- Author
- William Lester
- ARRSE Rating
- 5 Mushroom Heads
‘Winston Churchill and the Art of Leadership’ is a new book by William Nester that explores how Churchill’s leadership style developed and was shaped by the different experiences through his life. Nester is a well published historian, who has several military history book awards to his name: that experience shines through here in what is both a well written and thought-provokingly fresh take on a popular subject.
The book follows Churchill through his life from schoolboy to young adventurer to political leader. It uses Churchill’s own speeches and writings to illuminate what made him tick and to help us understand why he took the route through life that he did. It doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truth that Churchill was, at times, both wrong and stubborn in his failure to recognise his own failings. As such this book presents a balanced view of Churchill that does not excuse his foibles but does, where possible, explain their genesis. Nester, as an American author, does have an understandably American-leaning view of some events, but this does not detract from his writing.
This book will land well as it caters to a broad church: from the armchair Churchill enthusiast, to the general military history reader, to the more specialist student, looking for specific evidence. It is testament to Nester’s skill as an author that the eclectic needs of this spread of potential readers can be met without diminishing any one particular requirement.
I should declare an interest here: I am a distant cousin of Churchill and therefore feel a sense of proprietorial interest when reading biographies of him; moreover, with that family interest, I have read widely on the subject. I can honestly say this is one of the best written biographies I have read: it flows beautifully, making it really easy to read, and it presents a fair and balanced view of man who was in no way perfect but clearly tried to do the right thing throughout his long political career and personal life.
The book is available through Amazon for £16.79 (including P&P) and on Kindle for £6.99. A really good choice as a last minute Christmas present – you can still, at time of writing, get a copy to arrive on 22 Dec!
The book follows Churchill through his life from schoolboy to young adventurer to political leader. It uses Churchill’s own speeches and writings to illuminate what made him tick and to help us understand why he took the route through life that he did. It doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truth that Churchill was, at times, both wrong and stubborn in his failure to recognise his own failings. As such this book presents a balanced view of Churchill that does not excuse his foibles but does, where possible, explain their genesis. Nester, as an American author, does have an understandably American-leaning view of some events, but this does not detract from his writing.
This book will land well as it caters to a broad church: from the armchair Churchill enthusiast, to the general military history reader, to the more specialist student, looking for specific evidence. It is testament to Nester’s skill as an author that the eclectic needs of this spread of potential readers can be met without diminishing any one particular requirement.
I should declare an interest here: I am a distant cousin of Churchill and therefore feel a sense of proprietorial interest when reading biographies of him; moreover, with that family interest, I have read widely on the subject. I can honestly say this is one of the best written biographies I have read: it flows beautifully, making it really easy to read, and it presents a fair and balanced view of man who was in no way perfect but clearly tried to do the right thing throughout his long political career and personal life.
The book is available through Amazon for £16.79 (including P&P) and on Kindle for £6.99. A really good choice as a last minute Christmas present – you can still, at time of writing, get a copy to arrive on 22 Dec!
