Winston S. Churchill, war correspondent, 1895-1900

In retrospect, it seems difficult to imagine the stentorian figure of Sir Winston Churchill ever living in the shadow of his famous father, Lord Randolph Churchill. Yet the desire to be more than just 'Randolph's boy', allied to a relentless urge to be in the thick of things, meant that it was a political career to be forged far from dingy town halls and the elegant cocktail parties of the rich and powerful. Thus, with little writing or military experience to his name, The young Churchill set off to Cuba to make his mark. In this campaign and those that followed in India, the Sudan and South Africa, he developed the spare and deliberately controversial style that was to make him both a household name and a journalist respected and feared in parliamentary circles. His stinging attacks on the Indian Government, the Cabinet and the commanders he served under ended any chance of a military career--but it was public attention and not a. Prestigious staff appointment that he sought. While Churchill relished the hazards of the front line, the excitement of battle was tempered by a sombre realisation of the futility of war. In the same way, his passionate belief in Queen and Empire did not prevent him from admiring a worthy enemy, and his reports are remarkable for their objectivity at a time when jingoistic propaganda was the norm. Frederick Woods has assembled a set of despatches that rank among the best. Writings of this master of the English language. Complemented by an excellent introduction and informative notes throughout, they are at once an enthralling read and an open window into the world of an embattled empire.