{"product_id":"pitt-the-elder-9780521398060","title":"Pitt the Elder","description":"This book offers a readable yet scholarly account of the life of one of the greatest statesmen of empire, William Pitt the Elder, First Earl of Chatham (1708-78). Chatham is seen as a political outsider who rose to direct British policy in the Seven Years War, the crucial struggle that gave Canada to Britain. A critic of domestic corruption, he was subsequently a champion of American liberties. Chatham's achievement was all the more remarkable for a politician who was dogged for much of his life by poor physical health and considerable mental stress. His position as an outsider was crucial: it helped make his reputation, and to make him an unsettling figure. It also caused problems when he gained office, but it ensured Chatham was and seemed, 'different'. He was a man with whom the national interest could be associated, not simply because he made the claim himself, but also because he seemed apart from the world of court and connection.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50844643393810,"sku":"9780521398060","price":52.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_c485d032-4902-4a81-b181-d1498df405c3.jpg?v=1737328567","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/pitt-the-elder-9780521398060","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}