Archibald Primrose was the son of the Fourth Earl of Rosebery, and became the fifth to hold that title. He did not sit in the House of Lords, as he held this title from the Scottish peerage. He said he had three goals in life "To win the Derby {three of his horses did), to marry an heiress ( Hannah de Rothschild, Heir of the banking fortune), and to be Prime Minister, (1894 - 95). In spite of doing these things I did not find the man, or his achievements, to be of much interest. ( )

This is a well-written biography (the author was a parliamentary official) and is not over-encumbered with detail. The book can be enjoyed by those who, like me, have a limited knowledge of the period. ( )