Matthew S. Seligmann was born in London. He was educated at the universities of Edinburgh, Pennsylvania, and Sussex and has held posts at the University of Northampton and Brunel University London, where he is currently professor of naval history. An expert on the Anglo-German naval race and Anglo-German relations before and during the First World War, he has written numerous books and articles on this subject, as well as making radio and television appearances.

"... in spite of the book's title, this is not a study unduly preoccupied with Churchill. It is, rather, an examination of social change and policymaking in which Churchill looms large, but without losing sight of the complex and dynamic relationship between the navy and society that preoccupied naval policymakers." -- N. C. Fleming, War in History

"Seligmann has made a valuable contribution to understanding Churchill and the Royal Navy in a troubled era, as Britain's last Liberal government enacted fiscal, political, and social reform at home, while contending with the growing international peril emanating from Germany's bid for world power. This book should appeal not only to historians, but to anyone interested in transforming large, complex organizations. Highly recommended!" -- John H. Maurer, U.S. Naval War College, Journal of British Studies

"As with Seligmann's oeuvre on naval strategy before World War I, it is preoccupied with policymaking and policymakers. Yet, in examining how they handled social questions, the book provides an innovative approach to the social history of the Royal Navy in the modern era." -- N. C. Fleming, University of Worcester, War in History

"This volume is an important contribution to the social history of the modern Royal Navy and a valuable study of a neglected aspect of Winston Churchill's career...Seligmann has raised the bar for other scholars of this field." -- Christopher M. Bell, Dalhousie University, History

"This is an excellent book that substantially adds to our understanding of Churchill, the Royal Navy, and the sociocultural environment in which it operated. Seligmann's archival research is first-rate and reinforces his reputation as one of the leading scholars of the modern Admiralty. The book will be of interest to many constituencies, including social history, naval history, and the history of sexuality." -- John C. Mitcham, Journal of Modern History

"A must-read book for any scholar working on Churchill." --Finest Hour

"Seligmann has succeeded in developing a deeply impressive, systematic understanding of the surviving material. Having something genuinely new to say about Winston Churchill in 2018 is no small achievement, and Seligmann must be judged to have done so in a highly impressive and balanced manner." --Reviews in History