... a thoughtful study of a father-son relationship during the storms that rocked the 20th century.

On casual inspection Randolph was a failure, his career in journalism, politics and the army blighted by marital discord and drunken oafishness. Josh Ireland’s Churchill & Son chronicles these faults vividly, but suggests that there was more to Randolph than the two bottles of whisky and 100 cigarettes he was consuming daily before his terminal decline.

... a reader would have to be ice-cold of heart not to pause to take a sorrowful breath.

Ireland depicts their story in an eloquent, lively manner overall, with sympathy for both of them.

... throughout the book, Ireland too often slips into amateur psychology.

Ireland delves into the psychology of Randolph’s complex personality and his volatile relations with both his adoring father and his chilly mother. No hagiographic treatment, this joint biography offers a decidedly unpleasant version of each subject. Students of father-son relationships will find this treatise compelling and full of eyebrow-raising anecdotes..

Journalist Ireland...delivers an immersive account of British prime minister Winston Churchill’s tempestuous relationship with his only son, Randolph.

In this detailed, engaging narrative, Ireland demonstrates that there is more to be learned about one of the most written-about political figures in history.