Churchill Defiant is a gripping, fast-paced narrative of bare-knuckle politics, of life-and-death decisions, of old grudges and fresh blame.

This is Churchill in close-up--a vivid, deeply poignant portrait of the great man at his most maddening and devious, but also at his most human and defiant.

Review Quotes

"Leaming spins a gripping yarn of epic dimensions. . . . A moving chronicle of one extraordinary man's determination to overcome seemingly crushing adversity. . . . In the true sense of the word, it is a great story. . . . A fascinating take on momentous events, with a truly human hero at its heart." - New Statesman (London)
"Leaming spins a gripping yarn of epic dimensions....A moving chronicle of one extraordinary man's determination to overcome seemingly crushing adversity...In the true sense of the word, it is a great story...A fascinating take on momentous events, with a truly human hero at its heart." - Eastern Daily Press (UK)
"2010 Churchill Book of the Year . . . . Leaming's insight is extraordinary." - Richard Langworth, Finest Hour: The Journal of Winston Churchill
"I knew Winston Churchill in his last years--as well as a callow 18-year-old can know a great man and world leader more than half a century older; and I am astounded at Barbara Leaming's almost uncanny perception of the workings of his mind." - John Julius Norwich, author of A History of Venice
"Leaming has produced a splendid book about Britain's last lion. Even in winter, he never lost his roar." - Washington Times
"A fascinating new book." - Daily Express (London)
"A well-written book . . . . Full of interesting details . . . . The manner in which Leaming has captured the essential Winston commands our admiration." - Church Times (UK)
"Colorful details abound. . . . A beguiling portrait of a leading politician who refuses to acknowledge his waning powers." - Daily Express (London)
"Fascinating. . . . A memorable and very readable portrait of one of the 20th century's towering figures." - Roanoke Times
"The plot, which covers the last 10 years of [Churchill's] political life, could hardly be more gripping. . . . Barbara Leaming has fashioned a poignant narrative. Like any good storyteller, she focuses sharply on the protagonist and his aspirations. . . . Compelling." - Sunday Times (London)
"Absorbing. . . . Illuminating. . . . Eminently readable political history." - Booklist
"Insightful and highly entertaining...Leaming's masterfully written and intimate book is a rich insider's tale of back-stairs palace intrigue. Her superb sources provide wonderful insight into the personalities of the players and Leaming brings them alive in this period as few other authors have done." - Sarasota Herald Tribune
"Sympathetic and highly readable...Leaming takes the reader on an intimate cruise of British politics." - San Francisco Chronicle
"Revealing and surprising . . . . Leaming, most recently the author of a fine biography of John F. Kennedy, has given us a concise history of Churchill after the trumpets . . . . The book is a well-told political drama about the greatest figure of an epic century. Not a bad achievement, that." - Jon Meacham, Featured Signature Review, Publishers Weekly
"Leaming tells a rousing story. . . . This is exciting historical writing. . . . Churchill was the greatest figure of an epic century. You need to know about the last ten years of his public life." - Liz Smith
"A sympathetic and highly readable account of [Churchill's] last decade as an active politician. Leaming takes the reader on an intimate cruise of British politics: the intrigues of cabinet government and the importance of the royal prerogative, as exercised by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II." - Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers
"Accomplished biographer Leaming tracks Winston Churchill's masterful postwar comeback. . . . A lively chronicle. . . . Tight, polished and effectively focused on the lesser-known end of Churchill's career." - Kirkus Reviews
"'Never give in!' The fighting spirit of Winston Churchill comes alive in Barbara Leaming's brutal chronicle of the great man's second premiership." - Chris Matthews, Host of MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews"