The Second World War, Volume 1: The Gathering Storm

This is the greatest story ever told told by one of the greatest story tellers ever. Churchill was a magnificent writer, fully deserving of his Nobel prize for literature. His account of the war is positively Tolkienesque, sounding at times almost like the very best science fiction. One gets insights into the grand strategy and global logistics of the war at an extraordinary level of detail. Somewhere around volumes 4 or 5 we have Churchill's account of the 48 hours or so where he flew from London to Egypt to sort out his generals, and then on to Tehran for lunch, then for Dinner and Cigars with Stalin with whom he proceeds to get utterly drunk before flying off at 5 in the morning, wrapped in blankets in a frozen transport plane, in time for lunch in Morroco or somewhere. I mean, what a life?

Any historical source documents, which these are, have to be treated with great caution and circumspection and the factuality of all claims be reviewed in the light of alternative perspectives. Indeed its on my reading list to follow up on Roosevelt. But aside from historical accuracy this is extraordinary literature and as good a place as any to start acquiring a deeper insight into the historical unfolding of the war.

There are many reasons to argue that Churchill was a flawed, possibly deeply flawed character. But he had a great warrior spirit, chocked with contradictions, and he was also a marvellous writer. He lived an extraordinary life and was able to write to us very clearly about the huge events in which he participated.

Fascinatingly detailed, maybe not 100% accurate however... (6/7 people found this helpful)

It's not often you get a history of a war written by a statesman who was a major player in it; basically, there's this and anything written by Julius Caesar. Churchill is a considerably more prolix writer than Caesar, but he also had a better sense of humour.

This and the second volume of Churchill's history (not so much an authoritative history as a six-volume memoir of How I Fought The War) are probably the most gripping books, covering as they do the crucial period after the fall of France in which Britain was alone against the Nazis. Churchill's lifelong problem as a politician was that he was inclined to over-dramatise the events in which he was concerned, but during 1940, events finally got as big and as important as he was naturally inclined to believe them to be. And, it must be said, he delivered. He was the man for the hour, even if he wasn't as brilliant a military leader as he liked to think he was (like Hitler he was inclined to micro-manage, but he never fell into the trap of losing all faith in his generals). His speeches in particular helped to galvanise a mood and articulate a sense of defiance, such that even if you disagreed with him you found it hard to say so. And he was always wisely conscious of the vital importance of wooing Roosevelt. He himself said that when he learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he went to sleep happy and content in the knowledge that there was now no longer any chance that the Germans and Japanese could win - Britain and America together would be unbeatable.

He was right about that. He wasn't always entirely accurate in his retelling of events. Probably the most riveting story in the whole series is his account of how he came to be Prime Minister in the first place, and his version of events has been authoritatively challenged; in retelling it here, Churchill made himself out to be less sure than he really had been that he would be offered the position. This version is more dramatic, but the truth would have been nice. Still, it's a good read.

TOP NOTCH (12/30 people found this helpful)

What else would you expect from the most important man of our time. The fact that he could write in such a readable, totally acurate way is the great streangth of this book. If ever there was someone who could say I TOLD YOU SO, it is Mr. Churchill

The Second World War, Volume 1: The Gathering Storm

Sir Winston S. Churchill

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How can this not have FIVE stars??? (0/0 people found this helpful)

Fascinatingly detailed, maybe not 100% accurate however... (6/7 people found this helpful)

TOP NOTCH (12/30 people found this helpful)

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