Disraeli's reminiscences

by Helen M. & Marvin (edits). Swartz, Helen M. Swartz, Marvin Swartz

green boards with silver lettering to spine, nice copy

166 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Linda]

Benjamin Disraeli was a Jew whose father had him (and the rest of his children) converted so that they did not face discrimimation in England. However, Disraeli, which attending Protestant services, always considered himself a Jew and rarely let others forget it.

This book is his series of reminiscences which are off-the-cuff writings intended to be published (if that can be). It is helpful if you have knowledge of the political situation and figures when reading them, but it is not absolutely necessary. There is enough in here to tickle the fancy of most people.

Disraeli has a dry wit. He implies that one person is "lacking height." My favorite though is his report of a member of the House of Commons who was an extraordinarily bad speaker. Not only were his speeches not organized, his voice not good, but he mixed words and phrases to the point he was constantly having to apologize and rephrase them. For instance, once he was declaiming on the grievance of a prisoner who was having trouble with the prison allowing his wife to freely come and go. The man said "Things have come to a pretty pass in this country when an Englishman may not have his wife backwards and forwards."

There are quite a few of these little gems in here, enough to pay for the parts that are obscure because we don't know the people involved.

So if you like this time period in history, it's worth picking up and browsing through. It's only 150 pages.

[Nan]

It was an interesting look at prominent British figures of the Victorian era. Totally biased, but amusing.