A frightening story with a redoubtable yet all too human hero who prevails. There are even evil and bumbling villains along the way during this shameful period. The Last Lion should be required reading for politicans and world history students. William Manchester does a masterful, well researched [and entertaining] job of describing the inspirational leader of the Free World.

There are two volumn of "The Last Lion" and both are them are an excellent history of not only one of Great Britain's finest statesman of the 20th century, but one of the World greatest statesman, historian, and many have said "the man of the 20th Century" And after reading these two volumns one might have to agreee with the historians.
Congtributed by Hurdrey Angus Jordan

This book was given to me by my father, who is a huge fan of Winston. I was absolutely shocked and amazed by the information that this book brought to light. I was taught, so little about WWII! I was amazed. I savored this book. I would recommend and have recommended this book to anyone, who would listen. Prepare to be amazed by the man and confronted with the real realities of Britain before and during the first declarations of war.

For some inexplicable reason, the second (and unfortunately final) volume of William Manchester's biography sat on my shelf unread for some time. I think because the book spans the years 1932 to 1940 -- and does not cover most of World War II -- I skipped the book over, figuring that Winston's best and most important years were his war years. After reading "Alone", I realized immediately how wrong I was: if anything, Manchester's incredible book demonstrates that Churchill's so-called "wilderness years" out of power were his finest hour. Unquestionably, Churchill provided resolute leadership to Great Britain -- as well as the rest of the Allied world -- during the War. But he perhaps demonstrated even greater leadership while out of power, when he was quite literally the only European statesman who was repeatedly warning the world of the dangers of Nazi Germany and calling for rearmament to stand up to Hitler. Thus, "Alone" is not just about Churchill and his greatness, but also a powerful historical record of the dangers of appeasement in the face of tyrants.

This book goes beyond being a simple historical biography. Manchester's writing is delightful and seamless, literally depositing you into Churchill's time and Churchill's life. It maintains and builds a tenseness throughout the book as the world moves closer and closer to war despite Churchill's warnings, which if heeded, could have averted the conflict many times over. The work is meticulously researched and crafted, and flows perfectly. Perhaps most of all, reflective of the title, Manchester captures how completely and totally alone Churchill was during the 1930s. Aside from a very small coterie of loyal friends, Churchill alone rose in opposition to appeasement in the House of Commons and elsewhere hundreds of times as Hitler consolidated his power, practically begging his nation's leadership to stand up to the Fuhrer.

I suppose that one sign of a great work is that it moves you in some way, and evokes great emotion as you read it. The most striking asset of this book is how angry, shocked, and prideful I was as I read it. I shook my head in disgust at least 100 times as I read Manchester's descriptions of the putrid, almost treasonous behavior by Prime Ministers John MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin, and of course Neville Chamberlain as they repeatedly ignored Churchill's warnings and countless pieces of evidence showing that Hitler would not be appeased. Manchester's sections on the Munich Crisis and Britain and France's literal sacrifice of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis is particularly noteworthy; the Chamberlain government literally served the nearly defenseless nation on a platter to the German war machine despite a pledge from the British to defend them if invaded. Much of the book in fact summarizes the folly of His Majesty's Government's appeasement policy, and Churchill's many warnings against the policy. Fascinatingly, appeasement was heartily endorsed by nearly the entire British media establishment, which repeatedly refused to air Churchill's views and other dissenting voices. Indeed, as Manchester well demonstrates, the government and media literally crafted its policies and made important appointments, with pleasing Hitler being the sole objective. While hindsight is of course 20-20, reading these sections was completely maddening to me, and made me want to scream many times over.

I hesitated writing a review of this book because I know it is impossible to do full justice to Manchester and this fantastic book. I just wanted to express how much I enjoyed the book; it completely lives up to its reputation as perhaps the finest Churchill biography and easily the most accessible. I, like millions of other readers, am greatly saddened that illness and other tragedies kept Manchester from completing the final volume of his intended trilogy. Treat yourself to this book: it will give you greater appreciation of Winston Churchill's greatness, courage, and foresight, and probably an even greater hatred of appeasement and diplomatic cowardice.

