John Wilson (5) (1924–2014)

1711 C B: A Life of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, by John Wilson (read 6 May 1982) He was born in 1836 near Glasgow, entered Parliament in 1868, became Prime Minister in 1905, led the Liberal Party to its stunning victory in 1906, and died April 22, 1908, having resigned as Prime Minister on April 3, 1908. While this book is not as good as Roy Jenkins' biography of C. B.'s successor, Asquith, it is very good and I enjoyed it thoroughly. One cannot help but admire Campbell-Bannerman, even though he was not a very hard worker. He customarily spent six weeks each fall at Marienbad. He was rather against the Boer War, and when he got in he made peace with Botha and Smuts, to Lord Milner's disgust.… (mais)