Alan Clark (1) (1928–1999)

Clark's unvarnished and irreverent account of Conservative politics during the Thatcher years is a casket filled with pearls. He is unflinching in his criticism of friends, 'enemies' and principally himself. What is most admirable is that he does so with wit and a gift for storytelling that is more usual in a novelist than a diarist. Clark's sardonic tone and conscious abrasiveness of manner are often a mask for worldly wisdom and common sense. The insights he provides into himself, society show more and the 'business' of politics are both fascinating and rewarding. show less

Penetrative review of an early and fatally tragic campaign waged by the British resulting in significant losses of excellent Dominion soldiers. A battle where both sides made many mistakes. The Germans created their own "Bridge too Far" scenario by using their highly trained and eager airborne troops to invaded Crete. They are literally shot to pieces by poorly managed Anzac and Greek soldiers abetted by ferocious local partisans. Criminally timid decisions at the senior, brigade, regiment show more and battalion, level enabled the Germans to gain a vital air field despite what should have been devastating and conclusive early losses of men and materials. Then, overwhelming aerial support by the Luftwaffe carries the day despite very heroic attempts at support and supply by the Royal Navy.

Churchill's attempts to manage the tactical situation from England aptly demonstrate both his inadequacies at this level and the futility of civilian interference at the battlefield level. Fortunately, as the war progressed, Allied senior management improved significantly although old admirals and generals were still unnecessarily putting men at risk for the wrong reasons Two cases in point being; the battle for Peleliu and Operation Market Garden. Even more fortunately, Hitler was still tactically involved until the bitter end. show less

The Tories is, to borrow a phrase from W.S. Gilbert, a pudding full of plums – but it is a pudding nonetheless. Alan Clark is quite right to warn readers in his introduction that this is not a conventional history of the Conservative Party in the twentieth century. Instead, it could be described as a personal commentary on selected political events, sometimes with an insider's insights. Clark assumes a good working knowledge on the part of the reader, as key figures and events arrive on show more the scene unheralded and unglossed. Furthermore, there are many lacunae where Clark shifts focus from one period to another without bridging the two. The book's principal attraction is also its Achilles heel: Clark himself. His biting wit and caustic judgements are counterbalanced by his labyrinthine syntax and apparent disregard for the suggestions of his editor. His choice of topics are also idiosyncratic (very little, for example, on the changing relationship with the press). Clark is refreshingly upfront about his historical heroes and villains, and is highly entertaining in his assessments. Surprisingly, the chapters covering Clark's own time as an MP offer only a slight overview of the momentous Thatcher years compared to a more extensive analysis of the Major premiership. Recommended, but only for fans of Alan Clark's writing. show less

One of the best single volume accounts of WWII I have read. Clark really captures the essence of this monstrous conflict, which is so little understood in the West. Two monstrous ideologies grinding away at each other in a orgy of slaughter that makes the much-vaunted campaign of the Allies in Western Europe look like a children's tea party. The losses are simply staggering. The Allies lost about 150000 men between D-Day and the German surrender - the Soviets lost that many in mere days at show more Stalingrad. The Germans lost approximately 4.5 million soldiers in the whole of WWII - 3/4 of those were on the Eastern Front. Clark's admiration for the Russian fighting spirit is clear - among other things he demolishes the myth that the Russian armies surrendered meekly in the opening days of the German invasion, As Clark shows, they fought savagely and desperately, much more so than the Germans thought they would. A fantastic book, which can be read and re-read with no loss of interest. show less