Five big stars.

This was the first William Manchester book that I ever read. I found it inspiring. After reading it, I promised myself that I would read everything that Manchester has written. To date I've read several but I still have a few to go. Mr. Manchester is another one of those historians that makes studying and learning History easy. I had no idea what a character Winston Churchill really was. Manchester recreates a real true to life human being, with faults, idiocincracies, humor, courage, and some great phrasing. After reading both volumes of Manchester's on Churchill, I then wanted to read Churchill himself. From a writing perspective Churchill was great - but Manchester was better. Today I am a fan of both men. They were both heroic in their lives and fascinating in their prose.

I did a little research on this and thought I'd post what I found. William Manchester, sadly, died in 2004 before he could complete the 3rd book. But before he died he arranged for a journalist, Paul Reid, to write the rest of the book - now apparently scheduled for release in 2008.

Here is a blog posting I found from johninnorthcarolina.blogspot.com :

The Churchill Series - May 17, 2007

(One of a series of weekday posts on the life of Winston S. Churchill.)

As almost all of you know, William Manchester, one of the most popular of Churchill's many biogrphers, died while working on the third volume of The Last Lion, the first two volumes of which, Visions of Glory and Alone, topped best seller lists and remain in print.

But there will be a third volume after all. It's working title is Defender of the Realm. Paul Reid, a friend of Manchester's is working with Manchester's notes and drafts to complete the book in time for release in 2008.

One of those asked to review proofs of Defender of the Realm reported to others via email receiving the following from Reid:

I have finished Parts One (1940) and Two (1941) and will be through Parts Three, Four and Five by mid-2007. Publication is set for sometime in 2008. Bill's notes and interviews run to thousands of pages, enough to fuel at least three more volumes.

My job, therefore, is to pace this final volume. About half of it will cover 1940 and 1941, about forty-percent the remainder of the war and about 10-15 percent the post-war years. Bill saw the post-war years (or at least the last decade) as a long "afterward". Having been guided by Bill the last year of his life, and having in hand the pages he wrote (to the fall of France) I think I have a good feeling for the pace he set and where he was going.

The pages Bill finished are, as was usual with William Manchester, marvelous, full of suspense and foreshadowing, a real tale beautifully told.

Among many things he made clear to me was his desire that this book be an enjoyable read for younger people, people under 40 years of age who did not grow up with stories of the War percolating through their household.

I did a little research on this and thought I'd post what I found. William Manchester, sadly, died in 2004 before he could complete the 3rd book. But before he died he arranged for a journalist, Paul Reid, to write the rest of the book - now apparently scheduled for release in 2008.

Here is a blog posting I found from johninnorthcarolina.blogspot.com :

The Churchill Series - May 17, 2007

(One of a series of weekday posts on the life of Winston S. Churchill.)

As almost all of you know, William Manchester, one of the most popular of Churchill's many biogrphers, died while working on the third volume of The Last Lion, the first two volumes of which, Visions of Glory and Alone, topped best seller lists and remain in print.

But there will be a third volume after all. It's working title is Defender of the Realm. Paul Reid, a friend of Manchester's is working with Manchester's notes and drafts to complete the book in time for release in 2008.

One of those asked to review proofs of Defender of the Realm reported to others via email receiving the following from Reid:

I have finished Parts One (1940) and Two (1941) and will be through Parts Three, Four and Five by mid-2007. Publication is set for sometime in 2008. Bill's notes and interviews run to thousands of pages, enough to fuel at least three more volumes.

My job, therefore, is to pace this final volume. About half of it will cover 1940 and 1941, about forty-percent the remainder of the war and about 10-15 percent the post-war years. Bill saw the post-war years (or at least the last decade) as a long "afterward". Having been guided by Bill the last year of his life, and having in hand the pages he wrote (to the fall of France) I think I have a good feeling for the pace he set and where he was going.

The pages Bill finished are, as was usual with William Manchester, marvelous, full of suspense and foreshadowing, a real tale beautifully told.

