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Paul Johnson's Churchill
The perfect short biography.
Churchill, by Paul Johnson
(Viking, 192 pages, $14.99)
According to the British historian Walter Reid, some 1,663 books have been written on Winston Churchill. The latest addition to this extensive list, Paul Johnson's biography, Churchill, may be one of the shortest -- and one of the most enjoyable.
Of course, the definitive treatments of this topic are massive and minutia-filled. For example, the late William Manchester's Last Lion spanned 1,729 pages between two books (a third volume, finished by Paul Reid is in the works), and Churchill: A Biography by Roy Jenkins is 1,002 pages long. Johnson, however, says his piece in a mere 192 pages.
Given Churchill's prolific and lengthy life, this is a remarkable feat. And it astounds that Johnson is able to condense 90 years into such a short space and do it so well.
Admittedly, none of this should be too surprising considering the source and the subject. Johnson has an established record of synthesizing epic stories into quick and compelling reads. He breezed through 400 years of American history in The History of the American People, fashioned a fascinating and often-contrarian narrative of the 20th century in Modern Times and chronicled the towering Western faiths in The History of Christianity and The History of the Jewish People.
His work reminds us that good history should be enjoyable, accessible, and rise to the level of literature -- unlike the ponderous, theory-riddled noodlings of most academics. And of course Churchill, whose life encompassed over half a century of public service in far-flung corners of the British Empire, hands-on involvement in two world wars, and countless falls from grace and miraculous comebacks, is hardly a dry or uninteresting subject.
But Johnson, with his uncommon ability to summarize colossal subjects and heroic lives (slim volumes on George Washington and Napoleon are also in his oeuvre), tells the story of a man whose life he deems the "most valuable to humanity" among the luminaries of the 20th century, with laser-like precision. And make no mistake -- this brisk little book is packed with fascinating insights.
From the abysmal lows (the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in 1915-1916, his political exile in the 1930s) to the celebrated highs (the return from the wilderness to assume the Prime Ministership in 1940 and his eventual defense of Western civilization), Johnson extracts important corollaries from Churchill's life.
A reoccurring theme in Johnson's writing is the connection of specific subjects to broad themes. Churchill is no different. Here, the author links the prime minister to a set of characteristics that translated into triumphs: Lofty goals, unstinting effort, unwillingness to yield to despair and hopelessness (though throughout his life Churchill battled depression, a mood he called the "Black Dog"), rejection of poisonous vendettas, and an enthusiastic love of life and an ability to take great pleasure in accomplishments and successes.
Another source of Churchill's long and happy life, according to Johnson, was his ability to find refuge and pleasure outside of politics. Throughout his periodic ostracizations, Churchill occupied his time and buoyed his spirits with his many pastimes -- some of which he could have made an alternative career.
In fact, throughout his comings and goings from Parliament, Churchill supported himself as a writer -- initially as a war correspondent and later as a political commentator (in the 1930s he alone loudly decried the dangers of Nazism) and historian. His works on the World Wars (The World Crisis and The Second World War) and his four-volume chronicle of the British Empire (The History of the English Speaking Peoples) even helped net a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. Johnson estimates that over his life, Churchill published somewhere between 8 and 10 million words.
Writing not only provided income but obviously brought much joy and balance to Churchill's life. Equally important was his passion for painting -- a hobby he took up during the dark days following expulsion from government during World War I. For the remainder of his life he would find inspiration in canvas and oil, producing some 500 paintings -- many of outstanding quality. His "Winter Sunshine, Chartwell," submitted anonymously, was even selected by the preeminent art historian, Kenneth Clark, and art dealer, Joseph Duveen, for a prestigious amateur prize.
Art bolstered Churchill's morale and restored his confidence during periods of self-doubt. As Johnson relates, "painting is not only the best of hobbies but a sure refuge in time of trouble." The author no doubt can identify with his subject. Like Churchill, Johnson began his career as a reporter, eventually turning to history, passed through roles in government and from liberalism to conservatism (Johnson is appreciative and understanding of Churchill's early progressive ideas) as an advisor to Margaret Thatcher and is an accomplished painter in his own right.
These similarities provide for fascinating insights, which taken with Johnson's economy of words and ability to trim historical fat, make Churchill a superb read -- and a lightning quick one to boot.
This is not to say that Johnson's book can best the more extended explorations of Churchill and his times for comprehensiveness and meticulous detail; anyone wanting the exhaustive version of this story should look elsewhere.
About the Author
Ryan L. Cole writes from Indiana.
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Richard Baker| 1.11.10 @ 7:15AM
Even with his flaws, Churchill was quite a man and England could sure use him now. I've read Johnson's "History of Christianity" and it was a pleasure. I still pick it up and read it , yet.
Alan Brooks| 1.11.10 @ 7:37AM
Too bad Newt is a Toffler, and not a Churchill.
Martin| 1.11.10 @ 9:36AM
Churchill was overrated; wrong where Chamberlain was right on the pre-eminent question of his time (sure, Hitler was a menace, but why was it Britain's job to sort him out? -- we had no interest in E. Europe and could do nothing militarily there anyway.)
As for that painting, give me a break! If you get a painting labeled "Winter sunshine, Chartwell" who the hell else do you think painted it? Chartwell was Churchill's home!
Alan Brooks| 1.11.10 @ 10:04AM
We had no interest 1945- '89 in third world cesspools, and could nothing militarily there anyway.
Could have let the commies take over all of Africa, Latin America, Asia. Why not?
victor| 1.11.10 @ 11:42PM
Is that you Toddard?
