- Gebundene Ausgabe: 423 Seiten
- Verlag: Henry Holt; Auflage: 1 (3. August 2010)
- Sprache: Englisch
- ISBN-10: 0805087958
- ISBN-13: 978-0805087956
- Größe und/oder Gewicht: 24,4 x 16,3 x 3,8 cm
- Durchschnittliche Kundenbewertung: 5.0 von 5 Sternen Alle Rezensionen anzeigen (1 Kundenrezension)
- Amazon Bestseller-Rang: Nr. 414.307 in Englische Bücher (Siehe Top 100 in Englische Bücher)
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Churchill's Empire
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Praise for Churchill's Empire
"Superb, unsettling new history .... Can these clashing Churchills be reconciled? Do we live, at the same time, in the world he helped to save and the world he helped to trash? Toye, one of Britain’s smartest young historians, has tried to pick through these questions dispassionately .... Of course, it’s easy to dismiss any criticism of these actions as anachronistic. Didn’t everybody in Britain think that way then? One of the most striking findings of Toye’s research is that they really didn’t: even at the time, Churchill was seen as standing at the most brutal and brutish end of the British imperialist spectrum .... Toye is no Nicholson Baker, the appalling pseudohistorian whose recent work Human Smoke presented Churchill as no different from Hitler. Toye sees all this, clearly and emphatically .... In the end, the words of the great and glorious Churchill who resisted dictatorship overwhelmed the works of the cruel and cramped Churchill who tried to impose it on the world’s people of color. Toye teases out these ambiguities beautifully. The fact that we now live at a time where a free and independent India is an emerging superpower in the process of eclipsing Britain, and a grandson of the Kikuyu 'savages' is the most powerful man in the world, is a repudiation of Churchill at his ugliest--and a sweet, unsought victory for Churchill at his best."--Johan Hari, The New York Times Book Review
"Indeed, it is not too much to say that the story of Churchill’s life is the story of his view, vision, and valiant defense of the British Empire--the duties of empire and the maintenance of empire, the idea of empire and the ideals of empire. So it is surprising that, until Richard Toye took on the task, little has been written in book form about Churchill and the British Empire .... What is not generally or popularly recognized--but rectified by Toye--is that there were many Churchillian views on empire .... Toye argues convincingly that Churchill’s views on empire were not a fixed thing--and were not designed simply to enhance Britain’s role in the world .... The Empire faded as Churchill’s life did. But there was triumph after all, perhaps even a bit of poetry. The glory of them both--Empire and Churchill--survives them both."--David M. Shribman, The Boston Globe
"Not a conventional biography, this is a probing and thoroughly enjoyable life focusing on the contradictions and dilemmas of Churchill's imperialism.... Even veterans of Churchilliana will find plenty of fresh material, recounted with wit and insight into a man whose values were shaped by an age that no longer existed."--PW, Starred Review
"Toye’s central thesis is that Churchill’s beliefs and actions were less predictable and more nuanced than his rhetoric and conventional wisdom suggest.... This is a carefully researched and exceptionally well-documented book that is a welcome addition to the literature. It is not a traditional biography but more of a study of Churchill’s behavior in a central area of his career. It makes extensive use of government archives, diaries, and secondary sources. The citation of newspaper articles to underscore the broader reaction to Churchill’s actions is especially welcome. It is fascinating reading."—Terry Hartle, The Christian Science Monitor
"A dense, forgiving study of the great British leader who was both of his time and flexible enough to transcend it.... Toye considers this enormously complicated subject with admirable equanimity."--Kirkus Reviews
"Lord Beaverbrook once said that Churchill had held every opinion on every subject and what Richard Toye demonstrates above all is that his opinions on the British Empire were anything but simple or consistent.... Toye traces Churchill's shifts and velleities with impressive skill and erudition, using a vast range of contemporary newspapers to particularly good effect.... An important and original book."--Piers Brendon, Literary Review
"Toye offers a nuanced portrait of Churchill as an imperialist that contradicts some of the simplistic views of him as a reactionary, Colonel Blimp-type character.... This work is a valuable contribution to greater understanding of an historical icon."--Jay Freeman, Booklist
