The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone 1932-1940

Customer Reviews:

Brilliantly Written European History - 1932 to 1940.......2007-09-16

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.

Grab a bottle of Scotch and have at this book!.......2007-07-03

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.

Churchill was begging...........2006-10-06

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

absolutely a delight to read.......2006-01-26

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.

solitary courage.......2005-12-29

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.

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-1940

Average customer rating:

Shocked
Churchill's true finest hour; this book will give you a better appreciation of Winston's greatness, courage, and foresight
The Hobo Philosopher
The 3rd book in the series is coming...
will the 3rd volume ever appear?

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-1940
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0385313314
Release Date: 1989-09-03

Customer Reviews:

Shocked.......2007-09-28

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.

Churchill's true finest hour; this book will give you a better appreciation of Winston's greatness, courage, and foresight.......2007-09-10

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.

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-08

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.

The 3rd book in the series is coming..........2007-08-22

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.

will the 3rd volume ever appear?.......2007-07-28

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.

Average customer rating:

THE LAST LION: WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL ALONE 1932-1940
WILLIAM MANCHESTER
Manufacturer: LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ON7UWE

Average customer rating:

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill; Alone: 1932-1940
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Laurel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932

ASIN: 0440500478
Release Date: 1989-09-03

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The Last Lion - Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone, 1932-1940
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Laurel / Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RIP8OS

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THE LAST LION WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL, ALONE 1932-1940

Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GQT4Z0

Last Lion, The: Winston Spencer Churchill Alone 1932-1940 - Volume 2

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Last Lion, The: Winston Spencer Churchill Alone 1932-1940 - Volume 2
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OU7YI2

The Last Lion, Volume 2: Winston Spencer Churchill Alone 1932-1940

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The Last Lion, Volume 2: Winston Spencer Churchill Alone 1932-1940
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K9WKN6

THE LAST LION, WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL - 2 volumes - VISIONS OF GLORY 1874-1932 and ALONE 1932-1940

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THE LAST LION, WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL - 2 volumes - VISIONS OF GLORY 1874-1932 and ALONE 1932-1940
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Dell Trade paperback edition
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LYABCW

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THE LAST LION, WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL ALONE 1932-1940

Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H2KI9Y

Customer Reviews:

Hmm.......2004-11-11

After reading the first couple of chapters, I thought I was going to give this book 5 stars. Clearly, German civilians did suffer in the post-war years, and much of that suffering appears to have been unnecessary. And I'm not one who would dismiss that suffering because "they brought it on themselves". It was also nice to learn about Herbert Hoover's humanitarian work, something of which I had been previously unaware.

By the end of the book, however, my opinion of it had diminished considerably. Bacque tosses a lot of numbers around, but if he's employing some sort of systematic methodology, I wasn't able to detect what it was. Comparing population figure A from source B with population figure C from source D and drawing extreme conclusions from the discrepancy between A and C without taking into account basic notions like random variation and limited precision or the different techniques B and D used to arrive at their figures is not, in my opinion, the way to make a convincing argument.

Bacque's case is not helped by a rambling 5-page appendix in which he presents his suspicions that he's being spied on, nor by his allying himself with figures like Ramsey Clark. (I'll gladly agree that Bacque's case is as strong as Clark's, but that's about as faint as praise gets.)

A Powerful Book.......2004-10-14

In this powerful new book, Canadian historian James Bacque presents detailed evidence, much of it newly uncovered, to show that some nine million Germans died as a result of Allied starvation and expulsion policies in the first five years after the Second World War -- a total far greater than the long-accepted figures. These deaths are still being concealed and denied, writes Bacque, especially by American and British authorities. Crimes and Mercies -- a handsome hardcover work, illustrated and well-referenced -- is a devastating indictment of Allied, and especially American, occupation policy in defeated postwar Germany. Nearly 15 million Germans fled or were brutally expelled in the greatest act of "ethnic cleansing" in history, a human catastrophe in which some two million were killed or otherwise perished. Then, under the notorious "Morgenthau Plan" and its successor policies, the Allies carried out a massive looting of Germany, and even prevented German civilians from growing enough food to feed themselves. Bacque shows, for example, that General Eisenhower, in violation of the Geneva Convention, in May 1945 forbade German civilians to take food to prisoners starving to death in American camps. He threatened the death penalty for anyone feeding prisoners. Bacque also describes the terrors of the postwar camps in Poland where children and other German civilians lost their lives. Written with fervor, compassion and humanity, and making use of never-before cited records in Moscow archives, James Bacque exposes a little-known but important chapter of 20th century history. He builds upon the revelations of his startling 1989 study, Other Losses, which presented evidence to show that hundreds of thousands of German prisoners of war died as a result of cruel and illegal mistreatment by American, British and French authorities. American historian Alfred M. de Zayas, author of Nemesis at Potsdam and The German Expellees, provides a valuable foreword

