Gladstone

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: A common failure of the poor dramatist is to verbally claim great beauty or intelligence for a character and then fail to deliver on the promise. In this case Jenkins makes bald claims for Gladstone as "the greatest man of his century" and then methodically fails to demonstrate his lasting effect on world history, besides the length of his walks, travels, speeches and hypocrisy. Jenkins biography is a significant contribution to the Gladstone literature only in its laborious explication of his diaries and parliamentary speeches; we end up knowing the length, preparation time and weight of each; but gain no insight into their effect, or apparent lack of such. This will serve a dissertation researcher well, but dull the pleasure and insight of the common reader. In complete contrast to Jenkins' intent, I came away from this biography convinced that if Gladstone had not existed, the course of history would not have changed a jot. Jenkins failure to make one care about his protagonist, understand him, reveal his consequence or explain his hypnotic effect on contemporaries is disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: A Weighty Book for a Weighty Subject
Review: Given the somewhat mixed reviews on Amazon of Roy Jenkins's biography of William Gladstone, the towering giant of Victorian politics, I thought I would throw in my two cents on the matter. Jenkins is an interesting biographer, and even though he is not a professional, academic historian (so he does not always follow the standards of the historical craft), much of his work has received celebratory responses, including his earlier biography of Asquith and his more recent one of Churchill. As a long-serving Labour MP and a member of the House of Lords, Jenkins understand British politics from the inside out, and, as a result, he brings a unique perspective to his subjects. Jenkins also has a lovely, fluid writing style and a penchant for the telling quotation; his biographies read extremely well, and this biography of Gladstone is no exception. Jenkins also offers a point of view, although he does not do so explicitly. His interpretations of his historic subjects tend to be subtlely placed within the rolling prose of his books. But he does not interpret the way a typical historian would, and so his biographies have a different effect upon the reader.

William Gladstone certainly requires a lengthy biography, and Jenkins gives him one. Gladstone was one of the premier figures of nineteenth-century British politics, four times prime minister, leading light of the Liberal party, defender of Christianity, and champion of the Irish. He transformed Victorian politics by taking issues to the masses and by bending policy and his party to his will. No prime minister during his long lifetime cut quite a historic and controversial figure, not even those who, in some ways, were better politicians, including Peel, Palmerston, and, above all, Russell (who truly deserves a great biography). No one, even Disraeli, seemed to dominate and define the age as much as Gladstone. But even then Gladstone was deeply flawed; his idiosyncratic, personalized Christianity and his pursuit of what were at the time questionable political policies alienated members of his party. And as right and humane as his demand for Irish Home Rule might have been, it was politically disastrous, dismembering the Liberal Party in 1886 and allowing room for the Conservative Party to acquire prominence, something it had not done for decades. Gladstone's budgets were legendary and perhaps his best accomplishments; his speeches were equally legendary as well, and his personal habits and adventures, in addition to his life in politics, make him undoubtedly one of the most fascinating subjects in British history.

Jenkins's biography is certainly worthwhile as a life of Gladstone, and it leaves almost no stone unturned. Most of all, it truly conveys a direct sense of the grandness of its subject, even if, as some have pointed out here, it does not reveal enough of the individuals who surrounded Gladstone. Jenkins adequately covers Gladstone's early life and adventures, as well as his entry into politics, and then provides relatively substantial discussion of Gladstone's political activity in the middle and end of the century.

As a "popular biography" (meaning not one written by a professionally-trained historian) Jenkins's Gladstone is the best available, even with its flaws. It is not, however, the only biography of the Grand Old Man. H.C.G. Matthew, who edited the Gladstone diaries, took all of the essays he wrote for the volumes of those diaries and compiled them in a single biography for Oxford University Press. It does not read as fluidly, but it is an excellent piece of work. Richard Shannon's two volume biography of Gladstone is longer than the one by Jenkins (it is too long) and benefits from a solid historian's lifetime of reflection. Many years ago, Peter Stansky wrote a small assessment of Gladstone called Gladstone: A Progress in Politics. And Eugenio Biagini has written a brief political biography for St. Martin's Press. It's the best small biography of Gladstone available. All of these works are by professional historians and provide some of the assessments and evaluations missing from Jenkins's biography.

All in all, few in modern history, whether prime ministers or presidents, are as fruitful subjects for biography as Gladstone. He kept a diary for 70 years, lived for most of the nineteenth century, worked incessantly because of his hyperactivity, and transformed British politics. If you have any interest in British history, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not reading at least one biography of the Victorian statesman.

