Scan barcode
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Audio book read by Simon Vance.
Subtitle: The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill
Millard writes an interesting and detailed biography of the young Winston Churchill. Long before he became the statesman who shepherded his nation through the darkest days of WW2, he was a young, somewhat rash man eager to make his mark in the world. Working as a journalist and war correspondent, he was captured during the Boer War. He connected with a couple of other prisoners of war and planned a daring escape. Churchill was the weakest member of the team and his comrades considered leaving him out of the escape, but he was the one who managed to get across the fence. Unfortunately, he had no idea what came next. His propensity to talk out of turn had resulted in his mates keeping the complete plans secret from the talkative Winston. Also, they had the maps and supplies that would sustain them on the hundreds of miles of dangerous and wild terrain. So there he was – facing miles of unfamiliar territory, and without food or water to sustain him. He did the only thing he could … he started going forward.
It’s a fascinating story and gives a somewhat different picture of the man most of us know only from his prominence during WW2. Yet, the reader gets a sense of the man he will become.
Simon Vance does a marvelous job narrating the audiobook. His pace is good and he has the skill as a voice artist to differentiate the many male characters.
Subtitle: The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill
Millard writes an interesting and detailed biography of the young Winston Churchill. Long before he became the statesman who shepherded his nation through the darkest days of WW2, he was a young, somewhat rash man eager to make his mark in the world. Working as a journalist and war correspondent, he was captured during the Boer War. He connected with a couple of other prisoners of war and planned a daring escape. Churchill was the weakest member of the team and his comrades considered leaving him out of the escape, but he was the one who managed to get across the fence. Unfortunately, he had no idea what came next. His propensity to talk out of turn had resulted in his mates keeping the complete plans secret from the talkative Winston. Also, they had the maps and supplies that would sustain them on the hundreds of miles of dangerous and wild terrain. So there he was – facing miles of unfamiliar territory, and without food or water to sustain him. He did the only thing he could … he started going forward.
It’s a fascinating story and gives a somewhat different picture of the man most of us know only from his prominence during WW2. Yet, the reader gets a sense of the man he will become.
Simon Vance does a marvelous job narrating the audiobook. His pace is good and he has the skill as a voice artist to differentiate the many male characters.
kathleenguthriewoods's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating. Actually, some of the more interesting parts were those providing information about the history, cultures, and people of Africa.
Well written, great narrative, colorful insights into a super-human character. Bits of humor helped, some of it due to absurdities of how the upper-crust lived (no spoilers, but the tailor in prison? Geez.). Also bit of a slog at times (I found myself drifting out of the parts about war and politics, but I think that's mostly because I've been reading a lot about war and politics lately).
I do recommend.
Well written, great narrative, colorful insights into a super-human character. Bits of humor helped, some of it due to absurdities of how the upper-crust lived (no spoilers, but the tailor in prison? Geez.). Also bit of a slog at times (I found myself drifting out of the parts about war and politics, but I think that's mostly because I've been reading a lot about war and politics lately).
I do recommend.
suebrownreads's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed learning more about Churchill as a young man. From a young age, he had an incredible belief in himself and set his cap to be the British Prime Minister one day. He was "courageous in battle, sometimes rash." He was many times on the battle front in India, Africa and during WWI. I believe he was never injured which is pretty amazing. "He brashly yet prophetically told his mother that he had “faith in my star – that is that I am intended to do something in the world.”
And "something" he certainly did!
And "something" he certainly did!
dtab62's review against another edition
5.0
If you would have told me that I'd be giving five stars to a book about Winston Churchill and the Boer War, I wouldn't have believed you. But Candice Millard has established herself as that rare writer who can take a seemingly uninteresting subject, and and making it fascinating. This is her third book, and the above may be said about all three. I'm looking forward to the fourth.
dale_kooyenga's review against another edition
5.0
I have read thousand of pages on Winston Churchill and every Candice Millard book and I can't get enough Winston or Candice.
I knew a little about the Boer War and a little about Churchill's escape from a prison there. What I did't fully appreciate was the Hollywood like detail of his escape and the combination of his perseverance and luck that would subsequently lead a man to a form of leadership which was the rudder of the worlds transition from the 19th to the 20th century.
The book also is a good look at the Boer War. The war wedged between the Civil War and WW I gives an interesting preview on the deadliness of the new form of warfare to come.
I recommend every Candice Millard book. She brings every story to life as if it was a novel. I hope she keeps them coming.
I knew a little about the Boer War and a little about Churchill's escape from a prison there. What I did't fully appreciate was the Hollywood like detail of his escape and the combination of his perseverance and luck that would subsequently lead a man to a form of leadership which was the rudder of the worlds transition from the 19th to the 20th century.
The book also is a good look at the Boer War. The war wedged between the Civil War and WW I gives an interesting preview on the deadliness of the new form of warfare to come.
I recommend every Candice Millard book. She brings every story to life as if it was a novel. I hope she keeps them coming.
corlaine's review against another edition
4.0
Very well written history of Winston Churchill’s beginnings. Descriptive to the point that I got a real distaste for Churchill’s egocentric attitude.
readandlisten's review against another edition
3.0
As much as I enjoyed Ms. Millard's other works, this I enjoyed much less. Perhaps it's the subject, Churchill, that I don't particularly care about. The writing is top notch.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
Millard writes smart, clear and incredibly researched historical reviews. This book is on par with her take downs of Teddy Roosevelt. Churchill is a character with myths and stories. His impact on his country was driven by his desire to demonstrate his proper place in society. His intelligence and ability to learn from others was developed early in his career. The caper of the book, though, is his resiliency.