From Newsgroup: soc.history.what-if

Posting this for A425couple as he is having issues connecting to Usenet:


The background, my question (really an old one) is stirred up by a new book,

The-aChurchill-aFactor:-aHow-aOne-aMan-aMade-aHistory-arCo-aby-aBoris-aJohnson

first-afrom https://www.amazon.com/Churchill-Factor-How-Made-History/dp/1594633983

The-aChurchill-aFactor:-aHow-aOne-aMan-aMade-aHistory-arCo-aOctober-a27,-a2015 by-aBoris-aJohnson

Wow!-a-aIf-ayou-aare-ain-athe-aUSA,-ayou-acan-aget-ait-adelivered-ato-ayour-adoor
used,-afor-ajust-a$5.60. 75%-aor-araters-agave-ait-aa-a5-astar-aout-aof-a5-arating.

I'm-asure-aglad-aI-agot-ait-aand-aam-aenjoying-ait. I-aespecially-aenjoyed-athe-atreatment-aof-ahis-ashaping-aof-athe-aMiddle-aEast,
and-arefusing-athe-a'truce'-aapproach-ain-aMay-a1940.

"From LondonrCOs inimitable mayor, Boris Johnson, the New York TimesrCobestselling story of how ChurchillrCOs eccentric genius shaped not only his world but our own.

On the fiftieth anniversary of ChurchillrCOs death, Boris Johnson
celebrates the singular brilliance of one of the most important leaders
of the twentieth century. Taking on the myths and misconceptions along
with the outsized reality, he portraysrCowith characteristic wit and passionrCoa man of contagious bravery, breathtaking eloquence, matchless strategizing, and deep humanity.

Fearless on the battlefield, Churchill had to be ordered by the king to
stay out of action on D-day; he pioneered aerial bombing and few could
match his experience in organizing violence on a colossal scale, yet he
hated war and scorned politicians who had not experienced its horrors.
He was the most famous journalist of his time and perhaps the greatest
orator of all time, despite a lisp and the chronic depression he kept at
bay by painting. His maneuvering positioned America for entry into World
War II, even as it ushered in EnglandrCOs postwar decline. His
open-mindedness made him a trailblazer in health care, education, and
social welfare, though he remained incorrigibly politically incorrect.
Most of all, he was a rebuttal to the idea that history is the story of
vast and impersonal forces; he is proof that one personrCointrepid,
ingenious, determinedrCocan make all the difference."

"Editorial-aReviews
Praise-afor-aThe-aChurchill-aFactor:

rCL[The Churchill Factor] isnrCOt another potted biography. . . . [Johnson] clearly admires his subject, and his book has a boyish, innocent quality
that is also an essential part of Mr. JohnsonrCOs political appeal.rCY rCoThe-aWall-aStreet-aJournal

rCLBuoyant,-aquick-witted-aand-avastly-aentertaining.rCY-arCoThe-aEconomist

rCLA lively, and pertinent, introduction . . . Johnson has painted his portrait of Churchill with light, learning, and good sense, a wise
aggregation of present and past.rCY rCoThe Weekly Standard

rCLFascinating . . . [JohnsonrCOs] interpretation of [Churchill] is interesting on every page.rCY rCoFreakonomics

rCLA bravura performance . . . Johnson has not only celebrated Churchill
in this book: he has emulated him with comparable panache.rCY rCoFinancial Times

rCLA full-throated celebration of human greatness and perhaps the best
(and certainly the funniest) . . . introduction to Churchill yet written
. . . delightful and effervescent.rCY rCoThe Daily Beast

rCLFilled-awith-avivid-aobservations.rCY-arCoThe-aWashington-aPost

rCLA characteristically breathless romp through the life and times of our greatest wartime leader, Winston Churchill . . . as high on
entertainment as it is on providing an appraisal of the great manrCOs achievements . . . JohnsonrCOs distinctive writing style is unlike any
other used in the countless books that have been written on Churchill .
. . It reads at times like a mixture of Monty Python and the Horrible Histories.rCY rCoThe Telegraph (4 stars)

rCLAn interesting study of a truly fascinating historical figure . . . [Johnson] is a good, sound writer with a very distinct, unique voice . .
. It is as if [he] were sitting with you on a long night in a pub over
pints telling you everything he knows and think of Churchill.rCY rCoPop Mythology

rCLJohnson has knocked this project out of the park. With this book
Johnson has not only managed to create the most readable non-fiction
prose I have read all year, but he has managed to clarify myth, destroy
recent revisionism and unearth new material. The book amuses and
educates in equal measure with a deftness of touch and lightness of
learning that is beyond most people. He has done this while holding down
one of the countryrCOs busiest and most high-profile jobs.rCY rCoQuadrapheme

rCL[The Churchill Factor] is both paean of praise and irreverent romp,
with analysis of ChurchillrCOs smorgasbord of achievements . . . Its
stress on the importance of political bravery, and doing what is morally right, rather than what the polls and press dictate, is a timeless
message.rCY rCoThe Jewish Chronicle

rCLCombine[s] bathos with humour and a welcome clarity of historical
argument . . . there is much to commend in this spirited, entertaining tale.rCY rCoThe Guardian