"Lucid and engaging.... Toye should be congratulated for steering clear of either simple apologia or political correctness. Following reviews, diaries and letters, he recreates the broad spectrum of imperialism at the time and presents Churchill's drift into die-hard mode as a conscious move of political repositioning.... Churchill lovers will gain a clear sense of the culture and politics that has shaped his imperial outlook. At the same time, they will find a judicious account of the limitations of Churchill's power.... Rather than yet another biography of Churchill, Toye has given us a thought-provoking, sensitive account of the nerve and muscle of empire."--Frank Trentmann, The Daily Express
"There have been numerous studies of various aspects of Churchill's relationship with the empire, but this is the first attempt at a comprehensive treatment in a single volume. It's a complex and fascinating story.... What emerges from this densely argued book is that [Churchill’s] support for the empire was not for its own sake but as a means of keeping Britain itself as a factor on the world stage. As it declined, his concept of the commonwealth of English-speaking peoples as a major world force took its place. In the end, perhaps his greatest achievement was to accept the empire's fall and dress it up as victory."--David Stafford, BBC History Magazine
"Winston Churchill’s reputation as a hardline imperialist is questioned here.... This detailed, engaging biography dwells on the dichotomy between Churchill pre- and post-second world war: between a time he was considered almost a danger to the empire, and a time he was considered its saviour."--Emmanuelle Smith, Financial Times
"An impressive new study.... This fascinating book shows how, during the second half of his career, that [die-hard] image came to replace the earlier picture where he appeared as a conciliatory figure--and even as a danger to the Empire he cherished and used against threats to Britain."--John Hinton, The Catholic Herald
"The Churchill we salute as a lover of freedom and hater of tyranny muttered about kaffirs and blackamoors, and bore a lifelong commitment to subjecting swathes of the world to unwelcome British rule. How so? For answers, we may turn to Richard Toye’s excellent new book.... Toye presents Churchill as a complex, flexible, and ultimately a moral imperial thinker."--Dan Jones, The Spectator
"Anyone with an interest in 20th-century history or in Churchill will find much that is surprising in this meticulously researched book, which is nevertheless written with great style and clarity."--Susan Hill, The Lady
Kurzbeschreibung
The imperial aspect of Churchill's career tends to be airbrushed out, while the battles against Nazism are heavily foregrounded.
A charmer and a bully, Winston Churchill was driven by a belief that the English were a superior race, whose goals went beyond individual interests to offer an enduring good to the entire world. No better example exists than Churchill's resolve to stand alone against a more powerful Hitler in 1940 while the world's democracies fell to their knees. But there is also the Churchill who frequently inveighed against human rights, nationalism, and constitutional progress—the imperialist who could celebrate racism and believed India was unsuited to democracy. Drawing on newly released documents and an uncanny ability to separate the facts from the overblown reputation (by mid-career Churchill had become a global brand), Richard Toye provides the first comprehensive analysis of Churchill's relationship with the empire.
Instead of locating Churchill's position on a simple left/right spectrum, Toye demonstrates how the statesman evolved and challenges the reader to understand his need to reconcile the demands of conscience with those of political conformity.
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Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
Throughout Winston Churchill's long life and career, the British Empire remained front and center in his mind. He was a son of the Empire, a defender of the Empire and a product of the Empire. This book tells the story of Churchill's life from the perspective of his involvement with the Empire as a soldier and politician.
As a young army officer, Churchill served in India. As a newspaper correspondent he spent time in South Africa during the Boer War during which he was taken prisoner. His daring escape made him a British national hero. His reporting on the Cuban rebellion shaped his view of the rebels as well as that of his readers. Upon turning to politics Churchill soon held ministerial positions that involved other members of the Empire, especially his service as First Lord of the Admiralty. His responsibility for sending Anzac forces to the disaster at Gallipoli would remain an irritation in the Antipodes for the rest of his career. During his World War II prime ministership he was in constant negotiations with Dominions leaders, including his friend Jan Smuts of South Africa, Mackenzie King of Canada and John Curtin of Australia. Vowing not to preside over the dissolution of the British Empire, Churchill was in opposition when the crucial issues over independence for India were resolved. Upon return to power in 1951 he did preside over evolving relationships between Britain, the Dominions and colonies.
