6/4/2023 0 Comments Clementine churchillBeautiful and intelligent, but driven by her own insecurities, she made his career her mission. Many wondered why Winston married her, but their marriage proved to be an exceptional partnership. It also provides a surprising account of her relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt and their differing approaches to the war effort.īorn into impecunious aristocracy, the young Clementine was the target of cruel snobbery. Sonia Purnell finally gives Clementine her due with a deeply researched account that tells her life story, revealing how she was instrumental in softening FDR's initial dislike of her husband and paving the way for Britain's close relationship with America. has never elected a woman president-we still have a long ways to go.įinal review thoughts: Lady Clementine is for history buffs who want to learn more about a figure who helped shape the world as we know it.įor book clubs, check out my discussion questions here.A long-overdue tribute to the extraordinary woman behind Winston Churchill.īy Winston Churchill's own admission, victory in the Second World War would have been "impossible without her." Until now, however, the only existing biography of Churchill's wife, Clementine, was written by her daughter. It seems he didn’t always know how to handle a smart and capable companion. We like to think we’ve come along way since the 1940s but as the U.S. Some interesting sections are when she’s somewhat pushed aside by Winston, she always calls him out on it and he quickly apologizes. I do think it’s very important we have books like this out in the world that will, hopefully, influence people to look more up about women like Clementine Churchill. It’s pretty telling how Clementine was truly a huge influence on Winston but yet, history books seems to leave her out completely. For those who love history, you’ll read with interest about the thought process behind legendary speeches that still resonate to this day. That said, the story really takes off when it enters the WWII era. There is plenty of historical context and a behind-the-scenes look at the political process. It probably did fit with the true personality of Clementine-she’ll only reveal so much about how she’s truly feeling. But it felt a bit closed off in parts almost as if reading a biography that keeps the subject at somewhat of a distance. We do get a glimpse of why her and Winston fell for each other and of their constant companionship. She believes she has a different calling one that forces her to focus on politics so that she can be a guiding hand for Winston. For true history buffsĬlementine is quite honest, especially at her lack of maternal instinct and eventual perceived failures as a mother. But even that is short-lived as she gets back into the action immediately when she returns. The softer side of Clementine is a bit muted until she goes by herself on a cruise where she finally is able to relax. This novel very much focuses on history, politics and crucial decisions. Clementine remains a stable force for Winston, even if it forces her to make sacrifices of her own. The story follows her courtship with Winston to the brutal hardships of war to the eventual victory of WWII. We read the story from Clementine’s perspective. In fact, it’s very apparent that without the influence of Clementine Churchill, the entire world could have looked very differently after WWII. This is the story of a partner who did not flinch through the sweeping darkness of war, and who would not surrender either to expectations or to enemies. We all know the imposing force of Winston Churchill but Lady Clementine follows the ambitious woman beside him. So I was quite excited to dive into Lady Clementine and learn more about Clementine Churchill. It’s no secret that history courses taught in schools focus on the men of history. In my opinion, historical fiction is at its best when it gives voices to women of the past.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |