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Summary: A larger-than-life book about a larger-than-life man...
Review: A great biography of a great man! I couldn't put this book down and was sad to have it end. What a life Churchhill led. What would the West have done without his leadership. I am so sad that William Manchester could not finish this trilogy as he is one of the finest biographers I have ever read. His biography on MacArthur was fabulous also
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Summary: Truly Exceptional.
Review: I've now read four of Mr. Manchester's works and all have been excellent. This is one of the two best biographies, or framents thereof, that I have ever read. Mr. Manchester has a style of writing that belongs in the hands of a novelist, not a historian or biographer. He can make 900 pages fly by without you noticing. I've read the two first parts of his Churchill biography and am completely devastated that the last one will probably never be completed. I mourn for the loss of Mr. Manchester's wife but history will truly mourn the loss of the concluding piece of this opus.
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Summary: MANCHESTER'S FINEST HOUR
Review: Manchester has the ability that few other writers can match of going on for pages and pages and not boring the reader to death. He takes Churchill and makes him and his world live again in the pages of this book. In terms of mastery of the English language and an eye for detail, Manchester has left a worthy memorial to its subject. The second volume is really outstanding as well. The other reviewers who rated this book favorably have said it all. I just want to say Mr. Manchester, wherever you are, please come out with the next volume soon. Also look for American Caesar (about Douglas MacArthur), the Glory and the Dream (about U.S. History, 1932-1972), Goodbye Darkness (about Manchester's Marine Corps service), Death of a President (the JFK assassination) by this author. He never disappoints.
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Summary: A Great Story!!!
Review: Manchester has written a masterpiece. His intimate portrayal of Winston Churchill, one of the most charismatic figures of the 20th century, reads like a classic novel and is filled with more information than many history books. Born as the grandson of a duke at a time when the British Empire was at its height, Churchill's youth is full of adventure as well as adversity. His parents are absent throughout most of his childhood and he is largely brought up by his nanny. He attended Harrow during his high school days and then went on to Sandhurt, which is the equivalent to England's WestPoint. Churchill was never popular among his classmates but excelled at fencing and was a truly great polo player.After Churchill graduated from Sandhurst he was assigned to the Fourth Hussiers Calvary Regiment as a second lieutenant. He begins his tour in India and would go on to fight in the Boer Wars in Africa, where he was captured as a P.O.W. His dramatic escape would help make him a household name. Manchester then navigates the reader through Winston's time as a young war correspondent, his first failed attempt to run for Parliament, and his engagement to Clemintine. Churchill is victorious in his second attempt at Parliament and through his great ability and oratory, becomes a member of the cabinet by his early 30s. His tenure as First Lord of the Admiralty during WWI is a highlight of this volume. He would hold six different cabinet positions before 1925. He would change political parties twice. At moments he had penetrating insight and incredible vision, his mind could juggle multiple ideas at once, and his work ethic is legendary. But make no mistake; his blunders were nearly as big as his triumphs. This is a beautiful story and a fascinating history. Manchester portrays Churchill as an original. Churchill would entertain guests while he was taking a bath. Once a lady of social standing was appalled at Churchill's behavior and said, "Winston, you're drunk." Churchill's reply: "Yes, and you are ugly...but I shall be sober tomorrow." I highly recommend this book as well as the second volume. Excellent reading!
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Summary: The Man of the Century
Review: Manchester's work is extraordinary and a journey into the making of a great leader of the world that was the 20th century. Churchill was a man of vision and he was molded in his early years. Manchester makes a case for his growth coming in the Boar War period. There is a beginning of greatness. Manchester introduces us to the world that formed this great man.
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Summary: Publisher - Shame On You
Review: Now in the twilight of his years Manchester has revealed he lacks the mental focus necessary to complete his trilogy on the life of Winston Churchill (while heroically fending off his publisher's suggestion that he graft on a co-author to complete it). In its zeal to conjure some way to make more money off the Manchester name, is it perhaps time for this publisher to ponder why one of the greatest biographers and historians in memory can only be read by combing the bins of used bookstalls or grasping the dog-eared library tome? The Arms of Krupp (out of print), American Caesar (out of print), The Last Lion (v.I) (out of print), and many others of the canon are seminal works with a devoted readership. Perhaps the right marketing opportunity simply has yet to strike. Making a movie (and a bad one at that) about Pearl Harbor popped even the questionable Gordon Prange back into prominence. Clearly, in these days when book publishers are conveniently tied into the entertainment world as a matter of corporate domain, the lonely vigil of the Manchester devotee must await the serendipity of Hollywood. Until then, Mr. Manchester I laud you with the words of one still in print:
"To me fair friend you can never be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eyed,
Such seems your beauty still."
