THE Churchill girls by rachel trethewey
The Churchill Girls: The Story of Winston and Clementine's Daughters
Rating: 5 out of 5
As a history enthusiast, I've read many books about the Churchill family, including: First Lady: The Life and Wars of Clementine Churchill (by Sonia Purnell) and Churchill and Son (by Josh Ireland) . It could be argued that the lives of Winston Churchill's family are more intriguing than his own. Although he could sometimes be challenging to live with, Winston's wife, Clementine, and their three daughters, Sarah, Diana and Mary, were completely devoted to Britain's most resolute politician, and he just as equally devoted to them.
It is true the three girls lived in the shadow of the famous father, and the Churchill name only added to the pressures they faced as they struggled to make a name for themselves. Had they been born into a more normal family Sarah, Diana and Mary could have become formidable and hugely successful politicians in their own right. Yet all three put their strong, politically minded personalities to good use and could often be found on the campaign trail making electrified speeches to encourage the public to vote for Winston. Their unconditional love for their father shone through day after day, year after year, and conference after conference.
Some history books can feel too detailed, 'heavy going' and difficult to unpick. But the Churchill Girls is an easy read with short, digestible, chapters. Exceptionally well researched, with quotes from personal correspondence and diary entries, Rachel Trethewey documents the life (and loves) of the Churchill girls in exquisite detail. Whilst Trethewey effortlessly showcases the enviable glamour of these extraordinary women, she also exposes their vulnerabilities, specifically Sarah and Diana who struggled with their mental health and had several failed marriages between them. The book also details how Winston and Clementine were incredibly tolerant of Sarah and Diana 'misadventures', often turning a blind eye. Somewhat unusual for the times they lived in, and their social class.
Trethewey expertly brings Sarah, Diana and Mary Churchill back to life once more and allows them to shine for the first time in their own right, and as Winston's biggest assets.
ORBITAL BY SAMANTHA HARVEY
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Rating 4 out of 5
'Masterful. thought-provoking and visionary'
Fiction isn't my usual choice of literature. I prefer factual (history, politics or science). So I'll be honest, I bought this book thinking it was non-fiction, a short account about an astronaut's time on the International Space Station (ISS). I didn't realise until 60 pages in that it was fiction! But my belief that Orbital was based on memory rather than imagination attests to the brilliance of the author, Samantha Harvey.
Orbital is remarkably well researched. At times it is like watching a documentary about the ISS; a day in the life of the astronauts and cosmonauts as they complete 16 orbits of Earth in a single 24-hour period. The descriptions of the station, the tasks its inhabitants are required to complete - including two hours of exercise a day, taking part in physical and psychological assessments, photographing weather systems and monitoring experiments - were crystal clear in my minds-eye.
Harvey's interpretation of Mother Earth, and the characters she envisions living aboard the ISS, are what makes this book feel so incredibly real. She often speaks about the world outside the window of the ISS as it drifts from continent to continent, ocean to ocean and pole to pole. Although she creatively details the extraordinary landscapes of our planet and the terrifying weather systems that continue to wreck havoc on our populations (e.g. mega typhoons in Bangladesh), I did skip several pages where I found it too heavily descriptive of Earth itself. For me, the personal stories of the astronauts/cosmonauts are more relatable to the reader and therefore more captivating. But that is just my individual preference.
This being said, Orbital is a thought-provoking and visionary piece of literature. Masterful in its representation of the fragility of life itself and mankind's continued advancements to becoming a space-fairing civilisation, Harvey's work will inspire the next generation of astronauts and cosmonauts as humanity looks to Mars and beyond.
