The Unknown Lloyd George: A Statesman in Conflict - Hardcover

'This book provides a new assessment of a somewhat enigmatic figure. Travis Crosby cuts through the thicket of views and suggests persuasive explanations of Lloyd George's behaviour. In the process the Lloyd George laid bare is neither an opportunist nor an ideologue; instead, he is shown to be someone who calculated and responded to situations and sought to produce resolutions.' Peter Catterall, Reader in History, University of Westminster 'This is a deeply considered, vivid, lucid and genuinely illuminating book that deals as frankly and comprehensively with Lloyd George's capacity to encounter and foment conflict in his public life as with his tendency to take similar risks in his private affairs.' - Denis Judd, author of Empire: The British Imperial Experience 1765 to the Present

David Lloyd George is widely regarded as one of the most effective British prime ministers of the twentieth century. A dynamic speaker and committed social reformer, he led Britain successfully through the devastation of World War I and had a powerful impact on international politics. In the post-war peace treaties, he sought a just, rather than a vengeful, settlement for the defeated powers in an attempt to preserve a peaceful international order. Whilst Lloyd George's achievements were undoubtedly substantial, his political record was not entirely without blemish and, in his personal life, he was a fascinating and complex character. Renowned as a womaniser, after 1913 he retained two separate households - one with his wife and one with his mistress, his former private secretary. Based on extensive research, Travis L. Crosby provides a fresh appraisal of the life of one of Britain's most conflicted politicians.