The guardsmen

Descripción

"From the playing fields of Eton, to the trenches of the First World War and on to Churchill's government, four exceptional young men - Harold Macmillan, Lord Salisbury, Oliver Lyttelton and Harry Crookshank - supported, conspired and vied with each other to reach the pinnacle of political power in twentieth-century Britain. This collective biography illuminates the personalities, tensions, and bonds of class and politics that were inextricably to link their lives for over half a century." "Through this biography, Simon Ball presents a portrait of ruthless political ambition and intrigue up until Macmillan's resignation as Prime Minister in 1963. Not only does he expose the political machinations and historical forces which underpinned their alliances and eventual rifts, but he reveals the influences of family, individual character and social rank which were to shape the lives and fortunes of these four fascinating men." "Ball's book draws on years of original research in many archives, from public records to personal diaries."--BOOK JACKET.