Gladstone and Disraeli were the fiercest political rivals of the modern age. Their intense hatred was ideological and deeply personal. Victorian Britain ruled the oceans and vast territories 'on which the sun never set'. The vitriolic duel between Gladstone and Disraeli was nothing less than a battle to lead the richest and most powerful nation on earth. To Disraeli, his antagonist was an 'unprincipled maniac' characterised by an 'extraordinary mixture of envy, vindictiveness, hypocrisy and superstition'. For Gladstone, his rival was 'The Grand Corrupter' whose destruction he plotted 'day and night, week by week, month by month'. Victorians were electrified by the confrontation. No wonder that when Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass appeared in 1871, so many readers recognised the great adversaries as the warring lion and unicorn 'fighting for the crown'. Richard Aldous gives us the first modern telling of this dramatic story of an intense and momentous rivalry. His vivid narrative style - at turns powerful, witty, stirring and theatrical - breathes new life into a familiar, half-remembered tale that is pivotal in Britain's island history. The Lion and the Unicorn is a brilliant rethinking of the Gladstone and Disraeli story for a new generation. Richard Aldous confirms a perennial truth: in politics, everything is personal.
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Review
"A first-class historical drama, expertly told." (Literary Review)
"Engaging and highly entertaining." (Sunday Times)
"A hugely enjoyable joint biography." (Independent)
"Aldous does a splendid job of gleaning the ears of corn from earlier studies." (Daily Telegraph)
"A romp... a startling reworking of traditional views... Aldous has written an entertaining and thought-provoking book that reads like a novel." (Spectator)
"Engaging and highly entertaining." (Sunday Times)
"A hugely enjoyable joint biography." (Independent)
"Aldous does a splendid job of gleaning the ears of corn from earlier studies." (Daily Telegraph)
"A romp... a startling reworking of traditional views... Aldous has written an entertaining and thought-provoking book that reads like a novel." (Spectator)
Book Description
The dramatic confrontation between the two 'mighty opposites' of the Victorian age, brilliantly recreated by a talented young historian.
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58 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The story of Gladstone and Disraeli is the story of British parliamentary politics for much of the nineteenth century. In The Lion and the Unicorn, Richard Aldous tells the tale with a masterly admixture of narrative panache, dramatic intelligence and sheer enjoyment that makes him the natural successor to Lytton Strachey and Simon Schama. Aldous is a historian who combines incisive political commentary with the gusto and empathy of a great biographer. The result is a book that charts the growth to political maturity of two bitter rivals who between them dominated Westminster and party politics in Britain for decades.
In less able hands, The Lion and the Unicorn would falter under the pressure of disclosing so much material (and telling two life stories at once), but from the outset Aldous reassures the reader as to his strategic brilliance in handling so complex a narrative. The book begins with the funeral of Benjamin Disraeli in 1881. From that unexpected vantage point,Gladstone surveys the six decades of their relationship which, as Aldous remarks, would come to define Britain itself.
I recommend this book unreservedly for its sheer narrative power(especially with regard to Gladstone's anguished private life which is poignantly portrayed against the backdrop of high drama in the Commons) and for its pellucid discussion of Whig and Tory reform bills by which Britain somewhat indirectly attained the full practice of democracy. Above all, perhaps, The Lion and the Unicorn vividly reanimates the chronicle of British political life in the nineeteenth century at a time when our sense of Britain's imperial past has either faded or fallen into disrepute. This clever and gripping book should restore perspective to that past; it should be read by anyone who wishes to understand the formative impact of personality on British politics.
In less able hands, The Lion and the Unicorn would falter under the pressure of disclosing so much material (and telling two life stories at once), but from the outset Aldous reassures the reader as to his strategic brilliance in handling so complex a narrative. The book begins with the funeral of Benjamin Disraeli in 1881. From that unexpected vantage point,Gladstone surveys the six decades of their relationship which, as Aldous remarks, would come to define Britain itself.
I recommend this book unreservedly for its sheer narrative power(especially with regard to Gladstone's anguished private life which is poignantly portrayed against the backdrop of high drama in the Commons) and for its pellucid discussion of Whig and Tory reform bills by which Britain somewhat indirectly attained the full practice of democracy. Above all, perhaps, The Lion and the Unicorn vividly reanimates the chronicle of British political life in the nineeteenth century at a time when our sense of Britain's imperial past has either faded or fallen into disrepute. This clever and gripping book should restore perspective to that past; it should be read by anyone who wishes to understand the formative impact of personality on British politics.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Quark
Format:Hardcover
Great rivalries always fascinate. And great rivalries up and down the greasy pole of politics are always going to have verve and drama in the hands of a good narrative writer.
And Richard Aldous is certainly that. This sympathetic, wry account of how two absolute opposites - culturally and psychologically as well as politically - smashed into each other as the British Empire reached its apogee hurtles along at a fantastic pace. The drama's driven not only by the characters but by the pendulum of power constantly swinging between them so that when Disraeli's stock is high, Gladstone's is inevitably low; and vice versa. This is history which, in Alan Bennett's phrase, is very much `just one thing after another', and the pace never slacks. Disraeli and Gladstone loathed each other in an age when that didn't necessarily follow, in politics; but it was also an age in which the idea of a `party machine' emerged, the Liberals coalesced into form and the Conservatives redefined themselves not once, but twice. The political landscape suffered tremors; Gladstone and Disraeli rode the unrest (and sometimes caused it), flinging rocks at each other whilst fighting to stay on their feet.
