Book 43 of the 50 Book Challenge

The Wicked Wit of Winstone Churchill by Dominique Enright, 155 pages

Started May 25th, finished June 21st.

I picked this up at the wonderful Churchill War Rooms museum in London.  It's a perfect titbit book.

Churchill was very quick witted and not only could he direct the wit himself he was a master of the riposte.  This book is a collection of his quips, ripostes and witticisms.  Gathered together in chapters.  What surprised me was how much they could find to put into the book.  Churchill's speech seems to have been very well documented.  I suppose meeting the man himself would ensure it got a passage or two in your diary.

I think my favourite has to be a reply to Nancy Astor.

Nancy Astor "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd put poison in your coffee."

Churchill "Nancy, if you were my wife, I'd drink it."

I doubt Churchill was always the easiest person to get along with.  I'd bet he was damn entertaining company a lot of the time though :-)

4 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 43, Pages -12, 709

Next - Hostage to History by Christopher Hitchins