Bio explores English historian

AN HONOURABLE ENGLISHMAN. By Adam Sisman. Random House. 643 pages. $40.

But for a twist of fate, brilliant and respected Oxford historian Hugh Trevor-Roper forever may have reigned only in the hallowed halls of academe.

However, World War II intervened, and he spent it deciphering German codes in Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). One of his colleagues was Kim Philby, who later was revealed to be a clandestine Soviet agent..

After the fall of Berlin, Trevor-Roper was sent to Hitler's bunker to investigate his death and later wrote a bestselling book, "The Last Days of Hitler." But there is much more to Trevor-Roper's life, as Adam Sisman so elegantly points out.

A pure product of Britain's class system and Oxford and Cambridge universities, he could sometimes be arrogant and would certainly not suffer fools gladly. Although always returning to the insular society of Oxbridge, he often went outside its walls to travel in the worlds of aristocracy, highly placed politicians and world figures.

After John F. Kennedy's assassination, be studied the Warren Report, causing controversy as he disputed many of its findings. While serving as a National Director for The Times of London, he became embroiled in Rupert Murdoch's rush to publish the Hitler "diaries," which proved to be a disaster, not least for Trevor-Roper.

Beyond these forays, his ongoing study and love of world history never faltered and he lectured often in America's universities.

In this insightful biography, Sisman captures a broad picture of the man, his successes and failures and ceaseless battle with the ongoing petty infighting in the world of scholars. He explores Trevor-Roper's personal life and enduring love of nature as well as the human mind, and provides many samples of his subject's lucid, but biting prose.

Lastly, the author demonstrates Trevor-Roper was a man of honor whose inherent honesty shines throughout the pages of this book.