<p>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. </p><p>Marsh harboured a passion for young men - poets, painters and actors - to whom he devoted his money, time and connections. His numerous prot¿s 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.</p><p>Marsh¿s story 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.</p>