rCLThe Churchill Factor would have been a worthy contribution without the political overtones. Like Sir WinstonrCowho somehow published 43 books
(and won the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature) while not busy leading the defeat of HitlerrCoMr. Johnson is a superb writer. Despite the heavy
subject matter, The Churchill Factor is a light and quick read . . . [JohnsonrCOs] brisk style of writing . . . helps keep the book moving, challenging readers with occasional get-out-your-dictionary words and rewarding them with the odd belly laugh.rCY rCoGlobe and Mail

rCLLike all JohnsonrCOs work [The Churchill Factor] is beautifully written, particularly as, in this case, he rises to the linguistic standards set
by his subject . . . it is clear that he not only admires Churchill enormously, but that he was also determined to make a really good job of
a timely reassessment on the eve of the 50th anniversary of ChurchillrCOs death.rCY rCoSaga Magazine

rCLChurchillrCOs own energyrCohis indefatigable pursuit of excitement, glory, place and powerrCodemands a writer of fizz and passion to do history
justice. Johnson is that writer." rCoMail on Sunday

rCLIrresistible . . . chatty, enthusiastic and as funny as you would expect.rCY rCoThe Spectator

rCLRiveting. It would be a fascinating read [even] without the Johnson FactorrCo[but] Boris is a superb, accessible writer, with an easy, good-humoured touch. . . . The result is entertaining, informative and teasing.rCY rCoThe Independent

rCLReadable,-aengaging-aand-aoften-afunny.rCY-arCoEvening-aStandard

rCLWhile there are many accounts of Winston Churchill and his political
savvy, one would be remiss to ignore this sprightly written volume. . .
. JohnsonrCOs history of Churchill is well crafted, amply researched, and
a pleasure to read.rCY rCoLibrary Journal

rCLReading about Churchill is always a delight, and Johnson is an accomplished, accessible writer.rCY
rCoKirkus-aReviews

"Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, popular historian and journalist who has served as Mayor of
London since 2008 and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Uxbridge and
South Ruislip since 2015. Johnson previously served as the MP for Henley
from 2001 until 2008. A member of the Conservative Party, Johnson
considers himself a One Nation Conservative and has been described as a libertarian due to his association with both economically liberal and culturally liberal policies."

There-ais-aalso-aa-awiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Churchill_Factor#:~:text=The%20Churchill%20Factor%3A%20How%20One,October%202014%20by%20Hodder%20%26%20Stoughton.

Which-ais-afairly-acritical,-aand-aimplies-aJohnson-ais-abeing-aself-aserving, but also includes "Another review said "like its characterisation of
some of Churchill's own writings, this book is 'crisp, punchy, full of
the kind of wham-bam short sentences that keep the reader moving down
the page'."

The-aGoodreads-aopinions-aare-ahere-a(they-arate-a4-aof-a5): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20893481-the-churchill-factor

Part-aof-awhat-aone-aof-atheir-areviewers-awrote-ais: "ThererCOs-aquite-aa-abit-aof-ahero-aworship-ain-athis-abook-arCo-aBoris-ais-aclearly
awe-astruck-aby-athe-aman-arCo-abut-aitrCOs-avery-ahard-anot-ato-acome-aaway-athinking
how-amuch-aChurchill-apacked-ainto-ahis-alifetime.-aWas-ahe-athe-agreatest Britain-aof-aall-atime?-aWell-amaybe,-acertainly-aa-apoll-ataken-ain-a2002 concluded-ahe-awas.-aBut-aanyway-ayou-alook-aat-ait-ahe-awas-adefinitely-athe right-aman-afor-athe-aright-atime."

As-aanother-asaid, "You-ameet-aBoris-aJohnson-ain-athe-apub-afor-aa-adrink.-aYou-amention Churchill-aand-a4-ahours-alater-ayou-aleave-athe-apub,-awondering-awhere the-atime-awent.-aThat-|s-awhat-ait-afeels-alike-ato-aread-athis-abook."

And-aanother: "I-awas-askeptical-athat-athis-amight-abe-aanother-adroning-ahistory book.-aJohnson-aquickly-adrew-ame-ain-athough,-ato-awhat-aseemed-aan enthusiastic-ascholarly-achat-ain-aa-apub,-afull-aof-agood-ahumour."

But-athen,-aone-aunhappy-aperson-awrote,
"Weaker-athen-aLemon-atea." ----abut-aI-asuspect-athat-ais-aa-adislike-abased-aon-aLabor-aParty-aopinions.

And-aan
https://www.newstatesman.com-arC|-aCulture-arC|-aBooks
The Churchill Factor: rCLOne man who made historyrCY by another who just
makes it up. Reading Johnson's The Churchill Factor is like rCLbeing
harangued for hours ...

The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made Historyhttps://books.google.com rC|
... rC| Political
'The point of the Churchill Factor is that one man can make all the difference.' Marking the fiftieth anniversary of Winston Churchill's
death, ...

The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris ...https://www.theguardian.com rC| books rC| dec rC| the-churc...
Dec 10, 2014 rCo The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson rCo review ... What must it be like to be trapped in irony rCo to be so infused by it ...

The Churchill Factor review rCo Boris Johnson's flawed but ...https://www.theguardian.com rC| books rC| nov rC| churchill...
Nov 3, 2014 rCo In the orgy of pre-publicity for this book, much has been
made of Johnson's not so subtle attempts to draw a parallel between
himself and ...
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
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