True, sometimes the reader might wish for a little more background colour - some more detail in the prose, or a greater sense of context. But this - and the anticipation that a smattering of typos will be corrected in the paperback - is small beer. In fact, `The Lion and the Unicorn' wouldn't be the book it is if it were slower - and as it is, it's unputdownable.
Firmly recommended. Great fun.
And Richard Aldous is certainly that. This sympathetic, wry account of how two absolute opposites - culturally and psychologically as well as politically - smashed into each other as the British Empire reached its apogee hurtles along at a fantastic pace. The drama's driven not only by the characters but by the pendulum of power constantly swinging between them so that when Disraeli's stock is high, Gladstone's is inevitably low; and vice versa. This is history which, in Alan Bennett's phrase, is very much `just one thing after another', and the pace never slacks. Disraeli and Gladstone loathed each other in an age when that didn't necessarily follow, in politics; but it was also an age in which the idea of a `party machine' emerged, the Liberals coalesced into form and the Conservatives redefined themselves not once, but twice. The political landscape suffered tremors; Gladstone and Disraeli rode the unrest (and sometimes caused it), flinging rocks at each other whilst fighting to stay on their feet.
True, sometimes the reader might wish for a little more background colour - some more detail in the prose, or a greater sense of context. But this - and the anticipation that a smattering of typos will be corrected in the paperback - is small beer. In fact, `The Lion and the Unicorn' wouldn't be the book it is if it were slower - and as it is, it's unputdownable.
Firmly recommended. Great fun.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book, quite simply is excellent. It thoroughly researched, well written and an entertaining, nay, gripping read. Complex subject matter is dealt with masterfully, rendering it understandable and not diminishing its complexity. Gladstone and Disraeli are portrayed as human, not simply worshipped. Both a treated fairly and to book is very balanced. The primary source material is often familiar but is very well delivered nonetheless. The collection of images selected is arresting and enlightening, complimenting the wonderful imagery of the text.
An excellent book to grab the attention of a simply curious history-lover, or primer/introduction to give hope to the downhearted and bored A-level/degree student of British political history.
An excellent book to grab the attention of a simply curious history-lover, or primer/introduction to give hope to the downhearted and bored A-level/degree student of British political history.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book was hard reading. By that I mean that it took a lot of effort to reach the halfway mark. From that point on, the narrative sped up and I found it hard to put down. This book is a facinating insight into two wholly dissimilar men, each with their private devils, each with their unique view on the country and how it should be run. I thoroughly recommend anyone to read it, and see for themselves that "there is nothing new under the sun" - for despite their vision and achievements, they were men with great weaknesses, and to some extent, far more worthy of support than today's British politicians.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I wish I had read this book when I was studying history fifty years ago. It brings the confrontation between Gladstone and Disraeli to life combining parliamentary proceedings with an analysis of the character of the two men. The contract between the outwardly respectable Gladstone and his frequent "rescue missions" to "fallen women" and the more raffish Dizzy with a happy marriage to a much older wife. It also brings out very clearly the interventionism of Queen Victoria generally in favour of Disraeli. A wonderful read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating study of two competing leaders
The book gave an interesting picture of the period and of two very different characters, brought out in part by their relationship to Queen Victoria.
Published 12 days ago by tallhall
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Interpretation
Richard Aldous provides an excellent insight into the depth of the rivalry between these great 19th century statesmen. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Michael Cooper
4.0 out of 5 stars
Factual and interesting
This is SO full of facts that it took me a while to read it, I enjoyed it very much and hope that I have learnes something from it
Published 2 months ago by loopyaitch
4.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting read.
A clever and interesting read, anyone with an interest in British government will enjoy this book. Ideal if you are studying any government subjects.
Published 4 months ago by baldboy4
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well received book
Well received book - my husband very interested in politics and has enjoyed reading this informative book. Well written he liked the style of the author.
Published 7 months ago by GPT
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Pair
This book had humour wit and humanity. It bore its learning lightly.It was impartial but Dizzy was more warmly likeable.
Published 8 months ago by Klaus Bergmann
5.0 out of 5 stars
Immensely enjoyable
For those who are familiar with the rivalry between Gladstone and Disraeli there is little new in substance in this account; but this is a quite superb retelling of it -... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ralph Blumenau
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well written and interesting
I don't know why I bought this book but I am glad I did. It's very well written and the characters of the two men shine from the pages. Easy to read and well worth it.
Published 10 months ago by ph1ll
5.0 out of 5 stars
Political biographies don't come any better
Some political biographies are gripping but they sacrifice accuracy and invent. Others are accurate but dull. This book does neither. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Broga
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very English feud
Richard Aldous manages to recreate the political and personal magic and friction between two great political rivals, which endured for many eventful decades during the mid to late... Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2009 by M. Benjamin Pite
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