Description
Book SynopsisTo maintain the pace at which he worked as a parliamentarian, cabinet minister, war leader, writer and painter, Churchill required a vast female staff of secretaries, typists and others. For these women Churchill was an intimidating boss; he was a man of prodigious energy, who imposed unusual and demanding schedules on those around him, and who combined a callous-seeming disregard with sincere solicitude for their well-being. Churchill was no ordinary employer: he did not live by the clock on the office wall. He expected those who worked with and for him to live by that timetable. Despite these often unreasonable demands, Churchill inspired an enduring loyalty and affection amongst the women who worked for him. Drawing on the wealth of oral testimonies of Churchill's many secretaries held in the Churchill Archive in Cambridge, Cita Stelzer – author of
Dinner with Churchill – brings to life the experiences of a legion of women whose stories have hitherto remained unpublished in journals and letters. In recapturing their memories of working for and with Churchill – of famous people met, of travels abroad, of taking dictation in non-air-conditioned aeroplanes, of working though whisky-fuelled nights – she paints an original and memorable biographical portrait of one of the twentieth century's iconic statesmen.
Trade Review[A] glorious new book... Fascinating' * Daily Mail *
[A] fascinating book...
Working with Winston is a wonderful tour behind the scenes of history and its vignettes portray a very human and attractive man' * The Times *
Many thousands of books about Churchill have already been published since his death. Stelzer proves though, that it is still possible to produce one that is both original and highly entertaining * Sunday Times *
[Cita Stelzer] creates a wonderfully rich picture... The result is a remarkable blend of everyday life for these remarkable people, through to bearing witness to some of the most extraordinary events in twentieth-century history... Excellent, offering unique insights, a fresh new approach and does so in a way where you quite simply cannot put this book down' * International Churchill Society *
The story of the small army of secretaries and typists at the great man's right hand * The Times *
A book to read now, appropriately, is Cita Stelzer's
Working with Winston. It's published by Head of Zeus and is described as a portrait of Churchill through the eyes of his personal secretaries * Lynn News *
