His most ambitious and most satisfying book...As befits the heroic grandeur of its subject, this is an admirably proportioned and beautifully written book, by turns enthralling, moving and (sometimes) very funny. It is the best single-volume biography of a Victorian stateman, since Robert Blake's life of Disraeli. What higher praise can there be?' - David Cannadine, Observer; It is a notable achievement and will not be easily superseded.' - Robert Blake, Times;William Ewart Gladstone stands alone as the only man who was four times Prime Minister, and the most remarkable person ever to have held that office. Roy Jenkins uses Gladstone's life not only to shine light on his manifold activities but also to compare the nineteenth century with the present day: the political rhythms, travel patterns and religious assumptions of Victorian England are all related to our era. This is an authoritative interpretation of a great career, and a revelation of a strange and brilliant character.