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The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill
Universally acclaimed for their compelling narrative, their fresh insights, and their objective renderings of Winston Churchill's life, The Last Lion trilogy presents a revelatory and unparalleled portrait of this brilliant, flawed, and dynamic adventurer, aristocrat, soldier, and statesman.
Born at the end of the 19th century when Imperial Britain still stood at the splendid pinnacle of her power, Churchill would witness the shift a few years later as the Empire hovered on the brink of a catastrophic new era. One of the greatest wartime leaders of our time, he would go on to stand alone, politically isolated in Parliament, as he took the lead in warning of the growing Nazi threat, and would lead Britain to victory against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers in World War II.
Now, celebrated historian William Manchester's landmark biographies are collected together for the first time, along with the eagerly anticipated final installment Churchill's last years in power. More than thirty years in the making, The Last Lion is the definitive work on this remarkable man whose courageous vision guided the destiny of a nation during darkly troubled times-and who looms as one of the greatest figures of our century.
Born at the end of the 19th century when Imperial Britain still stood at the splendid pinnacle of her power, Churchill would witness the shift a few years later as the Empire hovered on the brink of a catastrophic new era. One of the greatest wartime leaders of our time, he would go on to stand alone, politically isolated in Parliament, as he took the lead in warning of the growing Nazi threat, and would lead Britain to victory against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers in World War II.
Now, celebrated historian William Manchester's landmark biographies are collected together for the first time, along with the eagerly anticipated final installment Churchill's last years in power. More than thirty years in the making, The Last Lion is the definitive work on this remarkable man whose courageous vision guided the destiny of a nation during darkly troubled times-and who looms as one of the greatest figures of our century.
3008 pages, Hardcover
First published November 20, 2012
572 people are currently reading
2682 people want to read
About the author
William Manchester
78 books558 followersWilliam Raymond Manchester was an American author and biographer, notable as the bestselling author of 18 books that have been translated into 20 languages.He was awarded the National Humanities Medal and the Abraham Lincoln Literary Award.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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June 9, 2013Having read all three volumes of Manchester's masterfully researched bio of Winston Churchill, I am amazed at the man and the biographer!! Though the final volume was completed by Paul Reed, it is nonetheless a great 3 volume read. I have become a fan of Manchester's many detailed accounts of his subjects. I will continue until I have read everything he ever wrote.
September 28, 2025
4 stars [Biography]
(W 4.08 / U 3.87 / T 3.87)
Exact rating: 3.94
#6 of 69 in genre
#2 of 21 on Heads of State
An excellent biography of the great British statesmen.
The prose, pacing, and linearity were great throughout.
It was balanced: neither hagiographic nor unduly critical.
Volumes 1 and 2 transported the reader into a bygone era.
2,628 pages would be too voluminous for a lesser historical personage, but was apt for one such as Churchill.
Positives and negatives:
Volume 1
Prepare to be fully transported into the late Victorian era. Songs, attitudes, family relationships, world governance, and even warfare was radically different.
One caveat was that the Prologue went far too deep into gritty story and speculation upon the sex lives of the aristocracy. Some of this was necessary to explain Winston's mother's milieu, but it went on and on. Then, it was reprised in part III! Manchester seemed to relish writing about decadence.
Another general demerit was that throughout the volume Manchester occasionally gave naive or ignorant opinions on sociology, psychology, religion, and economics.
Volume 2
The best volume overall, despite covering the somewhat depressing "wilderness" years of Churchill's career.
He covered appeasement, but not nearly so well as Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War later did.
Volume 3
It began less coherently, got better again before the Preamble ended, but then focused too much on the war (constituting 83% of the book!). Since this volume was 1,054 pages long, some of this ought to have been cut. War events have already been covered better elsewhere, ad nauseum.
