The Roar of the Lion by Richard Toye
The essential book on Winston Churchill's classic World War II speeches - one that will change the way we think about Churchill's oratory forever.
Rooted in primary sources, this is an engaging read in which we find our preconceptions of this iconic figure challenged* Who Do You Think You Are?, Sarah Newey *
A book about Churchill's wartime speeches is likely only to appeal to his most ardent fans, or so one might think. But Toyne's superb history is more concerned with the impact that his speeches had on the British population, as well as those listening abroad... an intelligent and essential corrective to Churchillian glory, which neither idolises the man nor damns him. * Independent on Sunday, Lesley McDowell *
This scholarly book presents a readable and in-depth exploration of Churchill's speeches, including the notes and drafts stored at the National Archives at Kew, Churchills diaries and memoirs, within their historic, political and bureaucratic context. This book will appeal to writers as well as lawyers and politicians, historians, World War II scholars and to all who are fascinated by Churchill himself. * Guardian, GrrlScientist *
Thoroughly researched, readable and fascinating. * David Reynolds, The Guardian *
[Richard Toye] provides a nuanced and discriminating account of the pivotal episode in Churchill's career. * Peter Clarke, Financial Times *
The Roar of the Lion is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. * Richard Overy, Times Literary Supplement *
Toye writes lucidly, and there is no sense of repetition in the book, which forensically examines one speech after another... [There] are still a lot of new aspects of Churchill's life to be explored. Toye has found one with this first ever, comprehensive, archival based study of WSC's splendid wartime speeches. * History Today *
The book explores enemy and neutral responses, as well as how the speeches were written. In doing so, it offers a nuanced portrait of a key facet of Churchill's war leadership. * Gary Sheffield, BBC History Magazine Books of the Year 2013 *
The main strength of The Roar of the Lion lies in its patiently researched microhistories of the speeches. Toye pinpoints the contexts in which they were written, the calculations that lay behind them, and their reception not just at home but also overseas. * Literary Review *
[Toye is] one of Britain's leading historians and a man sympathetic to, but not subsumed by, the Churchill of lore and yore. * Boston Globe *
Thought-provoking ... a useful corrective to the legend. Not only was there a larger variety of responses to Churchill's oratory than usually imagined, but sometimes Churchill's speeches actually depressed, rather than exhilarated. Nor did praise for his wartime oratory mean that people thought Churchill would be the best person to lead the nation after victory, as the 1945 election showed. Good military news, as Toye's evidence makes clear, was always a more invigorating tonic than the most inspirational rhetoric. * David Stafford, BBC History magazine *
Toye's analysis of audience figures and personal diaries provides a fascinating insight into how the British public received Churchill's now much revered wartime speeches. * Discover Your History magazine *
The details make this book a joy to read for speakers and speechwriters alike. * Denise Graveline, Eloquent Woman *
The Roar of the Lion is a valuable addition to the study of Churchills wartime premiership and demonstrates that there is still much to say about the man and his work. * Kevin Matthews, Reviews in History, 14/04/2014 *
Toye weaves all this skillfully together to provide the most nuanced assessment yet of the impact of Churchill's rethoric.[...] Highly recommended. * R. A. Callahan,Choice, *
A book about Churchill's wartime speeches is likely only to appeal to his most ardent fans, or so one might think. But Toyne's superb history is more concerned with the impact that his speeches had on the British population, as well as those listening abroad... an intelligent and essential corrective to Churchillian glory, which neither idolises the man nor damns him. * Independent on Sunday, Lesley McDowell *
This scholarly book presents a readable and in-depth exploration of Churchill's speeches, including the notes and drafts stored at the National Archives at Kew, Churchills diaries and memoirs, within their historic, political and bureaucratic context. This book will appeal to writers as well as lawyers and politicians, historians, World War II scholars and to all who are fascinated by Churchill himself. * Guardian, GrrlScientist *
Thoroughly researched, readable and fascinating. * David Reynolds, The Guardian *
[Richard Toye] provides a nuanced and discriminating account of the pivotal episode in Churchill's career. * Peter Clarke, Financial Times *
The Roar of the Lion is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. * Richard Overy, Times Literary Supplement *
Toye writes lucidly, and there is no sense of repetition in the book, which forensically examines one speech after another... [There] are still a lot of new aspects of Churchill's life to be explored. Toye has found one with this first ever, comprehensive, archival based study of WSC's splendid wartime speeches. * History Today *
The book explores enemy and neutral responses, as well as how the speeches were written. In doing so, it offers a nuanced portrait of a key facet of Churchill's war leadership. * Gary Sheffield, BBC History Magazine Books of the Year 2013 *
The main strength of The Roar of the Lion lies in its patiently researched microhistories of the speeches. Toye pinpoints the contexts in which they were written, the calculations that lay behind them, and their reception not just at home but also overseas. * Literary Review *
[Toye is] one of Britain's leading historians and a man sympathetic to, but not subsumed by, the Churchill of lore and yore. * Boston Globe *
Thought-provoking ... a useful corrective to the legend. Not only was there a larger variety of responses to Churchill's oratory than usually imagined, but sometimes Churchill's speeches actually depressed, rather than exhilarated. Nor did praise for his wartime oratory mean that people thought Churchill would be the best person to lead the nation after victory, as the 1945 election showed. Good military news, as Toye's evidence makes clear, was always a more invigorating tonic than the most inspirational rhetoric. * David Stafford, BBC History magazine *
Toye's analysis of audience figures and personal diaries provides a fascinating insight into how the British public received Churchill's now much revered wartime speeches. * Discover Your History magazine *
The details make this book a joy to read for speakers and speechwriters alike. * Denise Graveline, Eloquent Woman *
The Roar of the Lion is a valuable addition to the study of Churchills wartime premiership and demonstrates that there is still much to say about the man and his work. * Kevin Matthews, Reviews in History, 14/04/2014 *
Toye weaves all this skillfully together to provide the most nuanced assessment yet of the impact of Churchill's rethoric.[...] Highly recommended. * R. A. Callahan,Choice, *
Richard Toye was born in Cambridge in 1973. He studied at the Universities of Birmingham and Cambridge, and is currently Professor of Modern History at the University of Exeter. His books include Lloyd George and Churchill: Rivals for Greatness (2007), Churchill's Empire: The World that Made Him and the World He Made (2010), and Rhetoric: A Very Short Introduction (2013, also published by Oxford University Press). He lives in Exeter with his wife and their two sons.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780199642526 |
| ISBN 10 | 0199642524 |
| Title | The Roar of the Lion |
| Author | Richard Toye |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Year published | 2013-08-22 |
| Number of pages | 320 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |