Lord Randolph Churchill, Volume II

Volume 2 of this two-volume biography of Lord Randolph Churchill details the middle and twilight years of Lord Randolph’s meteoric career, during which he served as Leader of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Sir Winston Churchill would become known for his sweeping biographies of historical figures, including his ancestor, the Duke of Marlborough. His first biography, however, was that of his own father. An ambitious work written with the partial agenda of raising the stain of scandal from his father’s reputation, it is nonetheless even-handed and honest about his fathers tactical mistakes.

It’s a fascinating work not only for the historical perspective it provides on the life of an accomplished politician, but also for the insight into Churchill’s opinion of and relationship with his father.