What standard are you using to say that Churchill was "overated"?
You probably think that Bown and Obama are "underated", eh?
Churchill obviously thought we could do plenty to defuse, degrade and demoralize Herr Hitler. Not playing ball with him was not Churchill's plan to deal with him.
Obviously you're a fan of Chamberlain and think that his deal at Munich in 1938 was the right thing to do.
20 Million Dead would disagree with you if they could.
Helen Donnelly| 1.13.10 @ 3:15PM
Martin,
Hitler was a "menace"? Really...a menace? Good grief, man, please read up on your history and take a look at his final solution.
Alan Brooks| 1.11.10 @ 9:59AM
Couldn't take the chance Hitler would get WMDs-- just didn't know.
Like saying "why not give the soviets a free hand in Africa?" sure, why not? Could have let more Africans be killed by Commies. Population controL works.
Just as Europeans (including Frogs) were expendable, so are Negroes.
JMM| 1.11.10 @ 10:03AM
...and I suspect your would favor the statesmanship of Picasso, a truly dreadful artist, over that of Churchill?
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.11.10 @ 10:05AM
Lord, preserve us from the nutcases who cannot
discern facts from fantasies.
Guys, as for me, I would love to jump into a time machine...go back in time...and be a fly on the wall
when Mr. Churchill was thinking out loud.
Right or wrong...he had serious cajones.
Martin| 1.11.10 @ 10:12AM
Sorry, "we" meant Britain, my original nationality. Of course the US could have done something against Hitler -- but wasn't about to. Britain should have waited till FDR got off his backside.
Alan Brooks| 1.11.10 @ 11:27AM
Coulda Shoulda Woulda
Alina4ka| 1.11.10 @ 11:05AM
Lord, preserve us from the nutcases who cannot
discern facts from fantasies.
frank| 1.11.10 @ 11:06AM
Churchill was quite a man and England could sure use him now. I've read Johnson's "History of Christianity" and it was a pleasure. I still pick it up and read it , yet.
Alan Brooks| 1.11.10 @ 12:26PM
Churchill
Coolidge
the Best of the best.
Popblogger| 1.11.10 @ 2:26PM
Briefer is usually better, but, unless the reader has read much else about WSC, Paul Johnson's newest biography will leave him with many questions - which is not a bad thing. It should cause further reading.
Margie| 1.11.10 @ 2:44PM
There is a great book club called The Conservative Book Club~ Clubhttp://www.conservativebookclub.com/DefaultJoin.asp?
An excellent resource for Johnson's books, and hundreds of others written truthfully, especially about history. I have Johnson's History of the American People sitting on my shelf.
This book on Churchill sounds like a good read.
Just reading his quotes online tells you the kind of mind he had. And it wasn't a Leftist one.
"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope."
Derek Leaberry| 1.11.10 @ 2:58PM
I find Winston Churchill the most interesting person of the 20th Century but much of the reason is that Churchill was such a great writer and historian. As for politics, after one concedes that it was Churchill's leadership that kept Hitler from winning World War Two, he failed at most of his political endeavors. His support for the Liberal government's welfare state and Britain's rush to war in 1914 wrecked his Liberal Party, continued the decline of his social grouping, and was a catalyst in the decline of his beloved Empire. Gallipoli was his most noted failure in World War One, a venture that was a waste of blood and resources. In the 1930s, Churchill was the last major British politician supporting King Edward VIII's wish to marry Wallis Simpson, a blunder that made him look foolish just as he was making headway in exposing the weakness of Stanley Baldwin's policies with regards to Nazi Germany. Churchill's second premiership was largely a waste of time. Churchill and his Tories not only failed to roll back Labour's socialization of British society when they reclaimed power in 1951, they lazily endorse it by continuing most of the Labour schemes. It is strange that such a great man would have so many failures. Perhaps it is a tribute to his strength of character that Churchill kept coming back after political hidings.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.11.10 @ 5:21PM
The Brits will never get it with their "classed" society history hanging on...but King Edward VIII's marriage to Ms. Simpson to Texans was one of the coolest things a Brit King ever did.
Edward and Wallis always considered Texas a home away from home and were welcomed here.
I personally wonder if Mr. Churchill's so-called early "socialist tendencies" were in fact an effort to break down the classed society of 1913 Briton.
Mondo| 1.12.10 @ 4:49AM
Churchill was in a class of his own: someone who only comes along once in a very long time.
His life illustrates the lesson that what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.
If only Britain had his like now. If only America.
Binden Shovel| 1.12.10 @ 11:59AM
The Dardanelles is always shown up as one of Winston's great failures and yet when you study the history of it in detail, it was a daring attempt to do something when everything else was at stalemate. Whilst it was a colossal waste of blood, later on in WW1 similar losses occurred in one day.
Incidentally if 1663 books have been written then a book I recently published called Churchill's Secret Skills will be the 1664 th. My book takes Churchill’s talents for managing WW2 and applies them to modern business.
Mary Louise| 1.12.10 @ 1:18PM
No work of Paul Johnson has left me unsatisfied. My little black notebooks are peppered with his words. He’s learned but unpretentious. He’s as democratic as he is secure. Very attractive qualities that are as important to the written word as they are to the spoken. When I study his words I’m often reminded of Lord Acton’s reminder that a well educated, honorable historian “keeps no shelter for a friend and no pillory for a foe.”
I liked this recent opinion piece by Mr. Johnson.
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