The Asquiths by Colin W G Clifford

The Asquiths by Colin W G Clifford

This book recounts their lives as Britain descended into turmoil, with the Asquith sons fighting in the trenches as their father, the Prime Minister, struggled to direct the bloodiest war in his country's history. Margot Asquith's remarkable role as the most intriguing of primeministerial wives is fully explored: her feuds with Lloyd George, her mistrust of the gutter genius Winston Churchill, and her hatred of Lord Northcliffe, the press baron who ultimately drove her husband from power in 1916. At the heart of the story are four of the Asquith children, Raymond, the brilliant scholar and outstanding President of the Oxford Union, who died leading his men into attack on the Somme; the shy Beb, artillery officer and poet, who overcame shell shock to face the horrors of Passchendale; Oc, whom General Freyberg -- himself a VC -- described as the bravest man I ever knew; and their mercurial sister Violet, her father's most ardent supporter but the bane of her jealous stepmother's life.Drawing for the first time on Margot Asquith's own journals, Asquith's letters to her, and a mass of hitherto unpublished correspondence, Colin Clifford provides an engrossing picture of a remarkable political family at a time of crisis.

'A magnificent saga of public and private lives, politics and society, peace and war.. I was captivated from beginning to end' -- Charlotte Mosley 'Immensley readable ... compelling' -- Victoria Schofield, Financial Times 'Colin Clifford has woven their complex story together with great skill and judgment' -- Artemis Cooper, Daily Mail 'Full of quirky detail ... tolerant of the central figures and steeped in the forgotten atmosphere of their time, its customs and ethos, its lanquage, habits and heroes' -- Isabel Quigly, The Oldie 'Far more gripping than fiction' -- Jane Ridley, The Spectator 'An extraordinary family in times of triumph and catastrophe, wonderfully and painfully delineated. I was engrossed' -- Antonia Fraser 'A Forsythe Saga of real life' -- Sunday Telegraph 'Could hardly have been better done' -- Philip Ziegler, Literary Review 'An incredible account of a remarkable family at a pivotal point in 20th century history. It also paints a vivid picture of Edwardian politics and society, and the people who were at its nucleus.' -- This England 20031001 'Compelling saga ... expertly researched ... incisive portrait ...' -- This England 20031001

Colin Clifford was educated at l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris and Merton College, Oxford. After being called to the Bar he worked in the City of London and later became Economics Correspondent for the Sunday times. This is his first book.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780719565250
ISBN 10	0719565251
Title	The Asquiths
Author	Colin W G Clifford
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	John Murray Press
Year published	2003-08-07
Number of pages	544
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable