Wikipedia:Featured list candidates/Winston Churchill as writer/archive1

The following is an archived discussion of a featured list nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured list candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The list was promoted by Giants2008 via FACBot (talk) 00:34, 13 June 2016 (UTC) [1].[reply]

Winston Churchill as writer

Winston Churchill as writer (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)

• Featured list candidates/Winston Churchill as writer/archive1

Nominator(s): SchroCat (talk) 21:03, 19 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Winston Churchill's career as a writer may not be the first thing people remember about him, but it was a significant part of his life. It ran from his early years as a soldier to well past his political retirement and paid for his nice pad at Chartwell and his expensive tastes in brandy and cigars. This list has been expanded and brought into line with good standards, and the text now adequately supports and explains the background to those lists. Any and all comments are very welcome. – SchroCat (talk) 21:03, 19 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Comments from jfhutson

Lead

• ”Winston Churchill, in addition to his careers of soldier and politician, was a prolific writer, under the pen name "Winston S. Churchill".” This sentence could be broken up / made easier to read.

• It's the final comma that caused problems with reading. It should actually read much easier without it, given there is only one sub-clause to deal with now. - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• The transition after the first sentence could be better. We're talking about his writing so maybe start by saying he did war journalism and then relate it to bio.

• We sort of do that already, give or take a few words of introduction to the army first. - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• ”Although Churchill wrote a novel and a short story in his career, his main output was studies of major historical events or figures.” Starting with “Although” sound off. I would start with talking about his “main output”.

• Switched - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Writing career

• “reported on Siege of Malakand” definite article

• Yep, added - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• ”although Arthur Balfour described the work as "Winston's brilliant autobiography, disguised as world history".” I can't tell what this means, and I need to know who Balfour is.

• description to Balfour added. I've added that Balfour "dismissed" the work as quoted, but I think it is probably clearer now. - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• I'm seeing a lot of “although”s

• Trimmed a couple out - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Winston Churchill, the American novelist

• Section heading sounds like it's about the Prime Minister being an American novelist, but I'm not sure what the alternative is.

• I've gone with "American novelist of the same name": does that sound better?

Non-fiction

• Add a see also to
  Winston Churchill as historian

• Yep - added - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Collected speeches

• ”There are around 135 published booklets of Churchill's speeches...” Clarify that this is in addition to the books below and maybe put it below the table. It seems like the booklets might be included in “speeches in a collected form“, so clarify inclusion criteria or that the booklets are single speeches.

• I'd rather keep it above the table if possible (although I am biddable if there is a good reason for it. I've clarified the rest per your suggestion. - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• Should the booklets be italicized if they are individual speeches? --JFH (talk) 02:49, 8 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• Yep - quite right:
  MOS:QUOTETITLE is the relevant guideline - now changed. - SchroCat (talk
  )

Overall looks like a good list with the caveat that I know nothing about the subject.--JFH (talk) 22:00, 6 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• Many thanks JFH - your thoughts are much appreciated indeed. If you wish to discuss any of the points I haven't undertaken, please let me know - I'm not firmly set on any of them, so happy to hear any alternatives you have in mind. Cheers - SchroCat (talk) 14:06, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]
  • OK, looks good. I added one question above but I'll support regardless, noting that this is my first time participating at FLC. --JFH (talk) 02:49, 8 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]
    • Many thanks JFH - you are right on the italicisation of the individual speeches, and I've swapped out with quote marks. Cheers - SchroCat (talk) 08:22, 8 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Support - with comments:

• "...sent war reports to Daily Graphic." -- The linked article gives the title The Daily Graphic?
• "Churchill wrote a novel and a short story in his career, although his main output was studies of major historical events or figures." → "Churchill wrote a novel and a short story in his career, although his main output 'were acollection of his studies into major historical events or figures."? Slight poetic licence in terms of "collection", if indeed that's what it was.
• "To earn necessary funds..." → "To earn the required funds" sounds better, IMO.
• "In the 1923 general election Churchill lost his parliamentary seat and, moving to the south of France, wrote The World Crisis, a six-volume history of the First World War, published between 1923 and 1931." -- "In the 1923 general election Churchill lost his parliamentary seat and moved to the south of France where he wrote The World Crisis, a six-volume history of the First World War, published between 1923 and 1931" sounds better to me.

Please disregard or adopt at your leisure. Another great list! Cassianto^Talk 02:56, 13 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

• Many thanks Cass: I've either adopted in full, or re-worked in a slightly different way. Cheers - SchroCat (talk) 08:27, 13 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Support: My knowledge of Churchill is limited to the little I remember from high school and that (mis?)portrayal of his in