Denis Judd

This was a short account of the life of the father of Queen Elizabeth II. George VI was the man for the job at a time when the job needed him. Thrust into the role of King of Great Britain after the abdication of his brother, King George VI brought a sense of calm and stability to the nation, which was reeling after the crisis enacted by Edward VIII. His leadership during WWII further endeared him to his people.

I read this book seventy years after the death of George VI. This, simultaneously, was also his daughter's Platinum Jubilee. So, 70 years on, I was looking to read an concise, all encompassing report on the life of this particular monarch. I feel that I got that here. This was by no means in-depth. I did notice a mistake when the author mislabeled the famous Marie of Romania ("Missy") as her daughter Marie of Yugoslavia ("Mignon"). Minor quibbles aside, this was an excellent overview of a life well lived in service to his country.… (més)

In an era when politics in Britain was dominated by an oligarchic upper class, Rufus Isaacs was a true anomaly. The son of an East End fruit importer, he left school at an early age and spent a year abroad as a ship's boy. Upon his return he worked as a stockjobber until a slump forced him to abandon finance for the law. After a meteoric rise at the bar Isaacs won election to Parliament and served in a variety of posts in the pre-war Liberal governments, leading to his enoblement as the baron of Reading upon becoming Lord Chief Justice. Though his association with the Marconi scandal tarnished his standing, wartime diplomatic service and his friendship with David Lloyd George led to Reading's selection as Viceroy of India, in which post he served at a time of rising nationalist tumult. Returning to a fractured Liberal Party, he endeavored unsuccessfully to heal the divides between the various groups, though his status as an esteemed elder statesman led to his appointment as Foreign Secretary in the initial National Government formed in 1931 to deal with the crisis brought about by the Great Depression.

Given Isaacs's remarkable career, it is disappointing that there are so few biographies about him. Fortunately Denis Judd makes up for this with a book that provides readers a comprehensive and accessible overview of his life and times. This is no small feat given that doing so requires Judd to master not just the politics of Isaacs's time but the relevant aspects of the English legal profession — which, while still not addressed in the detail it deserves, he does in a way that distills this key part of his subject's life to easily comprehensible information. When supplemented with Judd's astute analysis, it makes for a book that gives readers an excellent introduction to a politician and statesman who deserves to be remembered both for his many achievements and the circuitous path he took to reach them.… (més)

This biography provides for easy and concise reading. George VI wasn't extraordinary person despite extraordinary circumstances surrounding his ascension to the throne - but you don't need to be an extraordinary person to be a good king. He was the right person for the job in those difficult times. Two negative points about the book.. Even though author briefly mentions some shortcomings of king's character he never really elaborates and so biography seems to be too one-sided. Also, I wish the dynamic of the relationship between George VI and and Edward VIII would be explored with more details (starting when both were boys) - it probably took just couple of pages in the book.… (més)