Review 'A magnificent saga of public and private lives, politics and society, peace and war ... I was captivated from beginning to end' -- Charlotte Mosley 'Immensley readable ... compelling' -- Victoria Schofield, Financial Times 'Colin Clifford has woven their complex story together with great skill and judgment' -- Artemis Cooper, Daily Mail 'Full of quirky detail ... tolerant of the central figures and steeped in the forgotten atmosphere of their time, its customs and ethos, its lanquage, habits and heroes' -- Isabel Quigly, The Oldie 'Far more gripping than fiction' -- Jane Ridley, The Spectator 'An extraordinary family in times of triumph and catastrophe, wonderfully and painfully delineated. I was engrossed' -- Antonia Fraser 'A Forsythe Saga of real life' -- Sunday Telegraph 'Could hardly have been better done' -- Philip Ziegler, Literary Review 'An incredible account of a remarkable family at a pivotal point in 20th century history. It also paints a vivid picture of Edwardian politics and society, and the people who were at its nucleus.' -- This England 20031001 'Compelling saga ... expertly researched ... incisive portrait ...' -- This England 20031001 Read more About the Author Colin Clifford was educated at l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris and Merton College, Oxford. After being called to the Bar he worked in the City of London and later became Economics Correspondent for the Sunday times. This is his first book. Read more
S**L
Confusing and eventually unflattering
Clifford likes the Asquiths, and desperately wants to portray them in a good light. He writes in very great detail of their personal life with only infrequent references to outside events. If you don't already know the event, institution, or issues involved, you will NOT find out about them in this book, nor, sadly, why the Asquiths reacted as they did. Rest assured Margot will act daringly, if not indiscreetly, whatever the event, such as swapping hats during a ship-launching ceremony on a windy day. Furthermore, Clifford jumps back and forth in time, adding considerably to the confusion.From reading this book, I just wanted to slap some sense into these people. They had EVERYTHING and threw it away! I also wanted to slap Clifford for his spirited defense of Haig at the book's end, while discretely ignoring the disasters (two pages on the battle of the Somme) which most of the Great War's soldiers and history places at Haig's doorstep.There just has to be a better book about the Asquiths. These whining bunch of losers portrayed here couldn't have been elected dog-catcher, let alone the Prime Minister.
M**E
An engrossing opportunity to learn from the past
"An extraordinary political family in times of triumph and catastrophe, wonderfully and painfully delineated. I was engrossed" wrote Antonia Fraser. I also was engrossed. This is a real 'What happens next?' pageturner. The mistakes now seen to have been made in the prosecution of The Great War now seem the clearest of danger signals warning of the mistakes that would be made in 'negotiating' (without including the beaten enemy in the negotiations) the Treaty of Versailles. The glimpses of the incipient genius of Winston Churchill are particularly illuminating. World War Two,the holocaust and even our current problems in Mesopotamia are present like horrors waiting in the wings as this fascinating true story is unfolded.The vivid WW1 trench warfare descriptions made me realise once more the tremendous debt that we, the living, owe to these who sacrificed everything for us.
Y**K
Thank you Colin Clifford for exceptional, sensitive book
Thank you Colin Clifford for your exceptional, sensitive book. I just finished reading it and I wanted more! I got so used to being in the presence of the Asquith family members and their friends, so skillfully and patiently described. Your book gave me a real taste of those times. The characters are so real, so honestly shown, with such understanding and insight. I was laughing and crying with them and sometimes was irritated by them. A very needed book, giving a balanced and compassionate view not only on the Asquiths, but on many other aspects of our history, and maybe serving as a warning... One cannot avoid certain analogies that come to mind about the management of the war exposed in the book and the same problem in our contemporary times.
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