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Summary: Manchester Evokes the Age
Review: Persons wishing to get the complete, official story of the life of Winston Churchill had best get a copy of the official biography by Martin Gilbert (8 vols.). However, for those who lack the monumental time and patience it takes to wade through the tens of thousands of pages in the official bio, (as I am now doing) this is an admirable biography. Where Manchester succeeds (and where Gilbert fails) is in painting a portrait of the age into which Churchill was born. Churchill is next to impossible to understand in the context of our modern society. His character and something of his essence become clear, however, due to Manchester's vivid, insightful, and entertaining explication of the late Victorian era in Britain. Churchill was, as manchester deftly explains, the last of the Victorians. Readers are transported back in time, to feel what it was like to be an aristocrat, the elite of the elite, in the capital of the Empire upon which the sun never set. Bravo for William Manchester. One can only hope the third and final volume of this biography series is not long in coming
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Summary: Understand the most Remarkable Man of the 20th Century
Review: This is an excellent book on the first half of the life of a truly exceptional man. Mr Manchester's book deals with Winston's early life and his rise to power and fame. I particularly liked the vignettes about life at the turn of the century; the social situation, the class struggle, the morals of the upper and the working classes. Just reading it makes you feel somehow inadequate against the intellectual brilliance, courage and sheer energy of the subject. It would have merited a full five star rating but for two faults. It should have been shorter. It as if every single little titbit of information had to be written out in full, rather than filtered through the critical intellect that Mr Manchester undoubtedly possesses. Instead, he quotes too many letters, reports and speeches in full when his job as a biographer was to summarise them. The second fault was Mr Manchester's tendency to lionise his subject. Brilliant he may have been, but a bit more acknowledgement of Winston's faults would have made him more human and reachable. But this is nitpicking. Overall the book is a good read on a subject well worth reading about.
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Summary: A great read despite a minor irritation.................
Review: This was the first time I have read a heavy historical biography and I was pleasantly surprised by this book which I found VERY readable. Like another reviewer, I have been fascinated by Churchill since my youth when we studied the history of the period in school and Churchill shone through as one of the leading statesmen of the period. The early passages were helpful in setting the scene, although I felt the author tended to give just too much detail in parts. That said, he did an excellent job of painting the picture of Victorian Britain. As described it sounds a fairly unpleasant place for all but a few -- those with money or title. My only real criticism of the work is that this fine biographer demonstrates such a poor grasp of the political geography of the time in Britain. He continually uses the term England when on most occasions the correct term would be Britain or the United Kingdom. I cite page #1 as an example in a passage relating to the 1939 evacuation of the British Army's Expeditionary Fource from Dunkerque......"England's greatest crisis"..."England's island" (the island houses three member countries of the union, Wales Scotland and England).......England's fathers sailing to rescue England's exhausted bleeding sons. While this does not materially detract from the reading of his fine book due to the fact that most people do not understand the difference between Britain, United Kingdom and England -- which many especially in the USA, mainland Europe and even in England itself use interchangably -- thus his error is very common. I imagine that the Scots, Irish and Welsh folks who read this book are greatly irritated by the continual mistake, especially those whose forebearers fought and fell, not for England but for Britain under the Union Jack (the flag not of England but of the United Kingdom). I do not profess to be an expert in history but my recollection is that in 1603 (or thereabouts) the English line of succession ended with the death of Elizabeth I and the Union of the Crowns took place. In this union, King James VI of Scotland became King James the I of England and was King of both (then independent) countries. This was followed in 1707 by the Union of the Parliaments which is basically the union (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) which exists today. Thus, any monarch following James I and the Union of the Parliaments of 1707 was King or Queen of the United Kingdom and not just England and any soldier in the British armed forces after 1707 was a British soldier not English. As I recall the Union did leave a few areas outside and Scotland for example still retains their own Law and educational system. I guess from an author's standpoint a concern may be that if such rudimentary facts are incorrect it could call into question some of the other elements of the biography, however I am sure this is not the case. In conclusion, aside from my comments above, I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into historical biographies and have today ordered Volume 2 of The Last Lion. PS For those interested........ Great Britain is a geographical term describing the group of two main islands off the coast of Europe. The United Kingdom is a political term describing the four countries which together make up the union - Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales. So, there is no such thing as an English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish passport, only a UK passport.
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Summary: It couldn't be better
Review: Today [4-14-01] Lady Mary Soames [nee Mary Churchill] stated on CSPAN Booknotes that William Manchester is ill and will not complete the third book on Sir Winston Churchill. Godspeed William Manchester, and thank you for everything.......
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