John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. Volume 1, The Young Lloyd George, covers the years from his birth in 1863 to the end of the Boer War in 1902. John Grigg describes the future Prime Minister's emergence as a local solicitor and politician and his first twelve years in the House of Commons. In the process he challenges many stock assumptions about Lloyd George while never losing sight of the man behind the politician, nor forgetting that politics were the dominating passion of his life. It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'I would not have believed that anyone could write a new volume of Lloyd George's biography which would make everything previously written look narrow-sighted and stale. By the quality of his perception and writing he has given a new sharpness and interpretation.' Roy Jenkins, Observer'The most brilliant biographer of our times, whose books on Lloyd George will be read as long as civilization lasts.' Brian Walden, Evening Standard'Difficult to overpraise. . . Mr Grigg has dug up a whole mass of information. A mixture of shrewd human judgement and unblinkered insight.' C. P. Snow, Financial Times.

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. Volume 2, The People's Champion 1902-1911, in the author's own words 'carries the story on to the zenith of his whole career before the Great War. By the end of 1911 he had already achieved far more than be claimed for most politicians in a lifetime. . . . The period covered here is one of intense controversy and acrimony, in which Lloyd George's speeches attacking the Conservative Party and its lordly backers are among the finest examples of polemical oratory in the English language.' The central drama is the constitutional conflict surrounding Lloyd George's 1909 Budget, the People's Budget, which was such a powerful tool of social reform. There is much more besides, not least vivid portrayals of his relations with Asquith and Winston Churchill. The latter, again in John Grigg's own words 'was Lloyd George's closest colleague in two ways: they worked together on major reforming projects, and both were men of genius. .. .They also enjoyed each other's company and had a strong affinity of temperament. 'This volume won the Whitbread Prize. It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'A delight to read and a contribution to our political history of the greatest importance. Above all, it does justice to David Lloyd George, the greatest British statesman of the twentieth century.' A. J. P. Taylor, Observer 'John Grigg is a biographer who loves his subject and captures him with artistry - a pleasure to read. He has given us the most intimate and subtly drawn portrait we have ever had of this remarkable man.' Paul Addison, New Statesman'The book succeeds admirably. Its proportions are exactly right, and it is written with a dynamism worthy of its subject.' Stephen Koss, Times Literary Supplement'A masterly biography ... .. it is unlikely that it will be superseded.' Robert Blake, Sunday Times

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. This, the third volume, in the author's own words 'will cover the five-year period from the beginning of 1912 until the end of 1916, when he replaced Asquith in the premiership. It will attempt to describe his last efforts as a reforming minister in a peacetime party government, and then his transformation into a dynamic war minister as the country faced an ordeal more profoundly disturbing than the civil wars of the seventeenth century, and probably more so than anything it had experienced since the Black Death.'This volume won the Wolfson Prize in 1985. It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'The forcefulness of Grigg's writing makes this biography one of the very few books that are worth reading from cover to cover.' Norman Stone, Sunday Times'This is the biography. The research is thorough, the writing is lively, and above all, the stance is right.' Asa Briggs, Guardian'Lloyd George is extraordinarily lucky in his latest biographer. It is the measure of his rehabilitation that he can be weighed in the balance by such an exacting critic, found wanting in several important respects, and yet emerge with his human and political stature only enhanced.' John Campbell, The Times

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. This, the final volume, opens with Lloyd George's succession to the Premiership in December 1916, when Britain faced starvation and defeat through the German U-boat campaign, its allies France, Russia and Italy were tottering, the Liberal Party was bitterly divided and unrest in Ireland was growing. Worst of all, military chiefs regarded themselves as at least the equals of the government. To resolve these crises required ruthlessness, political genius and leadership of the highest order. In this thrilling book we see one of Britain's most resourceful Prime Ministers in brilliant action, steering his country to victory.It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'With the volume, Grigg crowns the edifice of one of the great biographies of our time.'Anthony Howard - Sunday Times'A fitting climax to a path-breaking study.'John Campbell, Independent, Books of the Year'Superb... the fullest account we shall ever have of Lloyd George's career as a wartime Prime Minister. It is a fascinating story and is told with panache, vigour, clarity and impartiality by a great biographer... brings out as never before the brilliance of Lloyd George's finest hour.'Robert Blake, Evening Standard'A major publishing event... Grigg mingles factual precision, high-interest value and judgements which are mostly as wise as they are forthright.'Roy Jenkins, Sunday Telegraph, Books of the Year'Gripping... essential... This wonderful biography, clear and authoritative, every page a lesson in how to write narrative history, well up to its preceding volumes, recreates both a time of acute national danger and an extraordinary man.'Max Egremont, Financial Times

On June 6 1944 - 'D-Day' - Allied troops landed in France, opening a way to eventual victory. In this provocative reappraisal of the Second World War, John Grigg suggests that the Allied invasion could have been launched successfully in the previous year, reducing considerably the scale of the war's human tragedy.'By 1943, Grigg notes, we already had air supremacy in the ETO and more than enough trained troops to launch a cross-Channel invasion; besides, with the Wehrmacht still deep in Russia, German supply lines would have been stretched to the breaking point. Had the Western Allies liberated only France and Belgium in 1943, speculates Grigg, they could have negotiated with Stalin from a position of strength.' Kirkus Review'A forceful, argumentative, disputatious book, intended to make people think over old prejudices and discard them.' Economist