Rating:
Summary: Enchanting - An absolutely exceptional book.
Review: Gladstone was a remarkable, complicated, even enigmatic man and Jenkins does not waste our time with the sort of pop-psychology projection and junk theories that ruin so much contemporary biography. Instead, Jenkins lets the facts speak for themselves, weighting them based on their demonstrable impact on Gladstone's own life and on British society viewed from the vantage point of 100 years or more of subsequent history. Gladstone emerges through records of his actions, the memoirs of his contemporaries, and his own diary. Jenkins resists the too-common modern conceit of pretending intimate knowledge of Gladstone as if through some astral mind-meld. Although he admits his own affection for the man, Jenkins lets readers decide for themselves what they think of this stubborn, courageous, long-winded, sanctimonious, and usually dead right -- even prophetic -- dynamo.

Along the way there are delightful, balanced, spot-on portraits of some of Gladstone's contemporaries. The often-deified Disraeli comes out as a man of great talent, imagination, and political genius who was a self-absorbed, underhanded lightweight. (A portrayal such as that some modern critics have applied to Bill Clinton.) The slow intellectual and emotional curdling of Queen Victoria after the death of Prince Albert is as eloquent a meditation on the corruptions of isolation and power as I've read in some time. Spencer, Parnell, Hartington, Rosebery, Balfour, Joseph Chamberlain, Manning, Wilberforce, Palmerston -- all are here drawn with flavor and economy and no trace of bitterness or partisanship.

One of the great strengths of this biography is that it never talks down to the reader. Jenkins is clearly an almost frighteningly literate individual, and his vocabulary occasionally sent me to the dictionary, but I consulted it in delight as every rare word was clearly used unselfconsciously by an author who knew it well and knew exactly what he was trying to say. (As Simon Winchester has noted, there are very few true synonyms in English.) More challenging in this regard may be the fact that the book, having been written for a British audience, assumes an elementary knowledge of the outlines of British history, which many American readers don't have. Just as a book about a prominent American nineteenth-century figure would not feel it necessary to produce extensive background on, say, the industrial revolution, the transcontinental railroad, or abolition, so Gladstone assumes the reader's familiarity with the Indian Raj, the expansion of the franchise, Britain's own industrial progress, and other subjects. My advice is to just jump right in anyway -- I myself was not well versed in these topics yet found the narrative so strong that the author's insights were easy to follow.

Rating:
Summary: Enchanting - An absolutely exceptional book.
Review: Gladstone was a remarkable, complicated, even enigmatic man and Jenkins does not waste our time with the sort of pop-psychology projection and junk theories that ruin so much contemporary biography. Instead, Jenkins lets the facts speak for themselves, weighting them based on their demonstrable impact on Gladstone's own life and on British society viewed from the vantage point of 100 years or more of subsequent history. Gladstone emerges through records of his actions, the memoirs of his contemporaries, and his own diary. Jenkins resists the too-common modern conceit of pretending intimate knowledge of Gladstone as if through some astral mind-meld. Although he admits his own affection for the man, Jenkins lets readers decide for themselves what they think of this stubborn, courageous, long-winded, sanctimonious, and usually dead right -- even prophetic -- dynamo.

Along the way there are delightful, balanced, spot-on portraits of some of Gladstone's contemporaries. The often-deified Disraeli comes out as a man of great talent, imagination, and political genius who was a self-absorbed, underhanded lightweight. (A portrayal such as that some modern critics have applied to Bill Clinton.) The slow intellectual and emotional curdling of Queen Victoria after the death of Prince Albert is as eloquent a meditation on the corruptions of isolation and power as I've read in some time. Spencer, Parnell, Hartington, Rosebery, Balfour, Joseph Chamberlain, Manning, Wilberforce, Palmerston -- all are here drawn with flavor and economy and no trace of bitterness or partisanship.

One of the great strengths of this biography is that it never talks down to the reader. Jenkins is clearly an almost frighteningly literate individual, and his vocabulary occasionally sent me to the dictionary, but I consulted it in delight as every rare word was clearly used unselfconsciously by an author who knew it well and knew exactly what he was trying to say. (As Simon Winchester has noted, there are very few true synonyms in English.) More challenging in this regard may be the fact that the book, having been written for a British audience, assumes an elementary knowledge of the outlines of British history, which many American readers don't have. Just as a book about a prominent American nineteenth-century figure would not feel it necessary to produce extensive background on, say, the industrial revolution, the transcontinental railroad, or abolition, so Gladstone assumes the reader's familiarity with the Indian Raj, the expansion of the franchise, Britain's own industrial progress, and other subjects. My advice is to just jump right in anyway -- I myself was not well versed in these topics yet found the narrative so strong that the author's insights were easy to follow.

Rating:
Summary: Admirably tackles an incredibly dense subject...
Review: I am not a student of the Victorian era, but I knew enough about it to be surprised that ANYONE would attempt a biography of William Ewart Gladstone. To communicate the weight of this particular object of study, I cite Galdstone's wife, who once said something to the effect of "You know, William, if you weren't prime minister you'd be a very boring man." So why, one asks, would you write a biography of Gladstone, one of history's most active but bland figures? Once you're trying to fit all the thousands and thousands of events that his long life encompasses between two covers, how in heaven do you make it interesting?

