Great Contemporaries was published by Thornton Butterworth in 1937 (revised and expanded edition, 1938). The book collects twenty-five biographical essays, most originally published in newspapers and magazines during the 1920s and 1930s, on figures Churchill knew personally.
The subjects include political leaders (Rosebery, Asquith, Balfour, Clemenceau, Hindenburg, Kaiser Wilhelm II), military figures (Haig, Foch, Lawrence of Arabia), writers (Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells), and Churchill’s own father Lord Randolph. The essay on Hitler (written in 1935, before the full horror became clear) is historically fascinating — Churchill takes Hitler seriously as a political force while expressing uncertainty about his ultimate direction.
Churchill’s method is portraiture rather than analysis: he captures personality through anecdote, physical description, and reported speech. The essay on Lawrence of Arabia is particularly fine — Churchill admired Lawrence enormously and writes about him with a vividness that more academic biographies rarely achieve. The essay on Lord Randolph is revealing about Churchill himself: his father’s early death and squandered political career haunted his son throughout his own career.
Collecting Great Contemporaries
First edition (Thornton Butterworth, London, 1937): Blue cloth with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition with jacket, fine/fine: $300–$800
- Without jacket, very good: $60–$150
- Revised edition (1938): $200–$500
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
Churchill as Portraitist
Great Contemporaries (1937) collects Churchill’s biographical essays on figures he knew personally — including Lawrence of Arabia, Lord Rosebery, Kaiser Wilhelm II, George Bernard Shaw, and Adolf Hitler. The essays are masterful character sketches, combining political analysis with personal anecdote. The Hitler essay, written in 1935, is particularly fascinating: Churchill acknowledges Hitler’s political achievements while warning of the dangers he poses, a remarkably prescient analysis. A revised edition (1938) added new essays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which edition is more collectible? The 1937 first edition (Thornton Butterworth) is the primary collecting target. The 1938 revised edition (Macmillan) added four new essays and is also sought, but at lower prices. Both are attractive books with photographic portraits of the subjects.