On June 6 1944 - 'D-Day' - Allied troops landed in France, opening a way to eventual victory. In this provocative reappraisal of the Second World War, John Grigg suggests that the Allied invasion could have been launched successfully in the previous year, reducing considerably the scale of the war's human tragedy.'By 1943, Grigg notes, we already had air supremacy in the ETO and more than enough trained troops to launch a cross-Channel invasion; besides, with the Wehrmacht still deep in Russia, German supply lines would have been stretched to the breaking point. Had the Western Allies liberated only France and Belgium in 1943, speculates Grigg, they could have negotiated with Stalin from a position of strength.' Kirkus Review'A forceful, argumentative, disputatious book, intended to make people think over old prejudices and discard them.' Economist

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. This, the final volume, opens with Lloyd George's succession to the Premiership in December 1916, when Britain faced starvation and defeat through the German U-boat campaign, its allies France, Russia and Italy were tottering, the Liberal Party was bitterly divided and unrest in Ireland was growing. Worst of all, military chiefs regarded themselves as at least the equals of the government. To resolve these crises required ruthlessness, political genius and leadership of the highest order. In this thrilling book we see one of Britain's most resourceful Prime Ministers in brilliant action, steering his country to victory.It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'With the volume, Grigg crowns the edifice of one of the great biographies of our time.'Anthony Howard - Sunday Times'A fitting climax to a path-breaking study.'John Campbell, Independent, Books of the Year'Superb... the fullest account we shall ever have of Lloyd George's career as a wartime Prime Minister. It is a fascinating story and is told with panache, vigour, clarity and impartiality by a great biographer... brings out as never before the brilliance of Lloyd George's finest hour.'Robert Blake, Evening Standard'A major publishing event... Grigg mingles factual precision, high-interest value and judgements which are mostly as wise as they are forthright.'Roy Jenkins, Sunday Telegraph, Books of the Year'Gripping... essential... This wonderful biography, clear and authoritative, every page a lesson in how to write narrative history, well up to its preceding volumes, recreates both a time of acute national danger and an extraordinary man.'Max Egremont, Financial Times

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. Volume 1, The Young Lloyd George, covers the years from his birth in 1863 to the end of the Boer War in 1902. John Grigg describes the future Prime Minister's emergence as a local solicitor and politician and his first twelve years in the House of Commons. In the process he challenges many stock assumptions about Lloyd George while never losing sight of the man behind the politician, nor forgetting that politics were the dominating passion of his life. It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'I would not have believed that anyone could write a new volume of Lloyd George's biography which would make everything previously written look narrow-sighted and stale. By the quality of his perception and writing he has given a new sharpness and interpretation.' Roy Jenkins, Observer'The most brilliant biographer of our times, whose books on Lloyd George will be read as long as civilization lasts.' Brian Walden, Evening Standard'Difficult to overpraise. . . Mr Grigg has dug up a whole mass of information. A mixture of shrewd human judgement and unblinkered insight.' C. P. Snow, Financial Times.

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. Volume 2, The People's Champion 1902-1911, in the author's own words 'carries the story on to the zenith of his whole career before the Great War. By the end of 1911 he had already achieved far more than be claimed for most politicians in a lifetime. . . . The period covered here is one of intense controversy and acrimony, in which Lloyd George's speeches attacking the Conservative Party and its lordly backers are among the finest examples of polemical oratory in the English language.' The central drama is the constitutional conflict surrounding Lloyd George's 1909 Budget, the People's Budget, which was such a powerful tool of social reform. There is much more besides, not least vivid portrayals of his relations with Asquith and Winston Churchill. The latter, again in John Grigg's own words 'was Lloyd George's closest colleague in two ways: they worked together on major reforming projects, and both were men of genius. .. .They also enjoyed each other's company and had a strong affinity of temperament. 'This volume won the Whitbread Prize. It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'A delight to read and a contribution to our political history of the greatest importance. Above all, it does justice to David Lloyd George, the greatest British statesman of the twentieth century.' A. J. P. Taylor, Observer 'John Grigg is a biographer who loves his subject and captures him with artistry - a pleasure to read. He has given us the most intimate and subtly drawn portrait we have ever had of this remarkable man.' Paul Addison, New Statesman'The book succeeds admirably. Its proportions are exactly right, and it is written with a dynamism worthy of its subject.' Stephen Koss, Times Literary Supplement'A masterly biography ... .. it is unlikely that it will be superseded.' Robert Blake, Sunday Times

