General Hastings 'Pug' Ismay: Soldier, Statesman, Diplomat: A New Biography (Hardback)

‘John Kiszely... has performed an important service by writing this book, which should resurrect the reputation of Ismay… as one of the critical figures in the British war machine.’ - Max Hastings, The Sunday Times

'This is a major achievement and a truly important book. Kiszely has rightly returned Ismay to the front rank of key figures in the Second World War. His perception of character and of the dynamics and pitfalls of power is unsurpassed.' - Antony Beevor, historian and author

‘Kiszely succeeds in producing a panoramic view of his subject. … [This] admirable biography, a worthy successor to two previous Lives and to Ismay’s own memoirs, illustrates that every wartime premier requires a “pug”.’ - Dr Paul Winter, TLS

‘[A] magnificent new biography of Ismay.’ - Asian Review of Books

'Ismay is always in the background in the narratives of Churchill at war, but as Kiszely shows, he played a significant role in British military affairs. This is a very welcome addition to our understanding of Britain's war effort and an indispensable guide to Ismay's undervalued contribution.' - Richard Overy, historian and author

'An ambitious examination of the career of a man who deserves to be better known. By assembling a mass of evidence with forensic thoroughness, Kiszely reveals that Ismay was a supremely effective oiler of the wheels of any bureaucracy that he encountered, be it in Whitehall, Delhi or at NATO's Paris headquarters.' - David French, Professor Emeritus of History, University College of London

'Ismay was at the heart of British and allied strategy for two decades, but he has been hiding in plain sight. Kiszely explores his role and explains his influence with fluency, scholarship and empathy.' - Hew Strachan, Professor of International Relations, University of St Andrews

'Illuminating Ismay's life and role, this is an excellent study of the man who did more than most to win the Second World War. Kiszely's book is not only a fine work of history, it also bears important lessons for the decision-makers of today--should they choose to listen.' - Jonathan Boff, Professor of Military History, University of Birmingham