Working with Winston : the unsung women behind Britain's greatest statesman
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 323-355) and index.

Much has been written about Winston Churchill by the important world leaders, politicians, and high-ranking military personnel with whom he interacted. But we have heard less from the vast staff required to enable him to maintain the intense pace at which he worked, a staff with whom he could abandon the persona that he maintained in public. When Churchill strode the world stage, his secretarial and support staff was inevitably filled by women. Though extraordinarily talented and valuable to Churchill and his work, these women remain unheralded. Churchill was not an easy employer. He could be intimidating, with never-ending demands. He did not hesitate to impose his relentless and ever-changing schedules on those who worked for him. And yet these women were devoted to him, never flagging in their admiration during times in his political career when he was decidedly unpopular and out of office. Many of these women, reflecting on their years of working with Winston, call them the best years of their lives. But these intelligent and hard-working women were far from sycophants. Just as Churchill was no ordinary prime minister, these women were no ordinary secretaries. Indeed, in today's terms their titles would be much grander, as their work encompassed access to ultra-secret documents and organizing large international summits. A treasure trove of insight and research, Working with Winston reveals the man behind the statesman and brings long-overdue recognition to the "hidden army" that, like churchill, was never off-duty. --,Provided by publisher.