Synopses & Reviews
An epic joint biography, Masters and Commanders explores the degree to which the course of the Second World War turned on the relationships and temperaments of four of the strongest personalities of the twentieth century: political masters Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt and the commanders of their armed forces, General Sir Alan Brooke and General George C. Marshall. Each was exceptionally tough-willed and strong-minded, and each was certain that only he knew best how to win the war. Andrew Roberts, "Britain's finest contemporary military historian" (The Economist), traces the mutual suspicion and admiration, the rebuffs and the charm, the often-explosive disagreements and wary reconciliations, and he helps us to appreciate the motives and imperatives of these key leaders as they worked tirelessly in the monumental struggle to destroy Nazism.
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“Andrew Roberts, a tenacious archival historian and gifted writer, looks behind the façade of the familiar photographs and published accounts to see how these war leaders actually operated.” Sir Martin Gilbert, < i=""> The Evening Standard <>
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“This is an important book which, in its layered references to Waterloo, the Crimea and the Somme, sees Mr. Roberts lay claim to the title of Britains finest contemporary military historian.” < i=""> The Economist <>
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“The strength of Masters and Commanders lies in the power of the narrative and the fascinating detail used to construct it. Roberts has exploited a rich mine of private papers to fill in missing parts of the story.” Richard Overy, < i=""> Literary Review <>
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“Robertss account of the war and its intrigues is fresh-filled with new revelations and new analysis. . . . It is both high scholarship and superb writing by a masterful analyst of power and war.” Simon Sebag Montefiore, < i=""> The Daily Beast <>
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“Fascinating. . . . By mining previously unavailable diaries and oral histories . . . this book brings vividly to life the personal interactions and impressions of those involved. Roberts has a keen eye for the telling anecdote.” Mark Mazower, < i=""> The Guardian <>
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“Masterly. . . . A triumph of vivid description, telling anecdotes, and informed analysis. Robertss book reinforces his claim to stand among the foremost British historians of the period.” Max Hastings, < i=""> The New York Review of Books <>
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“Masters and Commanders is a magnificently researched, superbly written account of how the US and UKs top civilian and military leaders overcame mutual suspicions and conflicting priorities to win the war in Europe.” < b=""> < i=""> The New York Post <> <>
Synopsis
"Masterly. . . . Roberts's portrait of the relationship between the four men who made Allied strategy through the war years is a triumph of vivid description, telling anecdotes, and informed analysis." --Max Hastings, The New York Review of Books
An epic joint biography, Masters and Commanders explores the degree to which the course of the Second World War turned on the relationships and temperaments of four of the strongest personalities of the twentieth century: political masters Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt and the commanders of their armed forces, General Sir Alan Brooke and General George C. Marshall.
Each was exceptionally tough-willed and strong-minded, and each was certain that only he knew best how to win the war. Andrew Roberts, "Britain's finest contemporary military historian" (The Economist), traces the mutual suspicion and admiration, the rebuffs and the charm, the often-explosive disagreements and wary reconciliations, and he helps us to appreciate the motives and imperatives of these key leaders as they worked tirelessly in the monumental struggle to destroy Nazism.
Synopsis
In many ways, the course of the World War II depended on the relationships and temperaments of four of the strongest personalities of the 20th century: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the commanders of their armed forces, General Sir Alan Brooke and General George C. Marshall. Andrew Roberts presents a joint biography of all four men in Masters and Commanders.
In this definitive analysis, Roberts reconstructs the lively debates of the four principals and other leading figures, and examines key questions about the war. Masters and Commanders dramatically re-creates the disputes and maneuverings through which Allied strategy was forged and reveals the profound impact of personality upon history.
Andrew Roberts is the author of A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900. His other books include Napoleon and Wellington, Eminent Churchillians, and Salisbury, which won the Wolfson Prize for History. Roberts's writing appears regularly in The Wall Street Journal. His website can be found at www.andrew-roberts.net.
"Masterly ... Roberts's portrait of the relationship between the four men who made Allied strategy through the war years is a triumph of vivid description, telling anecdotes, and informed analysis." -- Max Hastings, The New York Review of Books
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The New York PostSynopsis
"Masterly. . . . A triumph of vivid description, telling anecdotes, and informed analysis.”
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The New York Review of Books "Britain's finest contemporary military historian."
— The Economist
An epic joint biography of four titanic figures—a President, a Prime Minister, and two Generals—who shaped the grand strategy of the Allies during World War II.
About the Author
Andrew Roberts is the author of Masters and Commanders and A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900. His other books include Napoleon and Wellington, Eminent Churchillians, and Salisbury, which won the Wolfson History Prize. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a PhD in history from Cambridge University and writes regularly for The Wall Street Journal and The Daily Beast. He lives in New York City.