A collection of biographical essays on leading figures of the time, GREAT CONTEMPORARIES was printed in many editions and variations over the years. The first edition was published by Thornton Butterworth, and sold well, going to 5 further printings within a year. The revised edition of 1938 belongs in every collection as it adds four completely new essays. The binding is blue cloth, which fades to greenish under sunlight. First edition in dustwrappers are quite scarce. The American first edition from Putnam was the first in their series of Churchill titles in uniform navy binding with stampings in red and silver.

A cheap edition without dustwrapper came from Readers Union in 1939, giving the full 25 esaays in a standard size hardcover at very low cost. The Reprint Society and World Books both issued small hardcovers during the war. Macmillan picked up this title from Butterworth and published several printings during the war, uniform with their other Churchill titles. Odhams issued this title in the late 40's as part of their set of 4 Churchill titles. The first paperback edition was by Fontana in 1959. A very nice reprint in both cloth and paper was done by the University of Chicago Press in 1974 and is now uncommon. Leo Cooper republished this title in hardback in 1990 as part of their Churchill series, which also led to an American edition by Norton, but both of these are now out of print.