'This is an extraordinary book. It is the most convincing study of the rise of Attlee there is, but it is far more than that. Robert Crowcroft's analysis of Attlee's war from within the Whitehall machinery is nothing short of a brilliant forensic analysis. What he does with some intellectual brilliance it to bridge the gaps between party politics, doctrinal disputes within the Labour party, and the workings of Whitehall at war. His analysis of the politics of the Labour party is unsurpassed. He leads us sure-footedly through the sometimes tortuous personal and doctrinal feuds, never once losing either the reader's attention or his focus on the bigger picture. He produces the first really convincing account of the politics of World War II, providing remarkable portraits of all those involved. He puts Churchill in an unfamiliar but necessary context, showing how crucial his own lack of political grip at home was to Attlee's triumph. What is most impressive of all is that he manages to make an incisive and sometimes brave contribution to the wider debate over post-war Britain and to the debate about what it means to be a political historian. This is the most original book on the war I have read in many years, it is first-rate.' - John Charmley, Professor of Modern British History, University of East Anglia; 'This book makes an important contribution to our understanding of Attlee, the Labour Party and wartime politics. Attlee remains misunderstood and in many ways unknowable - although there is a tide of renewed interest in Attlee at present. Robert Crowcroft's "high politics" focus is welcome - his book provides an impressive perspective which commands serious attention.' - Kevin Theakston, Professor of British Government, University of Leeds