Through this work author Richard Toye provides the reader with surveys of multiple fields. We learn much about Churchill, but also gain perspectives on the Boer War, the development of South Africa, World Wars I and II, the evolving relations between Britain, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the rise of Israel and tensions between the Mother Country and Third World nations pursuing their own destinies. Not an unmitigated paean, it calls Churchill for his shortcomings while crediting his vision and accomplishments. The writing holds the reader's interest from start to finish. For one with a familiarity with Churchill, this is just the work to broaden and deepen understanding of Churchill and his world.
As a young army officer, Churchill served in India. As a newspaper correspondent he spent time in South Africa during the Boer War during which he was taken prisoner. His daring escape made him a British national hero. His reporting on the Cuban rebellion shaped his view of the rebels as well as that of his readers. Upon turning to politics Churchill soon held ministerial positions that involved other members of the Empire, especially his service as First Lord of the Admiralty. His responsibility for sending Anzac forces to the disaster at Gallipoli would remain an irritation in the Antipodes for the rest of his career. During his World War II prime ministership he was in constant negotiations with Dominions leaders, including his friend Jan Smuts of South Africa, Mackenzie King of Canada and John Curtin of Australia. Vowing not to preside over the dissolution of the British Empire, Churchill was in opposition when the crucial issues over independence for India were resolved. Upon return to power in 1951 he did preside over evolving relationships between Britain, the Dominions and colonies.
Through this work author Richard Toye provides the reader with surveys of multiple fields. We learn much about Churchill, but also gain perspectives on the Boer War, the development of South Africa, World Wars I and II, the evolving relations between Britain, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the rise of Israel and tensions between the Mother Country and Third World nations pursuing their own destinies. Not an unmitigated paean, it calls Churchill for his shortcomings while crediting his vision and accomplishments. The writing holds the reader's interest from start to finish. For one with a familiarity with Churchill, this is just the work to broaden and deepen understanding of Churchill and his world.
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23 von 23 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich
The waning of the Empire
6. September 2010
Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
Much of the white, English-speaking world has come to regard Winston Churchill with a reverence afforded few other leaders in the past century. A good deal of that praise was certainly earned by Churchill but Richard Toye's excellent new book, "Churchill's Empire", offers a broader look at the Prime Minister....his upbringing and early views...and his development as a leader and a forceful politician. It is a thoughtful and well-balanced book.
Toye explores the early years of Churchill's life and the remarkable thing about the youthful Winston was how agile he was as a politician. Modifying one's views is hardly a recipe for failure and Winston managed to charm, seduce, rail against and turn off many of his contemporaries, all the while forging a career that had more than a few starts and stops. The author really hits his stride when Churchill becomes Prime Minister and uses his experience to better direct the war effort. His warning against Hitler and Nazism helped to propel his reputation as he sought to guide Britain, and indeed the entire empire, through the war. How Churchill balanced all these competing interests is a tribute to his style and ability. One of the more fascinating aspects of Churchill during the war, by the way, is how he dealt with the "Dominions" and their respective leaders...something not covered in every reading of Churchill.
Having much personal dislike for Indians and other people of color, Churchill, nonetheless, had to deal with Gandhi and the many leaders of his far-flung empire. The closing sections of the book, wonderfully covered by Toye, have to do with the post-war breakup of the British Empire and Churchill's contributions to and feelings about them.
Winston Churchill led one of the more remarkable lives of the twentieth century and he landed in the right place at the right time for his rendezvous with history. Richard Toye reminds us that Churchill was far from perfect, but gives compelling reasons why this is so. "Churchill's Empire" is a fine book and I highly recommend it.
