An account of Disraeli's personal and public lives which draws on his letters and his neglected early novels. It tells of his youth in Bloomsbury, and his novel "Vivian Grey" which catapulted him to precocious fame and infamy.

Benjamin Disraeli was the most gifted parliamentarian of the nineteenth century and a superb orator, writer and wit - but how much do we really know about the man behind the words? 'As Douglas Hurd and Edward Young point out in their splendidly written, finely judged and thoroughly persuasive book, a vast chasm yawned between the real Disraeli and his posthumous reinvention' Dominic Sandbrook, SUNDAY TIMES 'Not only, they tell us in this vigorously debunking romp through his political life, did he never use the phrases "One Nation" or "Tory Democracy", he was actively hostile to the concepts that they are now understood to represent' Sam Leith, THE SPECTATOR 'The book is more a study in character . . . than a staid political narrative. As a result, Disraeli: Or the Two Lives is full of unexpected jolts and paradoxes . . . It proves an unflagging pleasure to read' Richard Davenport-Hines, GUARDIAN 'So intoxicating that you will find yourself snorting it up in one go, as I did, with great pleasure' Boris Johnson, MAIL ON SUNDAY

Although there have been many biographies of Benjamin Disraeli, none has dealt at length with his early years. Mr. Jerman has had first access to the recently available and voluminous papers at Disraeli's home in Hughenden, England. His lively and urbane biography provides a portrait of Disraeli before he entered Parliament that has not been given before. It contributes to the total picture of the man Disraeli, later the statesman and politician. Originally published in 1960. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This book contains the second volume of Benjamin Disraeli’s 1847 novel, “Tancred - Or, The New Crusade”. It was the last in his trilogy of political novels, preceded by “Sybil; or, The Two Nations” (1845) and “Coningsby; or, The New Generation” (1844). The plot revolves around the role of the Church of England in rejuvenating Britain’s waning spirituality. This book is highly recommended for fans of political fiction, and is not to be missed by collectors of Disraeli’s work. Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881) was a British politician and author, who served as Prime Minister on two separate occasions. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Many vintage texts such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now, in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

December 2004 marks the bicentenary of Benjamin Disraeli's birth. Benjamin Disraeli: The Novel as Political Discourse examines Disraeli's novels in order to construct a portrait of the man, his context and enduring reputation. Disraeli's literary career ran from 1826 to 1880. Within this time he became an M.P., Leader of the Opposition, Chancellor and Prime Minister. His novels can be read as the breeding ground for his ideas, gestated away from the pressure cooker of Parliament. From his first novel, Vivian Grey, about the formation of a new political party, to the overtly political "Young England" trilogy (named after a faction of the Conservative Party with which Disraeli was aligned) and beyond, Disraeli's novels expose the development of his thinking while also reflecting the anxieties of his age. This book will appeal to those fascinated by Disraeli and Conservatism. More widely, it will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the development of Britain in the Victorian era. Drawing upon Disraeli's speeches, letters and non-fiction as well as his novels, the book enhances our understanding of this charismatic figure who continues to cast a formidable shadow across the nation's politics and culture.

First published in 1966, Robert Blake's biography of Disraeli is one of the supreme political biographies of the last hundred years. An outsider, a nationalist, a European, a Romantic and a Tory - Disraeli's story is an extraordinary one. Born in 1804, the grandson of an immigrant Italian Jew, he became leader of the Conservative Party and was twice Prime Minister. Famous for the 1867 Reform Act, his purchasing of the Suez Canal and his diplomatic triumphs at the Congress of Berlin, he was also the creator of the political novel and, in Sybil, wrote the major 'Condition of England' work of fiction. 'An outstandingly successful biography . . . Disraeli has never been brought so vividly to life.' Sir Philip Magnus, Daily Telegraph 'A huge, scholarly and remarkably readable work which makes us revise vast tracts of our assumptions about nineteenth-century politics.' Sir Michael Howard, Sunday Times 'A book that people will still be reading in fifty years' time and long after.' Times Literary Supplement

In this one act, one actor, play, "Disraeli" tells his life story - 1804-1881. He commences with a brief background, about the Jews in England and his grandfather's arrival in the mid-18th Century. The latter's good fortune enabled his father to pursue a literary career. Benjamin was therefore born into a wealthy and cultured home.The play covers his unfortunate experiences at various schools, which culminated in his being largely self-taught. A brief and not relished life, as a solicitor's clerk started and finished his interest in the Law. He then embarked on the life of a "Young Gentleman" involving "The Grand Tour". On his return home he made his name as a "Dandy" and a novelist. He tells of his virtual gate-crashing of London Society, before attempting to launch a career in politics. After initial rebuffs as an individual candidate, he eventually gained electoral success by joining the Tory Party.With the aid of a financially beneficial, but not loveless, marriage, he began his rise to fame. As a leading figure in Conservative ranks, he tells of his condemnation of Peel's betrayal over the "Corn Laws", and his formation of a "Young England" splinter group.From becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer in Lord Derby's government, he finally "Climbs to the top pf the greasy pole", becoming Prime Minister, for the first time, in 1868.The second half of the play deals with his notable relations with Queen Victoria and also his great adversarial battles, in and out of Parliament, with Mr Gladstone, the leader of the Liberal Party. He then talks of the domestic, foreign and imperial affairs of his second and most significant government 1874-1880. A sad, but not humourless ending, deals with his last years as Leader of the Opposition, and his last year.The style is largely anecdotal, informative and entertaining.

Benjamin Disraeli is primarily remembered as a two-time Prime Minister, founder of modern British Conservatism, and popular novelist. However, in the course of a few fateful years, he had a decisive influence on the history of the countries of the Balkan peninsula.Like all British Prime Ministers in this period, Disraeli was forced to confront the Eastern Question: what to do about the political future of the Balkans and the Levant, as the Ottoman Empire began to implode. During the 'Eastern Crisis' of 1875 to 1878, Disraeli played a key role, in the end imposing his will on the rest of Europe at the Congress of Berlin.It is a commonplace in biographies of Disraeli that his attitude to the East and the Eastern Question is essential for understanding his complex persona and the most crucial period of his career, yet until now this topic has not been researched in detail. Disraeli and the Eastern Question now fills this gap, providing the first complete reconstruction of Disraeli's attitudes towards the East and the Eastern Question as a whole, from his early youth onwards, and using a wide range ofprimary sources, from Disraeli's private papers, correspondence, and novels, the manuscript collections of Queen Victoria and the Prime Minister's closest associates, to the minutes of Parliamentary debates and the official correspondence of the Foreign Office, as well as Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, andAlbanian documents. Blending a biographical approach with the history of ideas, Milos Kovic analyses Disraeli's role in the Eastern Crisis, at the Congress of Berlin, and after, to provide a full intellectual biography of his attitudes to the Eastern Question and how these affected the history of international relations in the late nineteenth century.