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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Amazing insight into the lives and thinking of two of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Tightly written, well thought-out. I'd be more of a History buff if there were more books like this around!
"If there is anything we can take away from [Churchill and Orwell], it is the wisdom of employing this two-step process, especially in times of mind-bending crisis: work diligently to discern the facts of the matter, and then use your principles to respond."
Fantastic read. Recommended without reservation.
Fantastic read. Recommended without reservation.
While this book is billed as a history of Churchill and Orwell, it is more a history of World War II as told through the lens of the lives of two of the 20th Century's most well known individuals, Winston Churchill and George Orwell.
While I am fascinated with Churchill and have read several histories on him, I am less familiar with Orwell as a historical figure, though I am familiar with him as an author.
I found the contrast between Churchill and Orwell, one an aristocratic, conservative-leaning politician and the other an upper-middle class, left-leaning writer, to be a perfect window through which to view World War II and the changes that conflict left on the world.
I particularly found this point of view engaging in light of today's political climate where it seems that both the Right and the Left have taken up camps that are diametrically opposed to one another with little room for the convergence points of both sides to take root.
In the viewpoints of both Churchill and Orwell, I find the liberty of the individual to be of the upmost concern. This is something that both the Right and the Left have lost.
In effect, they provided a repudiation of totalitarianism (Churchill and Nazism on the right and Orwell and Stalinism on the left) that laid the groundwork for the culture that allowed for the growth of the liberal democracy in the post-war years.
Ricks does a fantastic job showcasing this with the backdrop of World War II to provide particular insights into how both men worked from somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum to the same end. He also does a great job at aligning this viewpoint within the current climate of affairs with the rise of populist, "totalitarist" right and left politics in both the United States and Europe that put the focus on the government rather than the liberty of the individual.
While I am fascinated with Churchill and have read several histories on him, I am less familiar with Orwell as a historical figure, though I am familiar with him as an author.
I found the contrast between Churchill and Orwell, one an aristocratic, conservative-leaning politician and the other an upper-middle class, left-leaning writer, to be a perfect window through which to view World War II and the changes that conflict left on the world.
I particularly found this point of view engaging in light of today's political climate where it seems that both the Right and the Left have taken up camps that are diametrically opposed to one another with little room for the convergence points of both sides to take root.
In the viewpoints of both Churchill and Orwell, I find the liberty of the individual to be of the upmost concern. This is something that both the Right and the Left have lost.
In effect, they provided a repudiation of totalitarianism (Churchill and Nazism on the right and Orwell and Stalinism on the left) that laid the groundwork for the culture that allowed for the growth of the liberal democracy in the post-war years.
Ricks does a fantastic job showcasing this with the backdrop of World War II to provide particular insights into how both men worked from somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum to the same end. He also does a great job at aligning this viewpoint within the current climate of affairs with the rise of populist, "totalitarist" right and left politics in both the United States and Europe that put the focus on the government rather than the liberty of the individual.
I wasn’t sure about the book at first. Halfway through I might have left 3.5 stars. But the way the stories came together was beautiful. (And definitely read the afterword.) Worth the read.
I knew a fair amount about Churchill before reading this book, but I knew almost nothing about Orwell. The amount of background and historical context in this book is staggering, and I really appreciated the context and narrative, especially because my knowledge was so limited about things like the Spanish Civil War/Orwell’s involvement. I liked the way the book was split up and organized, but at some points, I wished chapters were longer because I wanted to know more about Churchill/Orwell and didn’t want to switch to the other man. I especially enjoyed the last few chapters where the author ties in 1984 and draws parallels to 2018, and another book I’ve read recently (The Circle by Dave Eggers). The parallels are chilling, and I definitely wonder what both Churchill and Orwell would have thought of modern-day politics.
Not quite as page-turning as Erik Larson, but the fascinating history of the men, the countries, and the era made this thoroughly pleasant. Excellent narration.
Although I'm a fan of "Animal Farm" and "1984", I didn't know much about Orwell's life so appreciated this biography in the context of the time period. I don't know how well comparable these two men actually are, but clearly both were great writers and influential political thinkers - the highlight of the book was easily the last few chapters about their influence in the post-war world.
