The blurb on the back of the back of the book would have the reader believe that this was the story of one man’s struggle to alert a government blinkered by pacifist policies to the dangers of Nazi aggression. In reality, Gilbert presents us with an intricate web of government ministers, civil servants and various other spies who used Churchill’s gifts for oratory and his position as elder-statesman to combat appeasement and the arms limitation policies, that were merely encouraging German expansion while at the same time weakening Britain’s bargaining position and its ability to defend itself. Churchill’s gaze was firmly fixed on the European mainland. However, apart from some interesting insights into Churchill’s changing views on Gandhi, India remains in the background of this narrative linked to Churchill’s dislike of the government’s defence policies in that both “represented a weakening of British resolve” (p77). Churchill declined Baldwin’s offer to make him secretary of State for India as he had “deep misgivings” (p19) about reform of the sub-continent. In dealing with the period 1929 to 1931, the book presents Churchill coming to loggerheads with Stanley Baldwin over policy in India. Dealing roughly with the decade 1929 to 1939, where we find Churchill, after his term as Chancellor of the Exchequer, a backbencher, out of office, and seemingly out of favour. The Wilderness Years corresponds with the latter half of volume five, which is more positively subtitled Prophet of truth. As Churchill’s official biographer he has authored numerous works on the man, most notably the monumental eight volume biography of Churchill. December 2011.Īnyone with even a passing interest in Winston Churchill will more than likely have heard of Sir Martin Gilbert. Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years: Speaking out against Hitler in the Prelude to War. Martin Gilbert’s intimate knowledge of his subject and expert use of source material give us an important insight into the most influential British politician of the twentieth century.

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