Drawing on the biographies of Winston Churchill and George Orwell, the author demonstrates that these two disparate figures had a greater influence on the ideological structure of post-war Western society than any of their contemporaries. Their weapon was the word, and their books and speeches continue to exert a profound influence on millions today. Focusing on the most prolific period of their lives—the 1930s and 1940s—Thomas Ricks not only paints precise psychological portraits of his subjects but also recreates a picture of the British Empire of that period in all its glory and misery—with its colonial ambitions and class contradictions, the fatal policy of appeasement, and the ruling elite's embrace of fascism. The book also reflects on Orwell's participation in the Spanish Civil War and Churchill's decisive role during World War II. At the same time, Rix does not paint ceremonial portraits of great people, but fearlessly shows his heroes in moments of moral and intellectual rise and emotional and physical decline, manifestations of incredible spiritual strength and frank human weakness.