I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found the subject matter really interesting. The book was well written and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book.

Another great piece of work by Anthony Tucker-Jones....he does a wonderful job as he has done on all his books....You can not go wrong with any of his works! The title is slightly misleading sine the book is more about World War Two than Churchill himself.

Author & historian Anthony Tucker-Jones https://www.atuckerjones.com published the book Churchill, Master and Commander: Winston Churchill at War 1895–1945 at the end of November 2021. He has published more than 50 military history books.

I categorize this book as ‘G’. As the title implies, Winston Churchill is the focus of this book. The author dedicates the first few chapters to Churchill’s military and journalist career during the late 19th century. He saw service in India, Sudan, and South Africa. Much of what he wrote as a journalist irritated the military. He also had difficulty refraining from slipping into a military role when serving as a journalist.

He struggled with his political career at first. He was eventually was elected as an MP and served in different government positions. He was appointed as First Lord of the Admiralty before WWI. He ended up with much of the blame for the failed ANZAC campaign at Gallipoli on his shoulders.

He was in and out of office from 1917 until he was finally asked to form a government as Prime Minister in 1939 after Germany had invaded Poland and Norway. He led the British Empire through WWII until just after victory in Europe.

I enjoyed the 12+ hours I spent reading this 510-page biography and WWII history. Churchill was undoubtedly a charismatic leader. Many credit him with stirring the British people to resist the Nazis' onslaught. He was the Prime Minister and also filled the position of Minister of Defense, which he had created. This gave him a large influence over the British conduct of the war. His interference in military matters was not always appreciated by the British or the Americans. While he and President Roosevelt generally got along well, Churchill’s desire to save the British Empire was upsetting.

To Churchill’s credit, he recognized the Nazi threat early and spoke out against it. While he saw Stalin and the Russians as an ally to win the war, He did not trust them. He feared they would eventually become an enemy. The author does a good job of looking at Churchill from every angle. While the book is about Churchill, there is a good narrative documenting what is happening in the world around him. I like the selected cover art. If you are interested in the history of WWII you will enjoy this book. I rate the book as a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

This is a further addition to the already vast literature available on the person often referred to as the greatest of Britain’s leaders. As such, it enters a crowded field; the question is, therefore, does it add anything new? For this reader it’s fair to say thee is much that is familiar. It is likely that many who buy or borrow this book will have some familiarity with Churchill’s life. However, the way the information is presented, and the few genuinely new snippets of information made this a worthwhile read that provided a more rounded portrait of a life much lived. At times, the author perhaps wastes a few pages by providing details that are very well and regularly covered elsewhere. For this reader, though, this was more than compensated by the light he shone on less well-covered episodes in Churchill’s remarkably varied career.
There is no doubt that this book is no hagiography; this is quite definitely a ‘warts and all’ biography, and Churchill’s many warts are given full exposure. The author does, however, have the grace to note that Churchill lived in different times when many of his views would have been seen as less extreme than if judged by the standards of the early twenty first century. Given this proper acknowledgment of the importance of seeing actions, opinions and decisions in the context of their times, it is somewhat disappointing that the author allows his own opinions to intrude here and there. This is particularly the case when considering aspects of the Second World War such as the aerial bombing of cities in Japan and Germany. There are many who regard Churchill’s treatment after the war of the members of RAF Bomber Command, who suffered the worst casualty rate of any of the armed services, as betraying those who risked their lives operation after operation.
Recommended for those looking for a different approach from the many more conventional biographies of Churchill

What an indefatigable fellow Winston Chuchill had been! He certainly had not let grass grow under his feet; constantly on the move from an early age. Wars, newspaper reporter, authoring books, and politics were among his favorite activites; war seemingly at the top of the list, as seen in this biography by Anthony Tucker-Jones. I was much surprized by all I learned about this "Master and Commander". Had no idea. I was always under the impression he'd kind of come up out of the blue to mastermind Hitler's defeat during WWII. Reading of his life's activities and seeing all he'd been into, gave me pause to see Churchill in a more comprehensive light and gain better understanding of the man, warrior, politication, and so on. Brilliant man and one instrumental in helping win a war against a tyrant was/is to be applauded despite some of the not so great things he had engaged in.

Those readers who like strategies of war will like this 'play by play' of the numerous wars Churchill had embroiled himself in, in his younger years. One can't help but to admire the strength, fortitude, hope and courage he emanated out to his people to persevere and strive together especially during that WWII crisis against many odds. All the lessons he'd learned and mined from, from a full life already lived, served him well at the crucial climax of time. When all's said and done, I do concur with author Tucker-Jones that Churchill was indeed a "Master and Commander" and that, par excellence.

This book will also offers maps and the dates of various wars in which Churchill fought and a sequence list thereof. There are also other references to Online Churchill Resources for those who seek further information.

~Eunice R., Reviewer/Blogger~

October 2021

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by the publisher.

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Another very well written book on a complicated man during an very difficult time. The author did a wonderful job building the biography and engaging the reader. I have read a number of books on WW2 and Churchill, but still learned from this book. The pace is fast and writing is entertaining. The book will also be a good read for a person who has not read much on Churchill. The length is just right and enjoyable.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Osprey Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a very highly detailed book about the military life of Winston Churchill from his early years in 1895 until after World War II ended in 1945. It highlights and explains his achievements and his failures in a way that is very easy to understand. I must admit that I knew very little of his background and now have a much better view of all he endured while in public service to his country and our world. The book is very descriptive of all these things. The book is most definitely a text book on all the happenings of the world at that time.

Since I am usually a fiction reader this is a little outside my normal choices but I did learn a lot.

Anthony Tucker-Jones explores the early experiences that shaped Winston Churchill as an eager military commander, and how his tenure as Prime Minister during and after World War II was just as significant for its mistakes as its triumphs. As the author of several well-regarded books on military hardware, you know the subject is in safe hands.
Eager for glory and excitement, it’s was at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 that his chance author paints an almost comical of Wc and his gung Ho spirit
heroic charge, the point where Churchill became an “adrenaline junkie”
this become the story of wc life - a risky gamble that paid off, this time. This event gave Churchill the taste for adventure and the sight of the British army in full flow “had a lasting effect on him”.
The many battlefields in Churchill’s life are vividly and compellingly brought to life by the author. This book really chimes with my view of Churchill and is written in a very accessible, non-stuffy way. I believe books such as this one that re-examine one of our most celebrated statesmen are important, and Anthony Tucker-Jones’ work is a fine example of that. It was a joy to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Osprey Publishing for allowing me to view an advanced reading copy.
Link to Amazon review to follow.