No one, single group has a monopoly on Evil or Madness.......2004-09-19

Excellent book. Extremely well researched. I have always been interested in East Prussia from having read a lot on the Teutonic Knights. Suddenly in 1945 a 700-year-old German land ceased to exist -- what happened to all of it's people? And what happened to the vanquished men and women that Hitler so cruelly led down the dark path of death and destruction? Bacque sheds some very important light in this work and provides a good starting point to find out more.

I must say, Seth's statements below in his review are very disturbing, almost as disturbing as many of Hitler's statements in "Mein Kampf". People like Seth would do well to imagine this scenario, no matter how unlikely: The war in Iraq has a reversal of fortune and the Americans are driven out...an Iraqi paratroop battalion lands in Tuscon and goes to his home, they seize his family and prepare to kill them, calling it "justice" and "due revenge"...what does he do? Does he say, "go ahead and kill them,they should get what they deserve"? NO. He says something like "hey I didn't vote for the current President and even if I did that doesn't mean I agree with the war in Iraq, my leaders didn't ask me personally, so don't take revenge on me and my family." There were many Germans that despised the Nazi government, but fear of retribution in a police state like that kept them from acting. The famous close-call bomb plot to kill Hitler was planned and carried out by, guess who?...a German, and lots of other Germans along with him. When that smoke cleared Hitler had put to death about 1000 Germans (soldiers and citizens alike) he believed to be involved.

Make no mistake, the Holocaust was the most heinous collective act ever carried out against a civilian population and heads a long list that includes the Crusades, the Hundred Years War, and the "Trail of Tears". We should NEVER forget, but not to the exclusion of remembering so many countless others that were victims of the evil men do to men.

Read a book on the Holocaust and shed a tear for little 9-year-old Lena Weitzman who died in a gas chamber..then read this book and shed a tear for little 9-year-old Anna Richter who was shot in the head by a vengeful Soviet soldier. If you can shed a tear for one but not the other, then the humanity you were born with has deserted you -- and has left you an empty, bitter, waste of a life. Hate destroys from the inside out as well.

Everyone should read this book.......2004-05-29

My Grandparents were expelled from their home because of the Potsdam treaty. My grandfather's sister was sent to a Soviet work camp. I have other relatives that were not so lucky. When WWII history is discussed, all we hear about is the holocaust. The holocaust should never be forgotten, but if nobody reads this book, what happened to the Germans will never be remembered. This book will provide an eye opening account of what happened to German civilians after WWII, a subject that is obvlivious to the majority of the American population.

As far as the "top reader" Seth is concerned. If you complain about feeling like a "villan" while reading this book, now you know how all Germans and German-Americans feel when a new holocaust book, tv movie, or film is relased and the blame is placed squarely on the shoulders of the German people, not the Nazi government. I cannot express the anger I felt while reading his review. I really feel sorry for somebody that callous and ignorant. So, hey Seth, there's my name and address, look me up, and we'll have a little chat.

Historical accuracy triumphs over politcal correctness!.......2004-04-11

BRAVO! This book is long overdue! Finally historical fact is placed over group think and pressure groups!

Crimes And Mercies. The Fate Of German Civilians Under Allied Occupation. 1944-1950

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Crimes And Mercies. The Fate Of German Civilians Under Allied Occupation. 1944-1950
JAMES BACQUE
Manufacturer: Little,Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P1E7OY

Book Description

In this age of instant communication and biotechnology, and on this ever-smaller planet, what kinds of problems have we created for ourselves? And, once we identify these problems, how do we tackle them in a world where the accustomed nation-state methods may be reaching their natural limits?

