The trajectory he describes for Churchill — hit-or-miss exploration, mastery of the political moment, eventual loss of zeitgeist — is normal for every political career. What’s more, Churchill made the mistake of continuing to give priority to international affairs after the war, when that was no longer the public preoccupation. There was also the question of simple aging: Churchill stayed in politics longer than his abilities warranted (which perhaps tells us something about the dearth of alternatives at the time). Toye catches Churchill colluding with publishers, shifting his views to gain an advantage, currying favor with colleagues and journalists, then conspiring against them, and obsessing about the coverage of the war effort. In fact, in his other work, Toye demonstrates that, even dead, Churchill continues to shape our political landscape.

Source: New York Times October 13, 2020 09:00 UTC