Customer Reviews

Disraeli (Clarendon Biographies)

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Robert Blake's study of Benjamin Disreali, twice Prime Minister and prolific novelist, is one of the best I've read. Both Disreali's personal life and political career are handled with respect, and there is no unnecessary conjecture to mislead the reader. The resulting biography is both fascinating and informative, advancing chronologically from Disreali's parentage to his death and detailing the aspects of his personality and the extraordinary good luck that enabled him to rise so far in the British political system. Throughout, the reader is offered anecdotes from acquaintances, excerpts from letters, and portions of the speeches that gave Disreali his reputation as a matchless orator. Particularly touching are the stories illustrating the friendship he and his sister shared, and the mannerisms which characterized his personality. Overall, Robert Blake displays great knowledge of both Disreali and the politics that he loved so much. Therein lies the book's only fault, from an amateur's perspective; at times the references to the system can confuse a reader not fully familiar with British politics. However, any admirer of this great statesman cannot afford to miss reading this work, which already shows signs of becoming a necessary reference. Any historian, amateur or not, could easily view this volume as indispensable.

During the high tide of the Victorian era, the political life of the nation was dominated by two men, Disraeli and Gladstone. Gladstone is an obvious choice for one of the top statesmen of the era, he was elected four times to the premiership. Disraeli was not quite so fortunate. However, given the short period of time that he was in office he accomplished a great deal. He brought the tories back from the dead, passed a reform bill and managed to acquire the Suez Canal. At the Congress of Berlin, Disraeli's command of the situation even impressed Bismark (not exactly a slouch in these sorts of things). Not bad from a rather foppish young man who specialized in "Silver Fork" novels (a fictional version of lifestyles of the rich and famous in the 19th century).

Blake's book is the best one on the subject of Benjamin Disraeli. The complex story of the novelist turned politican is brought out in all of its facets. Disraeli was probably one of the most interesting people to be prime minister (after perhaps Churchill and Walpole) and Blake's book shows the reader how he did it.

Blake's Disraeli is not only flawless in its interpretation of Disraeli but also in its style. It is a work by which all other biographies must be judged. Simply put, it is the perfect biography.

This is a work of considerable scholarship which chronicles the life of one of Great Britain's outstanding statesmen. The book covers the political life of Disraeli admirably, but also gives a view of the private Disraeli: confidant of Victoria, prolific novelist, inventor of the crouton.

So often, readers find themselves disappointed by the biographical genre. An author either focuses too strictly on the technicalities and minutiae of his subject while ignoring the sweeping story of his life, or depends too heavily on generalities and personal observations rather than allowing the reality of the story to speak for itself. In Blake, we have none of this.

He is a biographer of the first order whose book, as other reviewers have noted, strikes a perfect balance between the presentation of true historical facts and the telling of a really remarkable story in a rich and textured way. The reader is given a meaningful understanding of Disraeli--the author, the politician, the dandy--the real human who experienced in a profound way all the successes and failures of a life fully lived.

Blake succeeds where it counts the most. As a biographer, he avoids the temptation to inject his voice into the story of his subject (a practice most disgustingly exemplified in Edmund Morris' Reagan biography "Dutch"). Disraeli and his life are allowed to bring themselves into focus without the distraction of a noisy and ego-centric author. Blake does not pepper his book with personal opinions or offer over-wrought psychoanalysis. He presents his subject honestly, and the reader benefits by it.

His book is a treasure of British history and a brilliant example of the art of biography at its best.

This masterful political biography traces the life and career of one of the most extraordinary figures of British political history, Benjamin Disraeli. In doing so it gives insight into the whole structure of nineteenth - century British political and social life.
It is told chronologically and moves with a sure and even narrative pace. One particular helpful feature of the work is the detailed chapter- headings, which serve as a kind of summary of the work as a whole.
The story of 'Dizzy's spectacular climb ' up the greasy pole' to the Prime - Ministership, his rivalry with Gladstone, his closeness with Queen Victoria, his brilliance as strategist in defending and extending the Empire is told with quiet sympathy by Blake.
Also there is a close chronicling of Disraeli's personal relations, including those with his somewhat distant literary father, his especially supportive sister, and very close wife.
Disraeli's Jewish origins , his misunderstanding of them and yet his pride in defending them are also part of the story of this sensitive, insightful and supremely 'romantic' political leader.