Book description
Disraeli is one of the most fascinating men of the 19th century. This
masterly biography, written by an outstanding popular historian,
concentrates on his intriguing private life.
Superb politician, orator, writer and wit, Benjamin Disraeli was -
according to Queen Victoria - 'the kindest Minister' she had ever had,
who 'reached the top of the greasy pole' [in his own words] despite
considerable antisemitism. He enjoyed many scandalous affairs before
marrying a widow twelve years older than himself - an extremely
eccentric woman to whom he remained deeply and touchingly devoted for
the rest of his life.
Disraeli had never intended to be a politician. He had begun his
astonishing career by working unenthusiastically in a lawyer's office;
he had tried unsuccessfully to found a newspaper; he had written a novel
which lay unproductively in the publisher's office. A conspicuous dandy,
sprightly, attentive and witty, he was attractive to women, enjoying
many liaisons until he contracted a venereal disease in a St James's
Street brothel.
He married in 1839. 'Dizzy married me for my money,' Mary Anne used to
say. 'But, if he had the chance again, he would marry me for love.' They
lived in a large country house, Hughenden Manor, near High Wycombe,
which he bought with mostly borrowed money, and soon became one of the
most gifted of parliamentarians and as celebrated as any politician in
England. As an antidote to his grief at his wife's death in 1872 he
threw himself back into the political life, becoming Prime Minister for
the second time in 1874, displacing Gladstone much to the Queen's
delight. 'One of England's greatest living historical writers. Reading
anything by him is pure pleasure.' Amanda Foreman
'Engaging new biography'.' Guardian
'A fine new biography…an acute and insightful personal biography.'
Andrew Roberts, Daily Telegraph
'In this shouty world, Hibbert's account of the private life of
Benjamin Disraeli comes as an immensely dependable relief…Innumerable
younger historians owe Hibbert an immense debt, although he is probably
too unassuming to allow them to pay it.' Sunday Times
'…the book is thoroughly enjoyable…What Hibbert does extremely well is
to construct a readable, well written narrative…a superbly skilful
historical writer.' Spectator Christopher Hibbert was described in the
New Statesman as 'a pearl of biographers', in the Sunday Times as 'a
gloriously versatile writer', and in the TES as 'perhaps the most gifted
popular historian we have'. His many highly acclaimed books include
lives of Mussolini, Samuel Johnson, Wellington, Nelson, Queen Victoria
and Napoleon; biographies of cities such as London, Rome, Venice and
Florence; histories of the Cavaliers and Roundheads and The Great
Mutiny, and a social history of the English.