Toye explores the early years of Churchill's life and the remarkable thing about the youthful Winston was how agile he was as a politician. Modifying one's views is hardly a recipe for failure and Winston managed to charm, seduce, rail against and turn off many of his contemporaries, all the while forging a career that had more than a few starts and stops. The author really hits his stride when Churchill becomes Prime Minister and uses his experience to better direct the war effort. His warning against Hitler and Nazism helped to propel his reputation as he sought to guide Britain, and indeed the entire empire, through the war. How Churchill balanced all these competing interests is a tribute to his style and ability. One of the more fascinating aspects of Churchill during the war, by the way, is how he dealt with the "Dominions" and their respective leaders...something not covered in every reading of Churchill.
Having much personal dislike for Indians and other people of color, Churchill, nonetheless, had to deal with Gandhi and the many leaders of his far-flung empire. The closing sections of the book, wonderfully covered by Toye, have to do with the post-war breakup of the British Empire and Churchill's contributions to and feelings about them.
Winston Churchill led one of the more remarkable lives of the twentieth century and he landed in the right place at the right time for his rendezvous with history. Richard Toye reminds us that Churchill was far from perfect, but gives compelling reasons why this is so. "Churchill's Empire" is a fine book and I highly recommend it.
15 von 15 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich
Yet another book about Churchill?
14. November 2010
Format:Gebundene Ausgabe|Von Amazon bestätigter Kauf
If it is true that Abraham Lincoln is the most written-about American president, then it seems logical to assume that Winston Churchill is the most-written about British prime minister. (Which is all the more impressive given that Britain has had an "official" prime minister since 1721.) Not only is the list of books written about (or by) Churchill seemingly inexhaustible, in recent years there has also been a rash of documentaries, films and biopics. Everything from his epic career in the public arena to what he ate (or drank) for breakfast, the way he treated his valet and rehearsed his "impromptu" parliamentary statements, seems to have been covered. So why would we need yet another book?
In fairness to the author, Richard Toye, he does not lay claim to writing an original work. As the author of a previous work on Churchill ("LLoyd George and Churchill: Rivals for Greatness") he knows he treads on well-traveled ground. He even states in the prologue that "this is the first attempt to provide a comprehensive treatment of Churchill's relationship with the Empire within a single volume." Does this mean that if one is too pressed for time to read Martin Gilbert or Churchill himself, that this book (at 300 pages, with 100 pages of notes and bibliography) will suffice?
The short answer to that question is "yes". The book is tightly-written (maybe a little too much so) and if it had been a PhD thesis, would have to have been awarded an A for organization and thorough research. No statement Churchill ever made on the topic seems to be too trivial to be analyzed, and other influential people's views on Churchill's opinions are also comprehensively laid out. Toye does a really solid job of dissecting what Churchill said vs what he did, and showing how his complex way of dealing with an extraordinarily complex topic at a complicated time in history changed the course of the Empire.
There are also, and I happen to think too few, marvelous anecdotes and "humanizing" episodes (Churchill's detention by the Boers during the Boer War being one of them)of Churchill's personal and professional life, but that would not be a reason to pick up this book when so many others about Churchill the Man are available. The reason to read this book is, as the author stated himself, to get the condensed version of Churchill's views and attitudes to his rapidly changing world.
In fairness to the author, Richard Toye, he does not lay claim to writing an original work. As the author of a previous work on Churchill ("LLoyd George and Churchill: Rivals for Greatness") he knows he treads on well-traveled ground. He even states in the prologue that "this is the first attempt to provide a comprehensive treatment of Churchill's relationship with the Empire within a single volume." Does this mean that if one is too pressed for time to read Martin Gilbert or Churchill himself, that this book (at 300 pages, with 100 pages of notes and bibliography) will suffice?
The short answer to that question is "yes". The book is tightly-written (maybe a little too much so) and if it had been a PhD thesis, would have to have been awarded an A for organization and thorough research. No statement Churchill ever made on the topic seems to be too trivial to be analyzed, and other influential people's views on Churchill's opinions are also comprehensively laid out. Toye does a really solid job of dissecting what Churchill said vs what he did, and showing how his complex way of dealing with an extraordinarily complex topic at a complicated time in history changed the course of the Empire.
