Quick Review: The Fringes of Power

...by John Colville

I first came across this man's name whist reading Roy Jenkins' biography of Churchill, and decided he'd be interesting to follow up.  His Downing Street Diaries I discovered not so long afterwards in a second-hand bookshop, and they have lain deep in the geological strata of my 'unread' pile for a very long time.

Was it worth digging it out?  Yes indeed, if you're interested in the goings-on of government during the war years and soon after.  Sir John was a secretary to Chamberlain, then Winston's private secretary, private secretary to Princess Elizabeth, and then Churchill again during his last years in power.  Initially not keen on Churchill, it's fascinating to see his opinion change to one of reverence (though not uncritical) and affection;  his character sketches of major figures;  the picture that builds up of how Downing Street and the Cabinet functions; his touching on now legendary events but from a contemporary, work-related perspective that as yet is unaware of the epic nature of things.

And I really enjoyed the sense of routine of the every-other-weekend trips to Chequers and how life went on there.

So, not for everyone - especially as it's a BIG book - but worthwhile if it's your thing.