Churchill the Writer
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) is one of the most celebrated, criticized, and without question debated political figures in world history. While Churchill had a long and controversial political career, most notably his nine years as Prime Minster of Great (1940-45, 1951-55), his fame, something many view as a crucial aspect of his life he thrived off of and live for, spanned well beyond the years he held various positions in political office. Churchill was born and raised in the Victorian Era, a time in which the British Empire was at its peak as the world’s strongest power. When studying almost any aspect of Churchill’s life, his romantic vision of Britain as a thriving empire and world power holds a strong precedence.
Many historians study Churchill through his political career, aiming to validate claims both for and against Churchill as hero of his time. There is expansive research and volumes of evaluations on Churchill’s decision making and the associated success and failures that ensued. While the never ending debate on the quality of his leadership goes on, Churchill’s career as a writer and his extensive published works are commonly overlooked. This paper analyzes Churchill the writer and how his works not only paint a vivid picture of his life and times, but are also a self-reflection of the man he was and the man he wanted to be. Churchill once stated, “Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy then an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then it becomes a tyrant and, in the last stage, just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public”. Churchill’s life can be very closely compared to his explanation of writing a book. His life was a marvelous adventure filled with excitement and travel, but as his fame and political power