In High Noon, J.F. Rischard challenges us to solve the problems of the twenty-first century with a new approach to global problem-solving. Defining and then offering a brief overview of the twenty most important and urgent global problems, Rischard finds that they all have two things in common: They're getting worse, not better, and the standard strategies for dealing with them, such as international treaties and on-and-off gatherings of governments, are woefully inadequate to the task. The real problem, in other words, is that in our increasingly crowded, fast-moving, interconnected world, we don't have an effective way of addressing the problems that such a world creates. Our difficulties belong to the present and the future, but our means of solving them belong to the past.

Rischard proposes new vehicles for global problem-solving that would be acknowledged by governments but that would function as extra-governmental bodies devoted to particular problems. Their powers would not be legal but normative: They would produce globally recognized standards and would then monitor and single out the nations and organizations that were not cooperating.

No previous book has presented such a unified appraisal of this century's global problems or offered such a consistent and well-defined approach to solving them. With its clear-eyed urgency and refreshing specificity, High Noon is an agenda-setting book that everyone who cares about the future must read.

Customer Reviews:

Practical Bottom Line on Saving Planet--Do It or Lose It.......2003-05-30

Having read perhaps 20 of the best books on global issues and environmental sustainability, water scarcity, ocean problems, etc, over the past few years (most reviewed here on Amazon) I was prepared for a superficial summary, political posturing, and unrealistic claims. Not this book--this book is one of the finest, most intelligent, most easily understood programs for action I have ever seen. The book as a whole, and the 20 problem statements specifically, are concise, illustrated, and sensible.

The author breaks the 20 issues into 3 groups. Group one (sharing our planet)includes global warming; biodiversity and ecosystem losses, fisheries depletion, deforestation, water deficits, and maritime safety and pollution. Group two (sharing our humanity) includes massive step-up in the fight against poverty, peacekeeping-conflict prevention-combatting terrorism, education for all, global infectuous diseases, digital divide, and natural disaster prevention and mitigation. Group three (sharing our rule book) includes reinventing taxation for the 21st century, biotechnology rules, global financial architecture, illegal drugs, trade-investment-competition rules, intellectual property rights, e-commerce rules, and international labor and migration rules.

The author's core concept for dealing with these complex issues intelligently, while recognizing that "world government" is not an option, lies with his appreciation of the Internet and how global issues networks could be created that would be a vertical complement to the existing horizontal elements of each national government.

The footnotes and index are professional, but vastly more important, the author's vision is combined with practicality. This is a "doable-do" and this book is therefore my number one reading recommendation for any citizen buying just one book of the 360+ that I have recommended within Amazon. Superb.

Highly Recommended for Those Interested in the Future.......2002-07-17

I attended a lecture the author gave summarizing his book. If you're interested in globalization, the environment, or any other global problems, I highly recommend reading this book. It was deliberately limited in length, so it is a really quick read... about 5 pages for each of 20 problems and an additional 100 pages or so presenting the general problems and his proposed solution.

Important and Accessible.......2002-07-03

Amazon's observation is interesting - "No previous book has presented such a unified appraisal of this century's global problems or offered such a consistent and well-defined approach to solving them." If that is so, this book is important. Rischard's issues are not and do not pretend to be all inclusive, but they are self-evidently urgent and of global import. The book also left me thinking that Rischard's tentative solution framework may relate to other issues... High Noon deserves the attention of all well meaning and globally minded people.

Book Description

The Hudson River is one of the great rivers of the world. Not long ago, it was seriously threatened by pollution. Now it is coming back to life as a waterway where fish and birds can thrive again—a river valued once more by communities along its shores.

The environmental education program on board the sloop Clearwater, founded by folksinger Pete Seeger, has taught thousands of children and adults to love the river. With this book, river teachers bring their wealth of knowledge to a wider audience.

Covering the full sweep of the Hudson's natural history and human heritage, this book introduces readers to the river's diversity of plants and wildlife, to the geological forces that created it, to the people who explored and settled its banks, to its enduring place in American history and art, and to the battles waged over its environmental preservation. This revised edition also includes new information on the importance of the Hudson's watershed, the impacts of invasive species, and the latest data on the river's toxic PCB contamination, as well as new scholarship on the river's history.

In engaging illustrations, maps, and text--distilled from the bes t research on the Hudson's habitat and history--this unique book invites you to explore the river yourself.

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