A Little Happier: Why Would an Accomplished Juggler Deliberately Drop a Prop?

This trilogy presents a detailed and revelatory portrait of Winston Churchill. The volumes cover his life from 1874 to 1965, including his early years ('Visions of Glory, 1874-1932'), his political isolation and warnings about the Nazi threat ('Alone, 1932-1940'), and his leadership during World War II and the post-war period ('Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965'). The final volume was completed by Paul Reid based on Manchester's research and notes after Manchester's death.

This book is a unique portrayal of Winston Churchill, presenting him through multiple lenses to highlight the complexities and contradictions of his life. Gretchen Rubin avoids the traditional biographical approach, instead focusing on essential questions about Churchill’s character, strengths, and controversies. The book explores whether Churchill was an alcoholic, a visionary, a racist, or a humanitarian, and how these different views shape our understanding of him. It also delves into the nature of biography itself, showing how different biographers can draw different conclusions from the same facts.