Among many things he made clear to me was his desire that this book be an enjoyable read for younger people, people under 40 years of age who did not grow up with stories of the War percolating through their household.

Rumor has it that Mr. Manchester is too ill to complete the planned 3rd volume of the Churchill biography. If true, that would be a colossal loss. For anyone interested in history and personality, you must read this series about Churchill. Our present age (despite its problems) pales in comparison with the epochal historical times of Churchill. Two world wars, a global depression with tens of millions of people out of work, the rise and fall of fascism, the rise of Communism, the rise of Russia and USA as the superpowers --- all happened in a short span of 50 years. And Churchill was in the midst of it all. I hope the world will never relive period like that again, and that future generations will be content to read about it and not to re-enact anything remotely like it.

Excellent books- good naration- hated to see them end!

Excellent books- good naration- hated to see them end!

Considering every reviewer seems to give this five stars and call this the best biography ever, here is my two cents. Firstly Manchester is a great writer and I have a lot of time for him (for example his biography of MacArthur is breathtaking) and so this, of course, is very well written and researched. It also covers a very important period in history, the 1930s of appeasement, and an indispensable man, Churchill. In fact the first half, detailing the appeasers victories over Churchill and his increasing marginalisation in British affairs, is perfect and fascinating. My problem is that after about 1936 Churchill disappears altogether, to be replaced by a fairly perfunctory recounting of the historical events - Anchloss, Munich, the Nazi-Soviet Anti-aggression pact - that are more dramatically covered in William Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" (Shirer's description of Munich is breathtaking). Why? Because from about 1936-39 Hitler was the main, the only, player on the stage and so accounts of his actions are more interesting than those of Churchill (writing, touring the Maginot Line, complaining to British lawmakers about their lack of bacbone).

As a newspaper reporter for 35 years, I take occasional side trips from the business of newsmakers and newsmaking to read for pleasure. The Last Lion Alone is simply one of the most fascinating, well-crafted books, about one of history's truly great men, by one of the master writers of his generation, William Manchester. Researching his subject and the times the man lived in, Manchester paints a vivid, striking and often horrifying account of a man whose love of his country, his objective, unblinking analysis of the emerging Nazi threat, and the almost abusive opposition he nobly suffered, from men and women in Britain who should have known better. Born in 1947 in the U.S., I had always considered Winston Churchill a great man from my study of history and WWII, along with Dwight Eisenhower and FDR. After reading Last Lion Alone, treasuring every word and passage, I regard this man and what he stood for in absolute awe. I'm not a person who freely indulges in hero worship - with the exception of Winston Churchill.

The portrait that emerges from this biography reveals the complxity of genious, the value of valor, the mind behind perhaps the most eloquent leader of the last century. Unforgetable.

this is the best book i've read. period. and i've read alot of books!

this is the middle volume in william manchester's 3-part series on churchhill. it covers the years pre-WW2 when Churchhill was a lone voice against Hitler & fascism.

why did this book affect me so much? for one, it may be the greatest historical account of courage I've ever read. churchhill was ostracized and even laughed at for what were then unpopular views. he ended up being amazingly right and one can ponder what the world would be like today if it had not been for churchhill. he literally may have saved humanity.

beyond this, churchill is simply one of the most fascinating characters in modern history. he was exquisitely smart, funny, brave and had many interests and talents. few historical accounts i've read can match manchester's strong writing, depth of research, authoritativeness and insight.

The long awaited third book in a trilogy about the stupendous life of Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill by renowned historian William Manchester is to be completed at last! Finally, millions of devout fans will be able to buy the book, set for publication in 2007.
Before he died, Manchester chose a long- time friend, admirer, and writer to finish the task.
Paul Reid, a former feature writer at a Florida newspaper has been a life long history- lover and admirerer of both Manchester and Churchill.
Interested in Mr. Reid, I read some of his articles. They are amazing. Evocotive of Mr. Manchester's style in the way they flow easily along, the articles are a great read, no matter the subject.
I am excited to hear that the book is coming out in 2007, and will note the date on my calendar.
IT'S COMING AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!