The Churchill War Papers: At the Admirality (Vol. 1) [Hardcover]

Winston Churchill (Editor), Martin Gilbert (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Churchill War Papers | Publication Date: May 17, 1993

"A major addition to the Churchill literature."—Publishers Weekly

This is truly history as it was lived, in the war whose outcome formed the modern world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gilbert, Churchill's offical biographer, has selected more than 700 documents pertaining to the statesman's second tenure as First Lord of the Admiralty between the outbreak of WW II and his appointment as Prime Minister. As a member of Neville Chamberlain's war cabinet and later chairman of the military coordinating committee, Churchill was at the center of British war policy from the start. Included in the volume are memos to cabinet colleagues, correspondence with Chamberlain, the full texts of parliamentary speeches and radio addresses, letters from admirers, diary entries and recollections by men and women who worked with him. The documents trace the hour-by-hour progress of the May 10, 1940, crisis following the German invasion of France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and conclude with King George's formal request that Churchill, as the new Prime Minister, form a new government. A major addition to the vast Churchill literature. Illustrations.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This volume of Churchill's war papers, the first to be published in ten years, covers the entire period of his term as First Lord of the Admiralty. As such, Churchill was at the center of British war policy and responsible for supervising the Royal Navy's war effort. Under the expert hand of editor Gilbert, Churchill's official biographer, the problems, uncertainties, and solutions of Britain's response to Germany's invasion of Poland come to life. Profusely footnoted, this offers a proper mix of official and private correspondence, cabinet minutes, and colleagues' recollections. Every aspect of Britain's gearing up for war is included here, from construction designs for mock warships to the increase in soldiers' rations. This volume culminates in the disastrous British response to Hitler's invasion of Norway, which nearly ousted the First Sea Lord from office. Instead, the German invasion of Holland and France catapulted him to prime minister. Strongly recommended.
- David Lee Poremba, Detroit P.L.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1400 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (May 17, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393035220
• ISBN-13: 978-0393035223
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,607,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the researcher or the enthusiast, July 13, 2000

By 

taking a rest - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Churchill War Papers: At the Admirality (Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

Martin Gilbert, now Knighted as Sir Martin Gilbert, is one of the great historians of our time, and he has written the definitive biography of Sir Winston Spencer Churchill. He has been at work for 38 years, and the task is not yet complete. The biography itself was completed in 1988, the production of these companion volumes continues.

The biographic work itself is 8 volumes in length, and presently there are 15 additional companion volumes that contain every note and correspondence imaginable. These books get right down to the one-sentence telegrams of congratulation. To give you a sense of their scope and detail, this volume that covers 9 months runs to 1,370 pages with notes.

The books are fascinating for what they contain, and for the completeness they represent. All the information is here, these were not meant to be widely read, but to be documentary, so there is nothing missing. I also enjoy them as they give the reader a glimpse in to the world of the Biographer, a man who in this instance has spent nearly 40 years of his life on his subject.

These put the work of the Biographer in perspective. It may be more appropriate to say a Biographer of Mr. Gilbert's stature. It is often remarked that no biographical study has ever been so complete as his work of Churchill, and if you happen to have one of these books you will certainly see why. I enjoy reading them a bit at a time, as they bring you into Mr. Churchill's day, note-by-note, letter by letter, and they document an incomparable life.

4.0 out of 5 stars areference book, September 29, 2008

By 

Gilbert Michaud (canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Churchill War Papers: At the Admirality (Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

this book was possible thanks to wendy reeves wife of emery reeves. the first great reference book on the nine month period covering churchill at the admiralty. . now scarce.