This very informative book is fascinating and relevant today. While Churchill and Orwell weren't really contemporaries - they did overlap at the height of their careers and were united in their fight against fascists. Excellent read even if you are like me and NOT a history buff.
3.5 stars
While I knew some of Winston Churchill's role in World War II and have read both "Animal Farm" and "1984" by George Orwell, I knew very little about their lives, both before and during the 1930s through the 1950s. This book provides a fascinating look into the events that shaped both men and gives a pretty even-handed account of both their successes and failures, where they went wrong as well as where they went right. They encapsulated their time, each in his own way, and left legacies whose repercussions are still felt in discussions of freedom, security, and the relationship between the state and the individual. Definitely recommended reading (or listening) for fans of history and literature.
While I knew some of Winston Churchill's role in World War II and have read both "Animal Farm" and "1984" by George Orwell, I knew very little about their lives, both before and during the 1930s through the 1950s. This book provides a fascinating look into the events that shaped both men and gives a pretty even-handed account of both their successes and failures, where they went wrong as well as where they went right. They encapsulated their time, each in his own way, and left legacies whose repercussions are still felt in discussions of freedom, security, and the relationship between the state and the individual. Definitely recommended reading (or listening) for fans of history and literature.
What can we learn from history?
Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks wasn’t on my “gotta read” list. It just happened to be available at the Library, and I couldn’t help but be curious.
It is an unusual biography of two influential men in history.
Ricks highlights how the careers of these two different men greatly impacted events and attitudes in their lifetime and beyond. (The fact that 1984 became a bestseller after Trump was elected shows Orwell's continued influence.)
The author also looked at certain aspects of their lives to analyze how similar their approaches to the preservation of freedom were.
Here is a memorable passage:
"On the surface, the two men were quite different. Churchill was more robust in every way; born twenty-eight years before Orwell, he outlived him by fifteen years. But in crucial respects they were kindred spirits. In their key overlapping years in the middle of the century, the two men grappled with the same great questions — Hitler and fascism, Stalin and communism, America and its preemption of Britain. They responded with the same qualities and tools — their intellects, their confidence in their own judgments even when those judgments were rebuked by most of their contemporaries, and their extraordinary skill with words. And both steered by the core principles of liberal democracy: freedom of thought, speech and association. Their paths never crossed, but they admired each other from a distance, and when it came time for George Orwell to write 1984, he named his hero 'Winston.' Churchill is on record as having enjoyed the novel so much he read it twice."
This book isn’t a perfect depiction of these two men – but, it does give us the opportunity to pause and reflect on a time in history, and to appreciate how the influence these men had in their time continues to this day.
Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks wasn’t on my “gotta read” list. It just happened to be available at the Library, and I couldn’t help but be curious.
It is an unusual biography of two influential men in history.
Ricks highlights how the careers of these two different men greatly impacted events and attitudes in their lifetime and beyond. (The fact that 1984 became a bestseller after Trump was elected shows Orwell's continued influence.)
The author also looked at certain aspects of their lives to analyze how similar their approaches to the preservation of freedom were.
Here is a memorable passage:
"On the surface, the two men were quite different. Churchill was more robust in every way; born twenty-eight years before Orwell, he outlived him by fifteen years. But in crucial respects they were kindred spirits. In their key overlapping years in the middle of the century, the two men grappled with the same great questions — Hitler and fascism, Stalin and communism, America and its preemption of Britain. They responded with the same qualities and tools — their intellects, their confidence in their own judgments even when those judgments were rebuked by most of their contemporaries, and their extraordinary skill with words. And both steered by the core principles of liberal democracy: freedom of thought, speech and association. Their paths never crossed, but they admired each other from a distance, and when it came time for George Orwell to write 1984, he named his hero 'Winston.' Churchill is on record as having enjoyed the novel so much he read it twice."
This book isn’t a perfect depiction of these two men – but, it does give us the opportunity to pause and reflect on a time in history, and to appreciate how the influence these men had in their time continues to this day.