There are also, and I happen to think too few, marvelous anecdotes and "humanizing" episodes (Churchill's detention by the Boers during the Boer War being one of them)of Churchill's personal and professional life, but that would not be a reason to pick up this book when so many others about Churchill the Man are available. The reason to read this book is, as the author stated himself, to get the condensed version of Churchill's views and attitudes to his rapidly changing world.
8 von 8 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich
Some are born great and some achieve greatness
27. Februar 2011
Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
I have read several books and seen documentaries about Winston Churchill.
In CHURCHUILL'S EMPIRE, Richard Toye, the author, does not pretend to be writing an original work; it is nevertheless a fascinating work. He elaborates and helps to understand the complex personality of Churchill the man, the politician, the writer, and the Statesman, in a rapidly changing world. The well researched (107 pages of Notes) book provides a comprehensive description of Churchill's relationship with the British Empire; his contribution to the consolidation of that Empire and its dismantling. Churchill's alternating attitudes are attributed to his conscience and political conformity. Balancing these characteristics is a tribute to his ability. Richard Toye skillfully analyzes Churchill the contradictory man.
It is disappointing to read that Churchill did not believe in racial equality. He disliked "African savages" and Asians. He characterized Mahatma Gandhi as a subversive fanatic. Churchill's financial extravagance or smoking and drinking habits were disgraceful. Still, Churchill' moral rectitude surpassed his prejudicial views; his virtues outweighed his shortcomings. In 1941, Churchill co-signed with Roosevelt the Atlantic Charter, reaffirming faith in the dignity of each human being and propagating a host of democratic principles. Winston Churchill understood- more than any other leader in the democratic world - the menace of Nazism. He believed that war is sometimes unavoidable and he would not accept anything less than victory over fascism, the forces of evil. In May 1940, Churchill confronted a cabinet revolt led by Lord Halifax, who wanted him to get out of the war and make a deal with Hitler in the wake of Dunkirk debacle and the crumbling of the French and Belgian armies. Churchill told the British people "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat!" History proved him to be right in his determination to defeat Nazi Germany despite the opposition of many and the limited resources at his command. To quote Shakespeare, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." All may be attributed to Churchill.
In CHURCHUILL'S EMPIRE, Richard Toye, the author, does not pretend to be writing an original work; it is nevertheless a fascinating work. He elaborates and helps to understand the complex personality of Churchill the man, the politician, the writer, and the Statesman, in a rapidly changing world. The well researched (107 pages of Notes) book provides a comprehensive description of Churchill's relationship with the British Empire; his contribution to the consolidation of that Empire and its dismantling. Churchill's alternating attitudes are attributed to his conscience and political conformity. Balancing these characteristics is a tribute to his ability. Richard Toye skillfully analyzes Churchill the contradictory man.
It is disappointing to read that Churchill did not believe in racial equality. He disliked "African savages" and Asians. He characterized Mahatma Gandhi as a subversive fanatic. Churchill's financial extravagance or smoking and drinking habits were disgraceful. Still, Churchill' moral rectitude surpassed his prejudicial views; his virtues outweighed his shortcomings. In 1941, Churchill co-signed with Roosevelt the Atlantic Charter, reaffirming faith in the dignity of each human being and propagating a host of democratic principles. Winston Churchill understood- more than any other leader in the democratic world - the menace of Nazism. He believed that war is sometimes unavoidable and he would not accept anything less than victory over fascism, the forces of evil. In May 1940, Churchill confronted a cabinet revolt led by Lord Halifax, who wanted him to get out of the war and make a deal with Hitler in the wake of Dunkirk debacle and the crumbling of the French and Belgian armies. Churchill told the British people "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat!" History proved him to be right in his determination to defeat Nazi Germany despite the opposition of many and the limited resources at his command. To quote Shakespeare, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." All may be attributed to Churchill.
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