Once the war ended, the last 2 chapters returned to the excellent biographical information and then ended well. It should be noted that the author died after Volume 2, and Volume 3 was compiled and written by his appointed representative. It was a somewhat inferior product compared with Manchester's tighter two volumes. Nevertheless, I am grateful the author labored to complete this book and gave us the final product. (And 3.79, for Volume 3 alone, is still an excellent rating from me, who rates on a bell curve.)
Takeaway
This still deserves the status of "jewel" because, despite its demerits, it is an excellent model of what a Biography should look like. Despite its great length, I plan to read this a second time!
(W 4.08 / U 3.87 / T 3.87)
Exact rating: 3.94
#6 of 69 in genre
#2 of 21 on Heads of State
An excellent biography of the great British statesmen.
The prose, pacing, and linearity were great throughout.
It was balanced: neither hagiographic nor unduly critical.
Volumes 1 and 2 transported the reader into a bygone era.
2,628 pages would be too voluminous for a lesser historical personage, but was apt for one such as Churchill.
Positives and negatives:
Volume 1
Prepare to be fully transported into the late Victorian era. Songs, attitudes, family relationships, world governance, and even warfare was radically different.
One caveat was that the Prologue went far too deep into gritty story and speculation upon the sex lives of the aristocracy. Some of this was necessary to explain Winston's mother's milieu, but it went on and on. Then, it was reprised in part III! Manchester seemed to relish writing about decadence.
Another general demerit was that throughout the volume Manchester occasionally gave naive or ignorant opinions on sociology, psychology, religion, and economics.
Volume 2
The best volume overall, despite covering the somewhat depressing "wilderness" years of Churchill's career.
He covered appeasement, but not nearly so well as Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War later did.
Volume 3
It began less coherently, got better again before the Preamble ended, but then focused too much on the war (constituting 83% of the book!). Since this volume was 1,054 pages long, some of this ought to have been cut. War events have already been covered better elsewhere, ad nauseum.
Once the war ended, the last 2 chapters returned to the excellent biographical information and then ended well. It should be noted that the author died after Volume 2, and Volume 3 was compiled and written by his appointed representative. It was a somewhat inferior product compared with Manchester's tighter two volumes. Nevertheless, I am grateful the author labored to complete this book and gave us the final product. (And 3.79, for Volume 3 alone, is still an excellent rating from me, who rates on a bell curve.)
Takeaway
This still deserves the status of "jewel" because, despite its demerits, it is an excellent model of what a Biography should look like. Despite its great length, I plan to read this a second time!
May 30, 2022
Churchill was the most important man
Of the 20th century.
Standing essentially alone against hitler, he held the fort until the American arrived.
Without WINSTON, the second half of the century might have looked very different.
Of the 20th century.
Standing essentially alone against hitler, he held the fort until the American arrived.
Without WINSTON, the second half of the century might have looked very different.
August 14, 2013
Loved it. The first two volumes were particularly good.
June 18, 2019
It's a marathon, but well worth the effort.
October 3, 2013
Sir Winston Spencer Churchill is the most important politician and statesman of the 20th century.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...
The three volume set is not a collection of books, words, or stories. It is a painting, an artistic account of the most important Politician and Statesman of the 20th century. The painting within these pages flows and weaves with the song of history, historical significance, humor, sadness, and laughter. The first two volumes I read went by faster than I had hoped. Once picking up the first book and reading the preamble then prologue provided the “setting” of the world in England as one little Winston S. Churchill would be born on 1874. The second volume I realized was finished much too soon – I simply could not put this book down. Periodically I was reading some MLB baseball MVP stories – I did this to hold fast those pages of information for purely digestive reasons. I simply could not put either one of the three books down once I started. If you love detail this series is for you.
Any person interested in Churchill should read this series. Paul Reid did an excellent job with Volume III and I believe that William Manchester would be very proud of Reid’s effort.
