Marlborough, Britain's Greatest General. [Paperback]

Richard Holmes (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007225725
• ISBN-13: 978-0007225729
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #650,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Template for Winston Churchill?, January 12, 2009

By 

Les Fearns "casahistoria.net" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marlborough: England's Fragile Genius (Hardcover)

Richard Holmes's biography of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, the early 18th century English/British military leader is much more than the story of a single life. For non specialists of the period like myself it gives a clear and well explained narrative of the complex political developments of the period within which Marlborough operated. Much more satisfying than for example the context provided by the Walpole biography by Pearce reviewed earlier. Marlborough is shown very much as a product of being born into the losing side of the civil war period, determined never again to be wrong footed by political change.

There is much of related interest here: I was unaware for example of the practice in allied forces of changing commanders on alternate days when two leaders were of equal rank. One key thread running through is the links that are apparent between this Churchill and his relative, the World War II leader. Marlborough headed an alliance of many nations against the great power of the time (France); he had to court support and bite his lip at times to keep the alliances in place; he delegated wisely and made very good use of intelligence; he needed to rely on materiel and financial support from elsewhere. Ultimately, like Winston Churchill he was turned away from with victory. Holmes alludes to these comparisons, but does not labour them. Indeed he shows Winston Churchill as a flawed biographer of Marlborough himself. Nonetheless the similarities between the two are eerie, leading one to speculate how much Winston Churchill actively used the example of Marlborough's experience to determine his own relationships with the allied leaders in World War II.

Holmes is a military historian and the prospect of page after page of the military campaigns fought may be a daunting prospect for many. However, Holmes does not allow these to dominate and keeps a good balance between these and the other factors, notably his wife Sarah, that influenced the man. All in all a well rounded and researched biography with relevant illustrations and very helpful map (although a key to the annotation of military maps would be useful to the non specialist) and a good read.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of Churchill, April 19, 2010

By 

Tony Roberts (Bristol, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marlborough, Britain's Greatest General. (Paperback)

Churchill was, despite the criticisms of his many haters, one of Britain's best generals. His victories began Britain's rise from a mere disregarded foggy little island off the coast of Europe into THE world power by the Victorian era.

This biography takes him through his hesitant beginnings through the Byzantine-style corridors of power of restoration England, to his apogee at Blenheim and Ramilles. Intersperced with the military accounts of not only Marlborough or his often unreliable Dutch partners, but also the common soldier, are the letters from him to his wife, the mercurial Sarah, who needed almost as much effort to keep under control as Marlborough's French enemies.

The skill in which John Churchill had to hold th ecoalition together took its toll on him and led to his physical decline. The book is an excellent account of that time and of the Spanish War of Succession which forms the backdrop to much of this book.

Some have averred that Churchill was a grasping man, who sold his friends down the river when it suited him, and that he was even a traitor. An absurd claim, but one that is typical of the attitude in some quarters even to this day that prevents John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, from being recognised alongside th elikes of Nelson - who lets face it, was just as much a flawed genius as Marlborough (Nelson's victory at Trafalgar and his death saved him from public disgrace which was where he was very likely heading at the time).

Richard Holmes is to be congratulated on yet another brilliant historical biography and is a must for anyone wishing to study this period of history or the Spanish War of Succession.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to like this book - yet..., March 24, 2011

By 

keith bradshaw - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marlborough, Britain's Greatest General. (Paperback)

I really wanted to like this book - yet I didn't, which is a real shame. There is no doubting the dedication & scholarly approach, depth of study & research towards the mercurial Duke of Marlborough (DOM) in Richard Holmes book. But that can't disguise the fact that it is not an easy nor a fluid read. In fact I found it often dull & a bit of a chore.

For such an exciting period in English & European history I thought I would be charging through the book, enthralled to the tale, alas no. Holmes deals competently with the back drop of the formative part of DOM's life. The Civil War, the Republic under Cromwell, The Restoration, The Glorious Revolution - are all as primers, nicely handled. His first chapter on life in England is far too long. Still here with domestic English history he is on firm footing. It is when the narrative transfers to the War of Spanish Succession I started to find real fault with the book.

For a start, the chapters are far too long: from 50 - 80 pages. We are introduced to a flurry of individuals, many without a decent mini biography to enhance our understanding of them, so remain lifeless & never really become animated. The narrative becomes quite myopic - centring entirely on DOM's environs largely ignoring what was going on in other European theatres of war - especially Spain. Not enough detail was given to understanding why the English continued with this costly war. Yet too much extracts of often superfluous correspondence is carried on. I felt a more judicious Editors eye should have trimmed this down.

Holmes is a military historian & it shows, he writes effortlessly regarding military life. But I was disappointed with his handling of battle sequences & sieges. Frank McLynn's "1759", Roger Crowley's "Empires of the Sea", Antony Beevor's "Berlin/Stalingrad" are all superior in the bloody "war-is-hell" you can smell the cordite of the battle field. More battlefield maps would have helped. I found the battle sequences often hard to follow & clinical in their execution.

DOM's relationship (often detrimental) in tolerating his harridan of a wife Sarah is never really understood. His sheer avarice towards money is underscored and...and...and...

Essentially the book is too long, dry & insulated. At least 100 pages could be shorn off to make a tighter, more fluid, lucid, entertaining & still historically worthy book.

Mr Holmes is a fine scholar & I'm sure a true old school gentleman & I thank him for his contribution.