While Away with Winston

Lords of Finance Discussion Part Two

Title: Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World

Author: Liaquat Ahamed

Publisher: Penguin

Genre: Economics/ History

Length: 508 pages

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”
Winston Churchill.  That quote is really intense! But we’ve all heard it, I’m sure.  And everyone knows the name Winston Churchill, has a basic idea of what he looks like, and knows where he belongs in history.  Everyone knows he’s great.  But beyond one little paragraph of description and some quotes you’ve heard, how much do you actually know?

The second installment of the Lords of Finance posts is in regards to Parts 2&3 of the book.  Actually, it’s in regards to the parts in those parts that talked about Winston Churchill.  It was during these segments that I realized how much I didn’t know about him at all.

All of my knowledge of the man prior to this book was based in a few intense quotes, a lot of school propaganda, and a few character appearances in Doctor Who episodes.  Frankly, prior to reading this book I didn’t feel much inclined to study up on Churchill, I mean could he be any cooler than how he is portrayed in Doctor Who? I doubt the real Churchill had a direct line to The Doctor or any time traveling space alien for that matter.  But obviously, one must move on from fictional portrayals and out of context quotes at some point in their life – and Ahamed makes me want to.
While I was reading about the “turbulent pushing busybody Winston” with his silk underwear, champagne, and Havana cigars, I immediately remembered a story I heard about him once.  Someone once told me that Winston Churchill read a whole book every night before bed.  The two ideas are now inseparable to me… a fat tubby man in silk underwear reading a book with a cigar hanging out his mouth makes me smile! I don’t know if the story is true, and I don’t know how people know that he wore silk underwear, but now I must find out.

So mid sentence, I left my toddler at the kitchen table putting together a completely unrelated paper penguin craft, and took a look at my library shelves.  I have one biography and two books written by him.  The books look like they belong to a set, a familiar set that I took home impulsively pieces at a time; but now that I am looking at them with curious research eyes they seem completely foreign and magical.

I still have much to read about The Bankers Who Broke the World, but a little visit with The Last Lion would be nice.  What do you know about Churchill? Would you be interested in reading up on the great man with me?

Come discuss Lords of Finance at Half Price Books Humble on Monday, March 4th from 7:30-9:00 pm.