Hero, rogue, idealist, cynic, treacherous friend, loyal ally, embittered foe, dangerous demagogue, impish genius--these are a few of the terms that could be used to describe David Lloyd George. He gained fame as the father of Britain's social welfare system, the Prime Minister who led his country to victory in World War I, the man who "solved" the Irish problem, and the eloquently outspoken elder statesman who triggered Chamberlain's resignation and Churchill's ascent to power. But there was much more to his half-century in politics than these historic landmarks, and in this comprehensive and richly detailed biography Peter Rowland seeks to separate the real Lloyd George and his genuine accomplishments from the larger-than-life legends and controversies that have always surrounded him.