Disraeli: A Biography [Hardcover]

Stanley Weintraub (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1993

Offering new perspectives on the Victorian era's political and literary giant, this portrait chronicles Disraeli's brilliant and varied career, set against the backdrop of the British Empire at its height. 20,000 first printing. BOMC. History Bk Club.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Perceived by his well-born contemporaries as an outsider and discriminated against as a Jew, despite his Anglican conversion at age 12, Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) could not escape his origins, so "he made the most of them, with an authentic pride," notes the author in this magisterial, exhaustively researched biography. More than any other biographer, Weintraub ( Victoria ) makes us see the relentless anti-Semitism Disraeli faced, as well as the Conservative prime minister's strong identification with his Jewish roots (he spoke passionately about "restoring the Jews to their own land"). Using Disraeli's novels as a mirror of events, Weintraub ably charts his metamorphosis from heavily indebted dandy to caustically witty politician, favorite of Queen Victoria, domestic reformer and architect of British imperial policy. One chapter is devoted to tantalizing new circumstantial evidence that Disraeli, while married, may have fathered two illegitimate children by two different women. Illustrated.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

A dandy, a best-selling novelist, and a womanizer are not the usual descriptions applied to Prime Minister and professional intimate of Queen Victoria, Benjamin Disraeli. Yet after reading Weintraub's encompassing work, these are the adjectives that stick. Weintraub has a good background for this work, having written Victoria: An Intimate Biography ( LJ 1/15/87). It is evident that he has done his homework; letters, newspapers, diaries, and contemporary works of the day are all thoroughly quoted. But it is this very detail that makes the book hard going, tending to swamp the reader. As much time and effort seems to be spent on Disraeli's having yet another love affair as on Disraeli's opinions on the American Civil War or even Victoria's becoming empress of India. There is a continual flow of encyclopedic facts but not enough flavor of the man. Still, from the work Weintraub has done, this biography should be on most academic and larger public library shelves. -- Katherine Gillen, Mesa P.L., Ariz.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 736 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (October 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525936688
• ISBN-13: 978-0525936688
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #946,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disraeli, December 30, 2005

By 

David B. Shine (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Disraeli: A Biography (Hardcover)

Dr. Stanley Weintraub's biography of Ben Disraeli is excellent. The scholarship is at the top. The only other biography that I would consider but I have some reservations is the one by Lord Blake the problem with his as compared to Dr. Weintraub's is it is too thick. This one spends plenty of time on his political and publishing career. I thoughly enjoy the biography, and for all those who harken back to a time when are politicans had some flare and style will enjoy this book.