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Books
English-Speaking Peoples (4): Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey
24
Oct
2022
By COLTON DUNCAN
"Churchill, himself experienced in the petty struggles of factions within the context of state governance, understood how particular interests create obstacles or opportunities for those quick enough to recognize them. He is particularly gifted, then, not only in recounting past events, but also in effectively portraying their causes."
Gary Stiles Offers a Brilliant Catalogue of Mr. Punch’s Churchill
21
Oct
2022
By WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD
For an archivist and curator of books such as this writer, Stiles has crafted an exquisite work. It will delight both the connoisseur and the casual reader of Churchill or British history. A noted physician and collector of Churchilliana, Stiles offers an heirloom volume: every Churchill cartoon in Punch, Britain’s famed magazine of humor and satire. Over 600 drawings span nearly a century from 1899 to 1988.
English-Speaking Peoples (3): The Wars of the Roses
17
Oct
2022
By JOSH HYPES
“And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25). Given renewed fame by Lincoln, the verse applies as well to the Wars of the Roses. Their vicious course saw the old order passing to something entirely new. The tragic events are a reminder: The familiarity of Churchill's words is uncanny given the rampant social, political, and ideological divisions in Western countries. Churchill calls us to learn from the tragedies of the past to avoid experiencing a similar upheaval.
English-Speaking Peoples (2): Churchill’s View of Magna Carta
11
Oct
2022
By DUGGAN FOLEY
In Book 2 of “The Birth of Britain,” Churchill encapsulates the power of 13th century English political developments. Magna Carta began the slow but steady process of the English-speaking peoples toward liberty and the rule of law. Without this necessary document, that “great fire” for representative rule might never have been ignited.
English-Speaking Peoples (1): Rebellion and Subjugation
03
Oct
2022
1
By JOSEPH STURDY
The conflict between orderly Roman society and the native tribes’ efforts to preserve their homeland produced a distinctly British character over the coming centuries. In part, the rebellion and continued struggle came to define Churchill, himself, nearly 1900 years later. In 1940, he found himself presiding over a period nearly as tumultuous as the rebellion of 61 A.D. Now he was forced into a position similar to that of the Britons.
How Arcadia Blueprinted History’s Greatest Wartime Coalition
18
Aug
2022
By RAYMOND A. CALLAHAN
Although it commands less historical attention than some of the war’s later “summits,” Arcadia was very important. It brought together for the first time the small group that, sustainably unchanged, would manage the largest, most complex coalition war in recorded history. It also shaped the Allies’ controlling machinery and grand strategy. Without it, effective Anglo-American cooperation and coordination would have been much harder, if not impossible.
Great Churchillians: Antoine Capet, Tribute to a Friend
15
Jul
2022
2
By RICHARD M. LANGWORTH
One the brightest stars in the Churchill firmament was lost on June 2nd. Our colleague Dave Turrell speaks for us all: “One of the nicest, kindest men I ever met.” Writes Paul Rafferty, whose great book on Churchill’s Riviera paintings was translated by Antoine: “He was a joy to work with. He was precise, knowledgeable, questioned everything, and got it ‘right.’ My French edition has few to zero errors to my knowledge, and this is down to Antoine.”
Churchill’s Little Redhead: A Thoughtful Memoir by Celia Sandys
21
Jun
2022
By CITA STELZER
During Celia’s childhood she spent time with her grandfather at Chartwell and Chequers. At Chartwell, Celia and her sister slept in a room above Churchill’s. The girls would go in to say good morning to Winston and Clementine in their separate bedrooms. She says “we saw a great deal of our grandparents.”
“Hitler’s American Gamble” by Simms and Laderman
31
May
2022
By MICHAEL MCMENAMIN
Roosevelt always favored a “Germany First” strategy, even after Pearl Harbor. This is shown by his “disinformation” campaign that Germany was really behind the Japanese attack. He intended using Hitler’s alleged involvement in Pearl Harbor as a pretext for war, even if Germany did not declare war on the U.S.
Chips Channon Diaries 1938-43: The Energy and Verve of a Great Diarist
31
May
2022
By DAVE TURRELL
Channon, a superb diarist, had an extraordinary ability to capture and present the interesting. One can only admire the energy it must have taken simply to make hand-written daily, mostly lengthy, entries, amidst the social whirlwind in which he lived. Two thousand pages in, and we are left yearning for more. Luckily a third, and final, installment is due out later this year.
What the Marxist Ali gets wrong about Winston Churchill
16
May
2022
1
A New Churchill Reference Guide by Christopher Catherwood
16
May
2022
By DAVE TURRELL
"This volume is part of a series aimed, as the publishers assure us, at 'young adults.' At the same time it is intended as a 'reference guide.' After spending some time with the book I have trouble in seeing the value that young adults will gain from it. The book is primarily set out in alphabetic, encyclopedic format, with entries presented two columns to a page, along with an index and a bibliography. The result is a curiously unbalanced mixture."