 "Manchester's last masterpiece of Winston Churchill" | 2008-09-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: AY7YN8E6NFY94 |
William Manchester has written a classic description of the Wilderness Years of Winston Churchill.
His foray into the abyss of English politicians is described at length. Mr. Manchester described the practice of the English government of ignoring Mr. Churchill and his many diatribes in the House of Commons. In fact what was happening in Germany with the formation of the Nazi Party alarmed Winston. During this period of the Gathering Storm Churchill indeed has intelligence contacts who reported to him of the real situation happening in Germany.
As a back bencher Winston continued to try to warn Baldwin and later Neville Chamberlain of the true Tectonic intentions. Some recent theories describe Churchill as an aggressive Patrician seeking glory. Sorry folks, you are indeed wrong. What Winston stood for was the right of people to have peace. I realize that Churchill was a Victorian Warrior. His stance today would be too extreme and unacceptable in our current political scheme. But in 1940 Mr. Churchill represented the last hope of a Democratic presence in the World willing to face the Nazi menace.
Manchester does this book well. He describes in detail how Churchill economically survives by writing. Winston utilizes an extensive staff to write his many articles and books during his Wilderness years. Manchester describes in detail how he does it. These journalistic efforts kept Winston one step ahead of his Creditors. He continued to live the life of aristocracy even though he was really poor.
His destiny awaits. Good for him! I rate it 5 Stars. To bad Manchester dies before old Winston does in trying to write the complete life of Chruchill!!
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| "Churchill" | 2008-04-07 |
| - Reviewed By hctickle |
| Finest biography on Churchill ever written. A pity Manchester died before completing the third book of the trilogy. |
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| "Brilliantly Written European History - 1932 to 1940" | 2007-09-16 |
| - Reviewed By siouxfallsjack |
The Last Lion, Alone covers the history of Europe from the time Hitler first came to power in Germany to the time that Hitler invaded the Low Countries and World War II began. During this period Churchill, who continually fought against the appeasement policies of Chamberlain, rose from Back Bench irrelevance to become Brittan's Prime Minister.
The history of this period is a gripping saga of one man's malicious attempt to dominate Europe and another man's noble efforts to stop him - a classical case of good vs evil - told as an almost unbelievable story in the words of a master story teller.
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| "Grab a bottle of Scotch and have at this book!" | 2007-07-03 |
| - Reviewed By dvellante |
| William Manchester informs and entertains in this excellent historical account of the critical years leading up to WWII, juxtaposing the appeasement practices of predecessors Baldwin and Chamberlain with the unwavering belief in the principles of freedom held by Churchill. The book (along with Manchester's first volume) gives terrific insight into the transition from the glory days of the British Empire to the Post WWI apathy that beset the British public. As well, the work provides delightful commentary on the characters surrounding Churhill's life including his colorful mother Jennie, his wife Clementine and his nemesis Adolf Hitler. |
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 "Churchill was begging...." | 2006-10-06 |
| - Reviewed By mardelli |
After the fall of France in June 1940, Winston Churchill was begging USA President Roosevelt for military aid (in fact, all sorts of support was then needed) as no one knew what would the 'fate' of the French fleet was going to be.
Churchill kept reminding the American president that Britain would not surrender even if left alone.
Churchill was defiant despite the fact that the two 'key' American ambassadors, in France and Great Britain, were pro Hitler (or at least they were not anti-Nazi).
Joseph Kennedy (USA Ambassador to GB) openly cautioned his fellow Americans against entering the war because the 'allies' would soon be beaten.
However, I would have liked to see more comments about the position and reaction of the king - king George VI.
Was he indifferent?
We should remember that Hitler had been addressing the King as the man whom the British Government circles have loathed, and as the only 'hope' for a reconciliation between the Third Reich and GB.
In this context it is true that Churchill was indeed ALONE |
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| "absolutely a delight to read" | 2006-01-26 |
| - Reviewed By geoffrey_balme |
I was adrift when I finished this volume.
grasping at pathetic things to read for a while - nothing satisfied - Manchester can set the stage, his historical background is so rich that you'll find yourself spouting about it to your friends.
You'll learn more from this book than a two semester course in 20th century history.
Churchill himself is the lead player in a panapoly of exciting elements. But manchester never lets the reader forget the place in history - the man was a masterful writer. |
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| "solitary courage" | 2005-12-29 |
| - Reviewed By 72752163 |
No better profile of Churchill 1932-40 exists. Whetted with acrimony and disdain, Churchill is ultimately proved right (and his real task commences).
This is a work of the first order. `The Last Lion' (1874-1932) is also worthy.
Gilbert (worth reading) pales in comparison. |
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| "Thank God for WSC and WM for writing about him!" | 2005-06-07 |
| - Reviewed By lawson_holton |
One of the best books, I have ever read about Sir Winston & especially about his wilderness years. Manchester has done a hell of good job on I think was THE Man of the 20th Century.
The man was so far ahead of his time its just scary to consider.
He in a way was the Cassandra of the 20th Century. |
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| "The years that really define Churchill" | 2005-01-14 |
| - Reviewed By wiscoguy |
Winston Churchill, it can be argued, did more than any other single person to save the free world from Hitler. This book does more than any other to demonstrate what set Churchill apart from others in this monumental task.
In covering Churchill's years of political exhile between WWI and WWII, Manchester captures the man who was willing to assess the world order for himself and stand completely alone with every force imaginable opposing him. In the end, he was right and the world was wrong. This book captures that wonderfully. |
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| "A Captivating Read" | 2004-05-04 |
| - Reviewed By williamcovington |
| As Hitler was gaining power in Germany, Churchill was warning his fellow countrymen of the dangers thatlurked. He did not receive a listening hear. At a speech before a University audience in Oxford when he told the crowd it was "essential for us to be safe in our island home," the audience burst into laughter. The laughter grew so raucous that Churchill could not continue. These are the sort of snapshots that Manchester captures that makes this book such a delightful read. Churchill was written off more than once. This second snapshot describes what happened:
"Joseph Stalin, receiving a British delegation headed by Nancy and George Bernard Shaw, had bluntly asked her about Winston's political prospects.Her eyes widened. 'Churchill?' she had said. She gave a scornful little laugh and replied, 'Oh, he's finished.'" These are just two examples of the thoroughness of this well-written book. The author takes a complicated era and makes it understandable. |
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