
- 400 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
'Superb...his pages fizz with character and colour' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times
'Scholarly and very readable' Andrew Lycett, Spectator
'Energetic and hugely entertaining' A.N.Wilson, TLS
The definitive biography of Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, the first and greatest press magnate in history and the genius who invented modern popular journalism.
The turn of the century was a period when the world was opening up in new and exciting ways – radio, telegrams, the advent of flight. With literacy and the right to vote extending across an ever-expanding populace, politics and journalism were embarking on a power struggle that continues unabated to this day. Lord Northcliffe rose to the challenges of this new world by employing cutting-edge technology, upending the outdated mores of traditional journalism and radically reshaping the very concept of ‘news’.
He was a tough and uncompromising businessman, frequently levelled with charges of megalomania, but in The Chief Andrew Roberts puts Northcliffe’s ruthlessness in the context of a life of visionary business skill, journalistic brilliance, distinguished wartime public service and heartfelt patriotism. The man was, undoubtedly, a genius – albeit a flawed one. From a modest background, growing up on the outskirts of Dublin, by twenty-seven he presided over a magazine empire with the largest circulation in the world. By the time of his tragically early death in 1922, Northcliffe had founded the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, and had also owned The Times and the Observer. At one point he owned two thirds of all the titles on Fleet Street.
Based on exclusive access to the Harmsworth family archive, The Chief charts Lord Northcliffe’s rise to power and his highly controversial influence in a politically critical period. His influence still resonates today both through his remarkable business innovations and in the way we consume our news and politics.
'Scholarly and very readable' Andrew Lycett, Spectator
'Energetic and hugely entertaining' A.N.Wilson, TLS
The definitive biography of Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, the first and greatest press magnate in history and the genius who invented modern popular journalism.
The turn of the century was a period when the world was opening up in new and exciting ways – radio, telegrams, the advent of flight. With literacy and the right to vote extending across an ever-expanding populace, politics and journalism were embarking on a power struggle that continues unabated to this day. Lord Northcliffe rose to the challenges of this new world by employing cutting-edge technology, upending the outdated mores of traditional journalism and radically reshaping the very concept of ‘news’.
He was a tough and uncompromising businessman, frequently levelled with charges of megalomania, but in The Chief Andrew Roberts puts Northcliffe’s ruthlessness in the context of a life of visionary business skill, journalistic brilliance, distinguished wartime public service and heartfelt patriotism. The man was, undoubtedly, a genius – albeit a flawed one. From a modest background, growing up on the outskirts of Dublin, by twenty-seven he presided over a magazine empire with the largest circulation in the world. By the time of his tragically early death in 1922, Northcliffe had founded the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, and had also owned The Times and the Observer. At one point he owned two thirds of all the titles on Fleet Street.
Based on exclusive access to the Harmsworth family archive, The Chief charts Lord Northcliffe’s rise to power and his highly controversial influence in a politically critical period. His influence still resonates today both through his remarkable business innovations and in the way we consume our news and politics.
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Yes, you can access The Chief by Andrew Roberts in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Historical Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Harmsworth Family Tree
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Youth: July 1865âMarch 1886
- Chapter 2: âSchemo Magnificoâ: March 1886âDecember 1891
- Chapter 3: âThe Gospel of Loyalty to the Empireâ: February 1892âApril 1896
- Chapter 4: âWeâve Struck a Goldmineâ: The âDaily Mailâ: April 1896âJuly 1899
- Chapter 5: âWe Believe in Englandâ: The Boer War: April 1899âMay 1902
- Chapter 6: The âMirrorâ and a Mystery Woman: August 1902âNovember 1904
- Chapter 7: Liberal Dawn: May 1905âDecember 1907
- Chapter 8: Taking âThe Timesâ: JanuaryâMarch 1908
- Chapter 9: âDer Tag Will Comeâ: The German Threat: April 1908âDecember 1909
- Chapter 10: Consolidating Control at âThe Timesâ: December 1909âNovember 1911
- Chapter 11: The Road to War: November 1911âJuly 1914
- Chapter 12: âThe Angel of Death is Abroadâ: AugustâDecember 1914
- Chapter 13: The Shells Scandal: JanuaryâMay 1915
- Chapter 14: Gallipoli and Conscription: May 1915âMay 1916
- Chapter 15: Dethroning Mr Asquith: MayâDecember 1916
- Chapter 16: The British War Mission: JuneâOctober 1917
- Chapter 17: âI Watch These People Vigilantlyâ: November 1917âJanuary 1918
- Chapter 18: Propaganda in Enemy Countries: FebruaryâSeptember 1918
- Chapter 19: The Rift with Lloyd George: October 1918âApril 1919
- Chapter 20: Pursuing the Vendetta: April 1919âJuly 1921
- Chapter 21: The World Tour: July 1921âFebruary 1922
- Chapter 22: Degeneration: FebruaryâMay 1922
- Chapter 23: Death: JuneâAugust 1922
- Conclusion: The Napoleon of Fleet Street
- Photographs
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Copyright