Disraeli: The Victorian Dandy Who Became Prime Minister

by Christopher Hibbert

Overview

To Thomas Carlyle he was "not worth his weight in cold bacon," but, to Queen Victoria, Benjamin Disraeli was "the kindest Minister" she had ever had and a "dear and devoted friend." In this masterly biography by England's "outstanding popular historian" (A.N. Wilson), Christopher Hibbert reveals the personal life of one of the most fascinating men of the nineteenth century and England's most eccentric Prime Minister. A superb speaker, writer, and wit, Disraeli did not intend to be a politician. Born into a family of Jewish merchants, Disraeli was a conspicuous dandy, constantly in debt, and enjoyed many scandalous affairs until, in 1839, he married an eccentric widow twelve years older than him. As an antidote to his grief at his wife's death in 1872, he threw himself into politics becoming Prime Minister for the second time in 1874, much to the Queen's delight.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781403978967
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/12/2007
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Christopher Hibbert was born in 1924 and educated at Radley and Oxford. He is the author of many highly acclaimed books, including The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici; The English: A Social History; and Cavaliers and Roundheads. He has also written 'biographies' of London, Rome, and Venice, and the lives of Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth I, and Napoleon and his women.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements * Part One: 1804-46 * Boyhood * A Young Man of High Fashion * A Continental Holiday * Mental Breakdown * Travels and Adventures * 'The Jew d'Esprit' * The Candidate * Affairs * The Reforming Tory * Debts and Duns * The Member for Maidstone * 'Most Brilliant and Triumphant Speeches' * 'A Pretty Little Woman, a Flirt and a Rattle' * A Troubled Courtship * A Happy Marriage * The Brilliant Orator * Young England * Coningsby and Sybil * Damning Attacks * Tancred * Part Two: 1846-81 * The Jockey and the Jew * The Country Gentleman * The Chancellor * Marital Difficulties * Balls and Banquets * Visits and Visitors * Fetes and Follies * Distinguished Persons and Private Secretaries * The 'Potent Wizard' * A Guest as Balmoral and Osborne * Ministed in Attendance * The Widower * Female Friends * Prime Minister Again * Troubles at Court * Earl of Beaconsfield and Viscount Hughenden of Hughenden * Berlin * The 'Guardian Angel' * The Last Act * 'A Wise and Worldly Man' * References * Index

Editorial Reviews

An adroitly written evocation of a compelling but enigmatic personality, a man whose ambition, idealism and opportunism would not seem out of place on the political scene today.” —Publishers Weekly

“Christopher Hibbert is one of the great British historians of our era. His elegant and lyrical writing has inspired a generation of authors to imitate him. Yet, he remains unsurpassed. Disraeli is a timely reminder of why Hibbert is still loved and admired all over the world.” —Amanda Foreman, bestselling author of Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire

“Christopher Hibbert has done it again and produced a skillfully written narrative of one of the titans of British politics, Benjamin Disraeli. In Disraeli Hibbert has created a vivid human portrait of the statesman. Hibbert is especially adept at bringing alive Disraeli's close relationship with his eccentric but beloved wife. All in all, a masterful account of an intriguing figure from an accomplished historian.” —Julia P. Gelardi, bestselling author of Born to Rule

“Christopher Hibbert's books have long been an inspiration to writers: they are witty, urbane and—most importantly—joyfully readable. In Disraeli, the author is perfectly matched to his subject, to create a biography that fizzes with energy and intelligence.” —Judith Flanders, author of Inside the Victorian Home

“[An] engaging new biography.” —The Guardian

“[A] thoroughly enjoyable read...a well-written narrative. [Hibbert] is a superbly skillful historical writer.” —The Spectator

“[Hibbert] is a polished practitioner of the biographer's art...a smoothly readable book.” —Christopher Kent, Journal of Historical Biography

From the Publisher

Veteran historian Hibbert summons up the ghost of Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), who along with Gladstone dominated English politics in the Victorian era. Hibbert finds Disraeli's character and personal history intriguing, and the reader will agree. Disraeli was the consummate outsider to the English ruling caste: he was from the wrong class, the wrong schools, the wrong ancestry (the scalding remarks of Disraeli's enemies reminded him all his life of his Jewish origins). Yet Disraeli's ambition and brilliance made him prime minister and a favorite of Queen Victoria. The author has chosen hundreds of quotations from contemporary sources; written by, to or about Disraeli, these excerpts bring the era to life. All who wrote about Disraeli's powers of oratory stressed how spellbinding he was in the House of Commons. Disraeli himself joined in this chorus, characterizing each of his oratorical triumphs as his greatest achievement to date. Hibbert (The English: A Social History) plainly appreciates Disraeli's many abilities (self-assurance, eloquence, gregariousness) as well as his deficits (cynicism, vanity). This is an adroitly written evocation of a compelling but enigmatic personality, a man whose ambition, idealism and opportunism would not seem out of place on the political scene today. (May 30) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Hibbert's lively and engaging portrait of Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) joins the author's numerous other well-received, popular biographies (Queen Victoria: A Personal History). Disraeli remains an intriguing and enigmatic figure: a Jew who was baptized; a dandy; an arriviste; a novelist; a one-time radical, Tory politician, eventually prime minister; and, famously, flatterer of Queen Victoria and promoter of the British Empire. Readers will not find portentous political analysis, literary criticism, or up-to-date social commentary here (students of political history would do better to rely on Robert Blake's magisterial Disraeli). Instead, Hibbert presents a truly personal history, lingering over details of clothes, "Balls and Banquets" (to quote one chapter heading), and personal relationships with family, friends, lovers, colleagues, and royals. A supremely readable and enjoyable study of a colorful, often astonishing and modern character, this is recommended for all libraries.-Matt Todd, Northern Virginia Community Coll. Lib., Alexandria Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

[Hibbert] is a polished practitioner of the biographer's art...a smoothly readable book.

Journal of Historical Biography Christopher Kent

[A] thoroughly enjoyable read...a well-written narrative. [Hibbert] is a superbly skillful historical writer.

The Spectator

[An] engaging new biography.

The Guardian

Christopher Hibbert's books have long been an inspiration to writers: they are witty, urbane and--most importantly--joyfully readable. In Disraeli, the author is perfectly matched to his subject, to create a biography that fizzes with energy and intelligence.

author of Inside the Victorian Home Judith Flanders

Christopher Hibbert is one of the great British historians of our era. His elegant and lyrical writing has inspired a generation of authors to imitate him. Yet, he remains unsurpassed. Disraeli is a timely reminder of why Hibbert is still loved and admired all over the world.

Amanda Foreman