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. This, the third volume, in the author's own words 'will cover the five-year period from the beginning of 1912 until the end of 1916, when he replaced Asquith in the premiership. It will attempt to describe his last efforts as a reforming minister in a peacetime party government, and then his transformation into a dynamic war minister as the country faced an ordeal more profoundly disturbing than the civil wars of the seventeenth century, and probably more so than anything it had experienced since the Black Death.'This volume won the Wolfson Prize in 1985. It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'The forcefulness of Grigg's writing makes this biography one of the very few books that are worth reading from cover to cover.' Norman Stone, Sunday Times'This is the biography. The research is thorough, the writing is lively, and above all, the stance is right.' Asa Briggs, Guardian'Lloyd George is extraordinarily lucky in his latest biographer. It is the measure of his rehabilitation that he can be weighed in the balance by such an exacting critic, found wanting in several important respects, and yet emerge with his human and political stature only enhanced.' John Campbell, The Times

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. This, the final volume, opens with Lloyd George's succession to the Premiership in December 1916, when Britain faced starvation and defeat through the German U-boat campaign, its allies France, Russia and Italy were tottering, the Liberal Party was bitterly divided and unrest in Ireland was growing. Worst of all, military chiefs regarded themselves as at least the equals of the government. To resolve these crises required ruthlessness, political genius and leadership of the highest order. In this thrilling book we see one of Britain's most resourceful Prime Ministers in brilliant action, steering his country to victory.It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'With the volume, Grigg crowns the edifice of one of the great biographies of our time.'Anthony Howard - Sunday Times'A fitting climax to a path-breaking study.'John Campbell, Independent, Books of the Year'Superb... the fullest account we shall ever have of Lloyd George's career as a wartime Prime Minister. It is a fascinating story and is told with panache, vigour, clarity and impartiality by a great biographer... brings out as never before the brilliance of Lloyd George's finest hour.'Robert Blake, Evening Standard'A major publishing event... Grigg mingles factual precision, high-interest value and judgements which are mostly as wise as they are forthright.'Roy Jenkins, Sunday Telegraph, Books of the Year'Gripping... essential... This wonderful biography, clear and authoritative, every page a lesson in how to write narrative history, well up to its preceding volumes, recreates both a time of acute national danger and an extraordinary man.'Max Egremont, Financial Times

On June 6 1944 - 'D-Day' - Allied troops landed in France, opening a way to eventual victory. In this provocative reappraisal of the Second World War, John Grigg suggests that the Allied invasion could have been launched successfully in the previous year, reducing considerably the scale of the war's human tragedy.'By 1943, Grigg notes, we already had air supremacy in the ETO and more than enough trained troops to launch a cross-Channel invasion; besides, with the Wehrmacht still deep in Russia, German supply lines would have been stretched to the breaking point. Had the Western Allies liberated only France and Belgium in 1943, speculates Grigg, they could have negotiated with Stalin from a position of strength.' Kirkus Review'A forceful, argumentative, disputatious book, intended to make people think over old prejudices and discard them.' Economist

On June 6 1944 - 'D-Day' - Allied troops landed in France, opening a way to eventual victory. In this provocative reappraisal of the Second World War, John Grigg suggests that the Allied invasion could have been launched successfully in the previous year, reducing considerably the scale of the war's human tragedy.'By 1943, Grigg notes, we already had air supremacy in the ETO and more than enough trained troops to launch a cross-Channel invasion; besides, with the Wehrmacht still deep in Russia, German supply lines would have been stretched to the breaking point. Had the Western Allies liberated only France and Belgium in 1943, speculates Grigg, they could have negotiated with Stalin from a position of strength.' Kirkus Review'A forceful, argumentative, disputatious book, intended to make people think over old prejudices and discard them.' Economist

John Grigg's four volume life of Lloyd George is one of the great political biographies. This, the final volume, opens with Lloyd George's succession to the Premiership in December 1916, when Britain faced starvation and defeat through the German U-boat campaign, its allies France, Russia and Italy were tottering, the Liberal Party was bitterly divided and unrest in Ireland was growing. Worst of all, military chiefs regarded themselves as at least the equals of the government. To resolve these crises required ruthlessness, political genius and leadership of the highest order. In this thrilling book we see one of Britain's most resourceful Prime Ministers in brilliant action, steering his country to victory.It is a tragedy John Grigg didn't live to complete his magnum opus but what exists is a masterpiece. Faber Finds is reissuing the four volumes: The Young Lloyd George, Lloyd George: The People's Champion 1902-1911, Lloyd George: From Peace to War 1912-1916, Lloyd George: War Leader 1916-1918.'With the volume, Grigg crowns the edifice of one of the great biographies of our time.'Anthony Howard - Sunday Times'A fitting climax to a path-breaking study.'John Campbell, Independent, Books of the Year'Superb... the fullest account we shall ever have of Lloyd George's career as a wartime Prime Minister. It is a fascinating story and is told with panache, vigour, clarity and impartiality by a great biographer... brings out as never before the brilliance of Lloyd George's finest hour.'Robert Blake, Evening Standard'A major publishing event... Grigg mingles factual precision, high-interest value and judgements which are mostly as wise as they are forthright.'Roy Jenkins, Sunday Telegraph, Books of the Year'Gripping... essential... This wonderful biography, clear and authoritative, every page a lesson in how to write narrative history, well up to its preceding volumes, recreates both a time of acute national danger and an extraordinary man.'Max Egremont, Financial Times