What do you think?
Rate this book
Bonar Law
Perhaps the least known of Britain’s twentieth century premiers, the Canadian-born Bonar Law entered politics in 1900 at the age of forty-two and within two years held government office. In 1911, he was elected leader of the Conservative Party and in the twelve years that followed, reunited and reorganized it, thus preparing the way for the century of Conservative electoral success that lay ahead.
Setting aside party differences, during World War I, Bonar Law cooperated with the Liberal Lloyd George, whose reputation as “the man who won the war” owes much to their alliance. The Conservative-Liberal coalition prospered until Bonar Law’s retirement in 1921, and a year later, the Conservatives turned again to him, and with little more than a year to live, he agreed to take the premiership and lead the Tories from beneath Lloyd George’s shadow.
In this illuminating biography, the author reveals an effective political leader who mastered his contentious party and the House of Commons as few others had done. Bonar Law is also revealed as a complex and tragic man—a passionate husband, indulgent father, and generous friend—who was nonetheless a lifelong depressive whose private life was cursed by terrible losses.
Setting aside party differences, during World War I, Bonar Law cooperated with the Liberal Lloyd George, whose reputation as “the man who won the war” owes much to their alliance. The Conservative-Liberal coalition prospered until Bonar Law’s retirement in 1921, and a year later, the Conservatives turned again to him, and with little more than a year to live, he agreed to take the premiership and lead the Tories from beneath Lloyd George’s shadow.
In this illuminating biography, the author reveals an effective political leader who mastered his contentious party and the House of Commons as few others had done. Bonar Law is also revealed as a complex and tragic man—a passionate husband, indulgent father, and generous friend—who was nonetheless a lifelong depressive whose private life was cursed by terrible losses.
- GenresBiography
578 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 15, 2020
The unknown Prime Minister who flirted with despotism
Adams unsuccessfully tries to rehabilitate the reputation of a cold cynical party hack who flirted with civil war and demonstrated a bitter contempt for Parliament. His love of party trumped any concern for country. Bonar Law should be remembered as an example of how narrow political goals and a lack of any vision leads to stagnation
Adams unsuccessfully tries to rehabilitate the reputation of a cold cynical party hack who flirted with civil war and demonstrated a bitter contempt for Parliament. His love of party trumped any concern for country. Bonar Law should be remembered as an example of how narrow political goals and a lack of any vision leads to stagnation
March 17, 2019
The forgotten member of the British triumvirate that presided over World War One, Bonar Law 's reputation is resuscitated in Adams's workmanlike biography of the man who would occupy 10 Downing Street for the shortest amount of time in the 20th Century.
By far the most fascinating aspects of the book are Bonar Law's unique hold over the Conservative (Unionist) party in the early-20th Century, as well as his decision to enter a coalition with Lloyd George and play second-fiddle to the Welsh dynamo for the sake of military and organizational effectiveness. Law comes across as a masterful balancer, putting a large portion of the Conservative forces in 1916, who were decidedly against Lloyd George's ambitious social platform and Irish Home Rule tendencies, under the auspices of the Coalition and guiding the conservative elements of Westminster through Lloyd George's many twists and turns.
Bonar Law"s brief premiership is marked by aloof leadership, allowing Curzon to take the reins of foreign policy while presiding over debt and postwar credit issues on the homefront. Law struggles very much with the decision of whether to accept stiff US conditions on repayment of war debt, even while European nations are refusing to pay back Britain for payments owing to her.
The reputation of Law in other biographies of the period is of a quite sharp negotiator and political animal. Here, though, Adams does much to show how Law should be thought of as a conciliator and victor who helped Britain through incredibly dark days.
By far the most fascinating aspects of the book are Bonar Law's unique hold over the Conservative (Unionist) party in the early-20th Century, as well as his decision to enter a coalition with Lloyd George and play second-fiddle to the Welsh dynamo for the sake of military and organizational effectiveness. Law comes across as a masterful balancer, putting a large portion of the Conservative forces in 1916, who were decidedly against Lloyd George's ambitious social platform and Irish Home Rule tendencies, under the auspices of the Coalition and guiding the conservative elements of Westminster through Lloyd George's many twists and turns.
Bonar Law"s brief premiership is marked by aloof leadership, allowing Curzon to take the reins of foreign policy while presiding over debt and postwar credit issues on the homefront. Law struggles very much with the decision of whether to accept stiff US conditions on repayment of war debt, even while European nations are refusing to pay back Britain for payments owing to her.
The reputation of Law in other biographies of the period is of a quite sharp negotiator and political animal. Here, though, Adams does much to show how Law should be thought of as a conciliator and victor who helped Britain through incredibly dark days.
December 5, 2024
A great biography that is well written. Adams provides great insight into a relatively unknown figure.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews