Sir Edward 'Eddie' Marsh was an ornament of early twentieth-century society; a respected civil servant, polymath and scholar who led a remarkable life. Always at the heart of the establishment, he was Winston Churchill's longest serving Private Secretary and close friend.

Marsh harboured a passion for young men - poets, painters and actors - to whom he devoted his money, time and connections. His numerous proteges included luminaries such as Rupert Brooke, Robert Graves, Mark Gertler, Stanley Spencer, and Ivor Novello to name but a few. Preferring to work behind the scenes, Marsh also edited the work of several acclaimed writers; Winston Churchill, Somerset Maugham, Siegfried Sassoon and many others owe a debt to Marsh whose hand burnished their work.

Sharon Mather's biography of Edward Marsh is set against the backdrop of the extraordinary events of the first half of the twentieth century, and is seen through the prism of his illustrious friendships.