Great Contemporaries facts for kids

Great Contemporaries is a special book written by Winston Churchill, who later became a famous British Prime Minister. It's a collection of 25 short stories, or "essays," about important and well-known people from his time. These essays share interesting facts and insights about leaders, thinkers, and other influential figures.

Exploring Great Contemporaries

This book gives readers a unique look into the lives of people Churchill knew or admired. He wrote about their achievements, their challenges, and what made them stand out. It's like getting a personal tour through history, guided by one of its most famous participants.

Who Was Featured in the Book?

The book includes essays on many different famous people. These are individuals who made a big impact on the world during Churchill's lifetime. He wrote about leaders, military figures, and even artists.

Some of the well-known people featured include:

• Earl of Rosebery
• Kaiser Wilhelm II
• George Bernard Shaw
• Joseph Chamberlain
• Sir John French
• John Morley
• Hindenburg
• H. H. Asquith
• Lawrence of Arabia
• The Earl of Birkenhead
• Marshal Foch
• Alfonso XIII
• Douglas Haig
• Arthur James Balfour
• Adolf Hitler
• George Nathaniel Curzon
• Philip Snowden
• Georges Clemenceau
• George V

How the Book Changed Over Time

The first version of Great Contemporaries came out in 1937. It had 21 essays, most of which Churchill wrote between 1928 and 1931.

New Essays Added

In 1939, four more essays were added to the book. These new additions were about:

• Lord Fisher
• Charles Stewart Parnell
• Lord Baden-Powell
• Franklin D. Roosevelt

Essays Removed During Wartime

During World War II, some essays were temporarily removed from the book. This happened because Britain formed alliances with other countries.

• In 1941, essays about Boris Savinkov and Leon Trotsky were taken out. They had been opponents of Joseph Stalin, who was the leader of Russia. Russia was then an ally of Britain against Germany.
• In 1942, the essay on Franklin D. Roosevelt was removed. This was because America became an official ally of Britain, and Roosevelt was the American president.

Essays Reinstated After the War

After World War II ended, these essays were put back into the book. The Odhams edition, published in 1947, included all three essays again. This shows how historical events can sometimes affect what is published.