Hero of The Empire, Candice Millard

This is a book about Winston Churchill.  This is an excellent example of adventure literature, it is skillfully written, very readable and enjoyable.  The story takes place during the Second Boer War fought between the British Empire and two Boer states, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, over the Empire's influence in South Africa.  Churchill was busting at the bitts to get into the war and was successful in getting into the action, was captured and then made a daring escape that helped launch his political career.