Robert Rhodes James (1933–1999)

17 Mar 2010

A pretty flawless biography of the politician and Prime Minister, Anthony Eden, of whom I've always been rather fond (I helped to look after his archives in my first Library job, and had to phone his rather formidable widow, Clarissa, Lady Avon, whenever someone came in to consult them). Some events are rather dry, but they're told with a balanced hand and a concern for accuracy that makes them more interesting. There are asides from the biographer and he even comes into the story show more at times, as a young MP in the latter years of Eden's House of Commons career, but he always strives to be fair and his comments are appropriate. A good, old-fashioned biography, that shies away from the prurient moment and is stern where it needs to be, but also firmly on Eden's side, and even tender at times. show less

Readable biography of this unusual politician. But not a full biography - in particular, it concentrates heavily on politics, and says very little about Churchill's personal life and marriage. As the author was himself a politician this is perhaps unsurprising; he obviously finds the details of political manoeuvring more interesting than other aspects. The biography also lacks full references, although it does make extensive use of primary sources.

This is a well-written biography (the author was a parliamentary official) and is not over-encumbered with detail. The book can be enjoyed by those who, like me, have a limited knowledge of the period.

Archibald Primrose was the son of the Fourth Earl of Rosebery, and became the fifth to hold that title. He did not sit in the House of Lords, as he held this title from the Scottish peerage. He said he had three goals in life "To win the Derby {three of his horses did), to marry an heiress ( Hannah de Rothschild, Heir of the banking fortune), and to be Prime Minister, (1894 - 95). In spite of doing these things I did not find the man, or his achievements, to be of much interest.