148 The Twentieth Century (1914 - 1945}

have been twice reviewed: Bassett endeavours to rehabilitate
Ramsay MacDonald, \vhile Skidelsky efficiently demolishes
what was left of his repute and his party's.933 The first volume
of a highly authoritative study of naval policy has appeared.934
And once again it is necessary to pursue history through
the products of the biographers. The monarchs have been
served well. Nicolson has managed to be fair to George V
while at the same time impressively unravelling the problems
of monarchy in an age of democratization.935 George VFs
biography is too long and a good deal too 'official', but it is
highly competent.938 Edward VIII has taken care of him-
self.937 Of the many lives of Lloyd George, not one can be
called at all satisfactory; the best of a poor bunch is that by
Tom Jones who relies on personal memories rather than
archival studies.938 His autobiographical writings, published
both in his life-time and after his death, need very critical
treatment (and have not yet received it); howrever, they do
throw a good deal of light behind the scenes of a stage on
which dwarfs behaved like giants.039 As for Churchill, we
have had essays galore, but nothing written so far has achieved
useful distance, employed the instruments of historical science,
or superseded his own writings. Still, one may mention the

*ss R. Bassett, Nineteen Thirty-One: political crisis. L: Macmillan: 1958,
Pp. xvi, 464. Rev: EHR 74, 377^ - Robert Skidelsky, Politicians
and the Slump; the labour government of 1929 -1931. L: Macmillan:

1967. Pp. xiv, 431. Rev: EHR 84, 2i5f.

*34 Stephen W. Roskill, Naval Policy between the Wars, vol. i: the
period of Anglo-American antagonism, 1919- 1929. L: Collins:

1968. Pp. 639.

•»* Harold Nicholson, King George the Fifth. L: Constable: 1952. Pp.

xxiii, 520.
*« John W. Wheeler-Bennett, King George VI: his life and reign. L:

Macmillan: 1958. Pp. xiv, 891. Rev: EHR 75, 374fF.
«7 The Duke of Windsor, A King's Story. L: Cassell: 1951. Pp. xvi,

440. - See also Brian Jnglis, Abdication. L: Hodder & Stoughton:

1966. Pp. xiv, 433.

**8 Tom Jones, Ibyd George. L: OUP: 1951. Pp. xii, 330.
>3« Torn Jones, A Diary with Letters, 1930 - 7950. L: OUP: 1954. Pp.

xiv, 582. - Idem, Whitehall Diary, 2 vols., ed, Keith Middleman

L: OUP: 1969. Pp. xxiv, 358; xiii, 309.