A History of the English-Speaking Peoples

A History of the English-Speaking Peoples

Company type	Book series
Industry	Publishing, History
Founded	1956–1958
Founder	Winston Churchill
Products	Four-volume historical work

A History of the English-Speaking Peoples is a comprehensive four-volume historical work authored by Winston Churchill. It traces the narrative of Britain and its former territories from Caesar's invasions of Britain in 55 BC through to the conclusion of the Second Boer War in 1902. Initiated in 1937, publication was delayed until the period between 1956 and 1958 due to wartime interruptions and Churchill’s other commitments. An abridged single-volume version has also been made available.

Writing and publishing

From an early age, Churchill demonstrated a strong aptitude for history and, influenced by his American maternal heritage, held a firm belief in the "special relationship" connecting Britain, its Commonwealth members—including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand—and the United States. His work delves into the two branches of the "English-speaking peoples."

The project was initially inspired independently by British publisher Newman Flower and American editor Maxwell Perkins during Churchill’s politically inactive years in the 1930s. Progress was halted with the onset of the Second World War in 1939, when Churchill assumed office as Prime Minister. Post-war, his attention turned to chronicling WWII and returning to premiership (1951–1955), which postponed completion until he was in his early eighties.

The concluding volume provides extensive coverage of military operations during the American Civil War, whereas social developments such as the agricultural revolution and the Industrial Revolution receive comparatively limited discussion. Political adversary Clement Attlee quipped that a more fitting title might have been "Things in history that interested me."

Despite such criticisms, the series achieved bestseller status and garnered favorable reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. J. H. Plumb of The Daily Telegraph commended its compelling storytelling, insightful political analysis, and embodiment of perspectives prevalent during the imperial era.

The set comprises these four volumes:

• The Birth of Britain
• The New World
• The Age of Revolution
• The Great Democracies

Related works

Between 1974 and 1975, the BBC produced a collection of twenty-six fifty-minute dramas called Churchill's People, loosely adapted from Churchill’s text. The series was met with poor reception and suffered from low viewership.

A follow-up volume titled A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900 by historian Andrew Roberts was released in 2006.

See also

• Anglosphere
• Greater Britain
• Winston Churchill as historian
• Winston Churchill as writer

Further reading

• Peter Clarke. Mr. Churchill's Profession: The Statesman as Author and the Book that Defined the "Special Relationship" (Bloomsbury Press; 2012), which offers an in-depth examination of the book’s development and influence