This biography investigates the volatile political career of Lord Randolph Churchill to understand the broader instability of Victorian governance and the evolution of the Conservative Party. R. F. Foster, a noted historian of Irish and British political history, utilizes extensive archival research and personal correspondence to reconstruct Churchill's life. The work argues that Churchill's trajectory serves as a microcosm for the shifting ideologies of the late nineteenth century, specifically regarding Home Rule, Protectionism, and the rise of grassroots political movements.

Historians frequently cite this work as a definitive study on the complexities of high-level Victorian politics. Readers often note the academic rigor and the dense, analytical nature of the prose which requires a foundational knowledge of the period.