First class biography illuminating recent history

I found this a most interesting and informative book combining an excellent biography of an important politician of the 20th century with the political and social history he helped shape.

It is obvious from this biography that Clement Attlee's achievements in life have and continue to be underestimated. I had little idea how courageous he was both on the battle fields of WW1 and in fighting for a better life for those struggling with poverty and ill-health. He was a pioneer in promoting socialism long before it had any real power and I now learn that without his steady leadership it might have remained in the wilderness for much longer than it did as he moderated extremism.

I was amazed to learn that he had switched from being a Tory in his youth to being a radical socialist. I now realize how important is was the he was also a pragmatist who could work well with Churchill during the war. One is reminded that it was his post-war government setup the NHS and improved social welfare: things that were resisted at the time by some but are now valued and supported by all political parties.

It's surprising that he remained leader of his party for 20 years despite repeated plots to oust him and endured much criticism of his leadership style: but with hindsight his unconfrontational style was his strength that enabled him to moderate the different wings of his party who could have split the party. It's salutary to be reminded that politics doesn't change as in the present day bitter conflicts rage between the left and right wings within both of the main parties in the UK, while meanwhile the country heads for disaster.

The narrator is very good

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7 people found this helpful

Thorough and insightful

As someon interested in the 'long view' of history, this book was a fascinating focus on a remarkable man. The author adeptly positions Attlee's achievements within a greater story of the development of left wing politics and also the social and cultural context of the time.

I don't really like poetry as a tool in non fiction so I didn't enjoy the poems at the start of each chapter, but that's personal preference rather than any flaw in the book. The narrator is excellent, with the exception of some of his Indian or Middle Eastern accents which are terrible. Otherwise though, his style fits the book perfectly and it is an engaging performance.

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long and dull in places, but worth reading to the

long and a dull in places, but worth reading to the very end.
thank you

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2 people found this helpful

The last Victorian at No10

Clem was the last Victorian to occupy No10 (excluding Churchill’s second term) transformed the UK into a welfare state and moved the centre of British politics to the left. Much in the same way as Mrs Thatcher moved it to the right in the 1980’s. The very opposite of flamboyant this quiet man kept the Labour Party together for 20 years. Many of it’s problems can be traced back to the 1945-51 government. John Bew explains why Churchill last the 1945 election and what motivated this extraordinary figure to reshape the UK after WW2

A valued number two to Churchill during the War they would remain on friendly terms for the rest of their lives. Bew tells of lunches where the two discussed the novels of Trollope. Attlee’s Socialism came not from Marx, but from William Morris and William Blake. An extraordinarily enjoyable book which makes a great companion piece to Andrew Roberts recent biography of Churchill

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2 people found this helpful

Ernie Bevin

He was from Bristol not Yorkshire and is very annoying when narrated in a Yorkshire accent
Otherwise very good and accurate

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Well now I know.

I’m not a fan of biographies and this book didn’t change my view on them. It can be very dry in places and I only picked it up because it was about a politician I knew very little about. Still, it’s a fascinating account of a man who ushered in the NHS and the welfare state and who should always be remembered for that.

This book finally made me realise a strange sounding school in South Shields was named after a Labour politician.

Narration was ok.

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Brilliant

Absolutely brilliant I highly recommend to everyone. In my opinion one of the finest biographies done on a political leader

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Very good biography elevated by unique angle.

An excellent book. The quality of the historical accounts and the insight into Attlee's character and works are very good indeed (though on their own would not likely be worthy of the five stars). What elevates the book is the angle that Bew finds: of exploring Attlee through his reading material at the point in time, and the contextual clues as to what he thought of it. This gives unique insight into the development of his ideas and gets inside the mind of an intensely private and reserved person (and it also works very well as a framing device within chapters). Davis's narration is highly competent and mostly engaging (though his stock voice for American characters leaves a little to be desired...) A hefty tome but - in my opinion - well worth your time.

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Really good listen. Great book, excellent narrator

The Mouse that Roared. Amazed at how such an unassuming man remained leader of Labour Party for 20 years, during the country's most tumultuous times. Seemed to possess humility, not the narcissistic qualities a lot of leader's have and also a proud to be British and a socialist. How times have changed

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1 person found this helpful

outstanding biography

A wonderful book. Scholarly, readable, measured with a skilled balancing of narrative and nalysis, and the personal and the contextual. Rightly hailed by critics, it's contemporary relevance is never forced and is the more powerful for that. The audio book does justice to this excellent biography.

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