New Churchill book by Max Hastings.....

Hopefully we can flesh this thread out later, but a new book about Churchil 1940-1945 has just been written by Max Hastings. It's out this week and is getting some very positive reviews in the trade press......

 

Good writer definitely but the question remains as with Beevor´s "Normandy", anything new? We´ll see...

 

Apparently, this is not a 'biography' as such but focuses on his war decisions, and on his relationship with military leaders, the British public, and also the other Allied heads of state. There were some more favourable reviews in the Sunday papers today, so on that basis I've just ordered a copy via Amazon.....

 

For such a British 'establishment' figure he does like to bust so-called 'myths'.. his various treatments of Harris/Bomber Command, British/Canadian performance in Normandy etc etc, leave me slightly fearful for Winnie's reputation as a war-leader

 

According to the reviews this is no 'debunking' or 'myth-busting' effort.....we'll see !

 

Parts of the book were in the Daily Mail every day last week

 

Its not just a rehash of the brilliant appendecies of his 6 volumes i hope.

 

That would be the six vols I missed out on for a fiver at a car boot thanks for reminding me

 

Martin;
It does not show as available until AP 10 2010 on my Amazon. I was hoping to be starting on it by the weekend!

JeffinMNUSA

PS. And yes Max gets my vote as "the best historical author of all time."

 

I think he is certainly a good collator of facts and figures and i wouldnt be without his normandy work but i do not even place him in my top ten..personal view i know. Saying that i too see this one as a must have due to the subject alone.

 

I cant see anything bettering the Martin Gilbert books.

 

Ha thats where yer wrong kidder.. You really should get the gents own 6 volumes... The horses mouth and all that...

 

I could not agree more, as for getting them see my post above I had in mind when posting the words of others and thus i stand by what i said

 

I was actually rubbing it in mate .. Id give you mine but ive written on most pages.

 

I kinda thought I felt my leg move, you write in books PHILISTINE!

 

Even the great man has to be asterixed...circled and told "you dont do it like that" im sure he doesnt mind..

 

W,
Martin Gilbert? Never heard of him and you certainly don't see his titles in the stores. Thanks for the recommendation though and I will have to pick a title up. Martin Gilbert Author by Martin Gilbert Author Books ...

Jeff
MN
USA

 

U;
He takes a crime scene investigator's approach to his subjects (and what was WWII if not one massive crime scene?) and lets the evidence lead where it may. I appreciate this refreshingly objective view. He also makes extensive use of modern technology in his research which is a whole new tool in the historical writers' chest. Max has stepped on a few toes I hear and is something of a prickly character-unfortunate, but the writings remain the absolute best in my personal estimation.

JeffinMNUSA

 

Yes its the toes.. As a journo i read his columns which could be fast and loose with the facts. And having knowledge of the stuff he put in one book being wrong from personal knowledge i suppose that colours my view. But i suppose that is same for lots of authors and i certainly dont want to put people off. I will be buying it for sure.

 

U;
And where Max fudges facts I would hope he would get called on it. Generally speaking though he presents his cases in hard hitting, clear and concise, well flowing journalistic prose. I really have a hard time putting down a Hastings book and have even called in at work to skip a day to get further into a Hastings exploration of the most decisive event of the 20th century ("Armageddon" to be precise). My FAVORITE Hastings account is that of Slim's campaign in Burma and the fantastical polyglot force he led in this last hurrah...wow! The man has that rare gift of being able to grab the reader and transport him to the time and place described...

JeffinMNUSA