1974
First Published
4.27
Average Rating
996
Number of Pages
"If you cringe whenever you hear our civic leaders butcher an over-rehearsed line, mix a metaphor or use any number of PC abominations currently in vogue, wash your ears out with this collection of speeches by a master of the English language. I consider any literary work or speech by Churchill to be among the best examples of the proper use of our great and beautiful language. More so than even Shakespeare, because Shakespeare is so antiquated, Churchill is the high priest of proper modern English. Churchill had a way of mixing humor, invective and sarcasm to drive home his point, but never in a base or vulgar way. He never pandered to the audience or talked down to them; he spoke honestly in a determined and forthright manner that assumed a level of intelligence capable of understanding whatever he said. Churchill was the most quotable of twentieth century world leaders. Who could forget his cut at "An Italian sausage in a Sam Browne belt." Or this gem about truth which should have been played weekly during the political scandals of the 1990 "Truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance deride it, but in the end, there it is." This book also serves as an excellent historical reference. It is thoroughly indexed and has a comprehensive table of contents. The editor has written a helpful preface to each series of speeches to provide background for the modern reader. The book should prove interesting to any history buff, and should read like poetry to those who love the English language, properly used."
Avg Rating
4.27
Number of Ratings
30
5 STARS
50%
4 STARS
30%
3 STARS
17%
2 STARS
3%
1 STARS
0%
goodreads
Author
Winston S. Churchill
Author · 67 books
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman, orator and strategist, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army. A prolific author, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for his own historical writings, "for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values." Out of respect for the well-known American author, Winston Churchill, Winston S. Churchill offered to use his middle initial in any works that he authored.