I would recommend that readers that have not before read anything by William R. Manchester that you consider reading “Goodbye Darkness” first, then maybe (time permitting and your schedule) “American Caesar: The Life of General Douglas MacArthur – 1880 to 1964” and yet another historical book in "Death of a President"; reading these will give you a flare of understanding in Manchester's style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...
The three volume set is not a collection of books, words, or stories. It is a painting, an artistic account of the most important Politician and Statesman of the 20th century. The painting within these pages flows and weaves with the song of history, historical significance, humor, sadness, and laughter. The first two volumes I read went by faster than I had hoped. Once picking up the first book and reading the preamble then prologue provided the “setting” of the world in England as one little Winston S. Churchill would be born on 1874. The second volume I realized was finished much too soon – I simply could not put this book down. Periodically I was reading some MLB baseball MVP stories – I did this to hold fast those pages of information for purely digestive reasons. I simply could not put either one of the three books down once I started. If you love detail this series is for you.
Any person interested in Churchill should read this series. Paul Reid did an excellent job with Volume III and I believe that William Manchester would be very proud of Reid’s effort.
I would recommend that readers that have not before read anything by William R. Manchester that you consider reading “Goodbye Darkness” first, then maybe (time permitting and your schedule) “American Caesar: The Life of General Douglas MacArthur – 1880 to 1964” and yet another historical book in "Death of a President"; reading these will give you a flare of understanding in Manchester's style.
February 7, 2019
Easily one of the very best biographies I've ever read. The lavish Edwardian prose and the detailed accounts of this most amazing man's life and times was truly captivating. His childhood at the hands of his abusive parents, schoolmates and head masters which would have crippled any other person tempered Sir Winston Churchill into a sword of unequaled sharpness and brilliance. I would not only HIGHLY recommend this trilogy, I would beg you to read it. It is one of those works which will change your outlook forever. Always forward.
“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated.
Very different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer.”
Sir Winston Churchill, 29 October 1941
“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated.
Very different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer.”
Sir Winston Churchill, 29 October 1941
June 21, 2019
What an amazing read. William Manchester's biography of Winston Churchill read like a novel and at times I could not put it down! After reading these 3 volumes covering the complete life of Winston Churchill I feel like I received a complete picture of the legendary statesman that delivered Britain, and the world, through one of the darkest times in world history. He wasn't a perfect man, he was eccentric in many ways and had some character flaws that stem from the fact of growing up during the Victorian Era at the apex of the British Empire. He loved his family, his nation, and the British people. If I could have dinner with any person throughout history I would want it to be with Winston Churchill.
October 2, 2021
To be honest, I did not finish it as it was a library book that could not be "marked-up" and annotated, so I purchased "Churchill: A Life" by Martin Gilbert, which is widely considered to be a, if not the, definitive biography. "The Last Lion" started out as a very well-written biography and I respect the work of the author, William Manchester. I may return to it at some point... if still alive and breathing after Gilbert's 1,000-page masterpiece. lol
November 26, 2016
The first two volumes of this series was phenomenal. The third was good, but not William Manchester and unfortunately Paul Reid had such big shoes to fill. The only question I have, Did Churchill enjoy war a little too much? It was touched on in the first books prologue, but nowhere else.
July 21, 2022
The good thing about audio books is that you don’t really feel the size of the book(s). One million words? Anyway it took me 20 weeks to finish but it was worth it. A great and interesting history lesson.
July 28, 2020
A difinitive 3 volume work on the Life of Winston Churchill. All here in one read.
June 20, 2013
I loved these books, even though it took me 10 years to finish them. I am so greatful to Paul Reid for finishing vol. 3. I though he did an excellent job. It seemed almost seamless to me.
March 25, 2014
This is a long and sometimes painful series but well worth it. You learn so much about England and the world during Churchill's life. A great read from other than an American perspective
behind-the-wall
May 1, 201912/13/18: Finished with first two volumes; intended to start on third but have embarked on other things. Will move to "behind the wall” for now.
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January 1, 20191986
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews