When Lions Roar, Thomas Maier
When Lions Roar, Thomas Maier
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When Lions Roar
The Churchills and the Kennedys

Author: Thomas Maier

Narrator: Malcolm Hillgartner

Unabridged: 21 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/28/2014


Synopsis

The first comprehensive history of the deeply entwined personal and public lives of the Churchills and the Kennedys and what their special relationship meant for Great Britain and the United StatesWhen Lions Roar begins in the mid-1930s at Chartwell, Winston Churchill's country estate, with new revelations surrounding a secret business deal orchestrated by Joseph P. Kennedy, the father of future American president John F. Kennedy. From London to America, these two powerful families shared an ever-widening circle of friends, lovers, and political associates—soon shattered by World War II, spying, sexual infidelity, and the tragic deaths of JFK's sister Kathleen and his older brother Joe Jr. By the 1960s and JFK's presidency, the Churchills and the Kennedys had overcome their bitter differences and helped to define the greatness in each other.Acclaimed biographer Thomas Maier tells this dynastic saga through fathers and their sons—and the remarkable women in their lives—providing keen insight into the Churchill and Kennedy families and the profound forces of duty, loyalty, courage, and ambition that shaped them. He explores the seismic impact of Winston Churchill on JFK and American policy, wrestling anew with the legacy of two titans of the twentieth century. Maier also delves deeply into the conflicted bond between Winston and his son Randolph and the contrasting example of patriarch Joe Kennedy, a failed politician who successfully channeled his personal ambitions to his children. By approaching these iconic figures from a new perspective, Maier not only illuminates the intricacies of this all-important cross-Atlantic allegiance but also enriches our understanding of the tumultuous time in which they lived and the world events they so greatly influenced.With deeply human portraits of these flawed but larger-than-life figures, When Lions Roar explores the special relationship between the Churchills and Kennedys, between Great Britain and the United States, highlighting all of its emotional complexity and historic significance.

About Thomas Maier

Thomas Maier is the author of several books, including The Kennedys: America’s Emerald Kings and Masters of Sex, the basis of a Showtime series.

About Malcolm Hillgartner

Malcolm Hillgartner is an accomplished actor, writer, and musician. Named an AudioFile Best Voice of 2013 and the recipient of several Earphones Awards, he has narrated over 250 audiobooks.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Steven on March 02, 2016

The 20th century was greatly affected by a number of prominent families, but aside from the Roosevelts, few stand out more than the Churchills and the Kennedys, and their relationship with each other. The interactions between these two families forms the core of Thomas Maier’s recent book, WHEN LION......more

Goodreads review by Sherrie on May 13, 2015

***I won this book in a GoodReads First Reads Giveaway*** First off, and this has nothing to do with my opinion of the book itself, I have to give praise to the publisher for sending me a replacement copy. Initially, the book I won in the giveaway was stolen from my front door. I emailed Crown Publis......more

Goodreads review by Sarah Beth on July 21, 2014

I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book as a giveaway on Goodreads. The Churchill and the Kennedy families first met in the early 1930s, well before either grew to the political prominence in their respective countries that they soon would. While the relationship between the two families......more

Goodreads review by Michael on January 31, 2015

I was attracted to Thomas Meier’s When Lions Roar: The Churchills and the Kennedys because between them they are two of the most important families of the last century or so and they share many commonalities, although whether either side would own up to such a fact is a topic free to debate. What Me......more

Goodreads review by Richard on November 17, 2014

I agree with Barry Singer that Churchill surpassed Joe Kennedy in almost every way. Joe Kennedy could not even bring himself to write his own memoirs. However, Churchill won in another way also: he made John F. Kennedy a Churchillian. The book is a great read though this is not the book you want to r......more


Quotes

“Laden with significant new research, the book offers up many intriguing tangential revelations about virtually everybody…Ultimately, however, he succeeds at what matters most: bringing to life Kennedy and Churchill’s fatal differences and fascinating similarities.” USA Today

“Weaving the life stories of nearly thirty Churchills and Kennedys into a seamless narrative, Maier smartly anchors his reportage on the clans’ larger-than-life cornerstones: Winston Churchill and Joseph Kennedy. The sheer accumulation of colorful anecdotes in When Lions Roar Washington Post

“A thoroughly told and fascinatingly detailed account of the Churchill and Kennedy families that brims with revelation and showcases the dynamic relationship between these roaring dynasties.” Irish America magazine

“Torches pass from fathers to sons—and sometimes get dropped—in this sprawling saga of two political dynasties…Gossipy, entertaining…full of wartime adventure, romance, and innumerable adulteries. Maier’s vivid profiles of these charismatic figures make for a nuanced study.” Publishers Weekly

“A sprawling yet intimate panorama.” Booklist

“Fascinating…Its wealth of details, smoothly told, will hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end. An excellent work for all history collections, especially those devoted to twentieth-century political history.” Library Journal

“Journalist Maier pieces together a multigenerational saga of two renowned families…Perhaps most pleasing is Maier’s skill at locating information about less famous individuals who played key roles in the ways the two families connected and disconnected…His research carries the book along as interesting anecdotes continue to emerge.” Kirkus Reviews

“Narrator Malcolm Hillgartner [gives] each major player his own voice. In the case of the easily recognizable—Winston Churchill, FDR, JFK, and RFK—he provides rough but serviceable imitations that enliven the reading and aid listener comprehension. He lends excitement to the material without overdoing it and…his persistent energy helps keep the listener focused, and his strong voice and serious manner make the book’s main material—gossip—seem more substantial. Overall, Hillgartner’s narration renders this work more enjoyable than it might otherwise be.” AudioFile

“Thomas Maier has achieved the remarkable feat of offering rich new insight into the lives, achievements, and failures of two famous families, the Churchills and the Kennedys. If you think you know everything there is to know about the Churchills and Kennedys, you’re wrong. Maier examines his subjects as no biographer has before. It is a monumental accomplishment.” Terry Golway, author of The Irish in America

“A highly enjoyable and expertly told account of two of the most important political families of the twentieth century.” Richard Toye, author of Churchill’s Empire