The key it seems, is a vigorous and unquenchable interest on the author's part, and Roy Jenkins has it in spades. And let's not forget there are a variety of parallels between the two men, Jenkins being a formidable British political figure himself. But returning to Gladstone for the moment, it is important to remember that while the man may have been dry and puritanical, it may only have been a reaction to the times, which were vital and ever-changing, with political events which still have an effect today. Through everything, Gladstone was at the center, eventually supporting reform and even Irish Home Rule. Reading about Gladstone is like a chronicle of every important event of Queen Victoria's reign, and thus interesting as a history in and of itself. As a biography, it shines new light on a figure who is often given short shrift in comparison with his contemporary and opponent, the flamboyant and attention-seeking Disraeli. Jenkins infects the reader with his enthusiasm for Gladstone, and has an immensely readable style. (Unlike some, I liked the peppering of British humor.)

My only warning to the casual reader would be that this is, above all, not the easiest read. It is illuminating, but there is an *incredible* amount of material, so much that even the most voracious reader would find quite a challenge. It is, however, much worth it, and leaves you with almost a sense of accomplishment. What's more, Jenkins makes Gladstone *palatable* which is more than you can say for just about anyone else. When I was done, I was left with a full mind (as opposed to a full stomach, which can really pack on the pounds).

Rating:
Summary: Admirably tackles an incredibly dense subject...
Review: I am not a student of the Victorian era, but I knew enough about it to be surprised that ANYONE would attempt a biography of William Ewart Gladstone. To communicate the weight of this particular object of study, I cite Galdstone's wife, who once said something to the effect of "You know, William, if you weren't prime minister you'd be a very boring man." So why, one asks, would you write a biography of Gladstone, one of history's most active but bland figures? Once you're trying to fit all the thousands and thousands of events that his long life encompasses between two covers, how in heaven do you make it interesting?

The key it seems, is a vigorous and unquenchable interest on the author's part, and Roy Jenkins has it in spades. And let's not forget there are a variety of parallels between the two men, Jenkins being a formidable British political figure himself. But returning to Gladstone for the moment, it is important to remember that while the man may have been dry and puritanical, it may only have been a reaction to the times, which were vital and ever-changing, with political events which still have an effect today. Through everything, Gladstone was at the center, eventually supporting reform and even Irish Home Rule. Reading about Gladstone is like a chronicle of every important event of Queen Victoria's reign, and thus interesting as a history in and of itself. As a biography, it shines new light on a figure who is often given short shrift in comparison with his contemporary and opponent, the flamboyant and attention-seeking Disraeli. Jenkins infects the reader with his enthusiasm for Gladstone, and has an immensely readable style. (Unlike some, I liked the peppering of British humor.)

My only warning to the casual reader would be that this is, above all, not the easiest read. It is illuminating, but there is an *incredible* amount of material, so much that even the most voracious reader would find quite a challenge. It is, however, much worth it, and leaves you with almost a sense of accomplishment. What's more, Jenkins makes Gladstone *palatable* which is more than you can say for just about anyone else. When I was done, I was left with a full mind (as opposed to a full stomach, which can really pack on the pounds).

Rating:
Summary: well-written but .....
Review: I have mixed emotions; this is well-written, and tis a promising subject, but there's a lot of minutiae too. It's a nice bed-time reader - I take a peck out it now & then to enjoy the fine prose and enter another world - till I fall "geschlafen"

Rating:
Summary: enjoyed it immensely
Review: I picked up this book despite never having had much interest in 19th century British history, but by the end I was fascinated. Perhaps I am more sympathetic than most to the subject - I find Gladstone's early scrupulousness and his religious intensity heartwarming and inspiring in our post-Christian milieu.

Rating:
Summary: a very different time
Review: If you share any of Gladstone's passions - his bibliophilism, his religious ardor, his adulation of Homer, his breaktaking political energy - then you'll like parts of this book. The writing itself is also a plus, for Jenkins writes beautifully.

Rating:
Summary: One heavyweight empathises with another
Review: It took me two years after buying this book to have the courage to begin - its size and detail were daunting. Once I started to read I could scarcely put it down. Roy Jenkins writes smoothly and wittily and his many references to contempory politics bring the nineteenth century Parliament to life. Not far off his eightieth birthday himself, I believe, Jenkins has a lot in common with Gladstone - including his great learning and energy. The parallels between the two are part of the fascination of the book.

Having long been an admirer of Disraeli at the expense of Gladstone, who often is made to appear pompous and puritanical, this reader is now convinced of the greatness of the latter: to be, in the Victorian age, an anti-imperialist, a reformer and pro Home Rule for Ireland was progressive indeed. Gladstone was a magnificent example of the head overcoming the heart. He also had the courage to pursue the convictions resulting from this.