The Cliveden Set

(Paperback)

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Description

The "Cliveden set" included leading politicians, academics, bankers, writers and newspaper editors who gathered at the fabulously wealthy country estate of Nancy and Waldorf Astor. But suddenly in the late 1930s it was identified as a treacherous cabal seeking to manipulate - even determine - British foreign policy in order to uphold its own class interests; one that would even negotiate a dishonourable agreement with Nazi Germany to maintain its privileges, those of a decaying ruling class. But was tis true, or was the group simply an unstructured think-tank of harmless do-gooders Norman Rose probes this tale setting this privileged clique in the wider perspective of its times.

Reviews

A lively, entertaining and informative account of one of the stranger episodes to have created a national legend -- Anthony Howard * Sunday Times *
A model piece of historical writing...A lively, generous-minded and convincing demolition of a contemporary legend -- Anne Chisholm * Sunday Telegraph *
Norman Rose...is a master of Britain's internal relations...his knowledge is extensive and his touch assured...In fine, economical, sometimes epigrammatic prose he has written a thoroughly entertaining, absorbing account -- Ian Gilmour * London Review of Books *
Well-researched, well-written and fascinating...a fine work -- Andrew Roberts * Daily Telegraph *
Norman Rose sorts out the Cliveden Set for us once and for all...calm, lucid and authoritative * Spectator *

Author Bio

Norman Rose is a graduate of the LSE and now holds the Chair of International Relations at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. A distinguished historian and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he is also the author of much acclaimed biographies of Winston Churchill and Chaim Weitzman, as well as a study of the Cliveden Set.