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

By: William Manchester

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

Length: 41 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Winston Churchill is perhaps the most important political figure of the 20th century. His great oratory and leadership during the Second World War were only part of his huge breadth of experience and achievement. Studying his life is a fascinating way to imbibe the history of his era and gain insight into key events that have shaped our time.

In political office at the end of WWI, Churchill foresaw the folly of Versailles and feared what a crippled Germany would do to the balance of power. In his years in the political wilderness, from 1931 to 1939, he alone of all British public men, continually raised his voice against Hitler and his appeasers. For over 50 years, he was constantly involved in, and usually at the center of, the most important events of his age. It was, however, his obduracy on matters of principle, his fortitude in the face of opposition, and his perseverance in standing alone that defined him.

©1983 William Manchester (P)1990 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Manchester is not only a master of detail but also of 'the big picture'....I daresay most Americans reading The Last Lion will relish it immensely." ( National Review)
"[Manchester] can claim the considerable achievement of having assembled enough powerful evidence to support Isaiah Berlin's judgment of Churchill as the largest human being of our time." (Alistair Cooke)

Frederick Davidson reads Churchill biography

Twice Frederick Davidson sings in this eloquent biography of Churchill. The Churchill accent is spectacular and so on and so forth.

Inspiring

Brilliantly written, witty, comprehensive, insightful, inspiring. Can't recommend highly enough. Looking forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy.

I’m Too American

Probably me, I have nothing against a little snobbery but this narrator’s ultra snobby swallowing his words so I have to strain to understand wtf he is talking about affectations must be clashing with my down to earth American over/simplicity. The biography itself is fine but I should have picked a narrator who pronounces ‘r’. Ah. Pahdon mah candah.

Superb Narrator

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Winston Churchill is a fascinating historical figure and one that was pivotal to how the 20th Century turned out. To know more about him and his life and times is to better appreciate where we are now.

Which character – as performed by Frederick Davidson – was your favorite?

Davidson mimics Churchill's voice very well and makes it very entertaining to listen to this monumental work of history.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

What do you mean its not possible, do you know who I am, I'm Winston S. Churchill.

Absolutely first rate

Not only an incredibly well written biography done by a biographic wizard, but narration that brings this very long story alive. Short of hearing Churchill tell his own story, I can't imagine a better job.

A Great Lesson of England's History

A comprehensive journey of England's history and place in the world. An incredible foray into Victorian society. it's a lesson to all who think they cannot achieve greatness because of a parent's lack of attention. By 20th and 21st century social welfare system accounts churchill should be on the dole or in prison with years of therapy because of his parental influenece. very interesting book, sooo much information. took a long time to get through.

Remarkable Achievement

Tremendous in scope that fully captures the life of Churchill from his childhood with letters to his neglectful parents, his school days, military career, time in South Africa and political career. Mining through the extensive Churchill documents and those of his contemporaries includes their diaries to distill the essence of the man and produce this at times chatty insight into one of the key figures of the 20th century is an amazing accomplishment. Churchill’s likes and dislikes, his foibles, his keen insights, and deep prejudices are, I think, laid out against the background of events in panoramic style. I highly recommend this first volume of Winston Churchill.

A tour de force!

Fascinating recount of the life of WC until WWII. Very detailed analysis. Some portions surprisingly are R rated.

Superb - Review of Both Volume I & Volume II

I am writing this review for both volumes and putting it in both places. This is a well narrated story written by what has been described as the best biographer of the 20th Century about a man who was perhaps the greatest man to live in the 20th Century. What's not to like?
Both volumes have advantages over the other (listed below), but bottom line is that both are marvelous works. I doubt too many will be able to read Volume I without soon proceeding to Volume II. Volume I pluses include a better narrator (***** vs ****) (I was impressed with his mature Churchill voice and amazed that he started with a good child Churchill and gradually aged him into the famous voice we all love!), a more narrative/chronological layout as opposed to more topical, and illumination of the transition of the Victorian age through WWI and up to the Depression. This is a time of which I knew little relative to what came before and after. Volume II has the obvious advantage of fleshing out the rise of Hitler and explaining how the Appeasers were a product of their times.
I know it will take close to 80 hours to listen to both, but the time will fly and you will wish you could listen to Volume III, which was unfortunately never written. Both books are great though I slightly preferred the first volume.

Churchill: the Man of the Last Century

The Last Lion: It seems impossible that so many pieces of historical minutia, every little dribble of Winston Churchill’s life, from birth to 1932 can so deeply capture one's attention. Not a single iota of data – bored me? No, in fact I waded through this history with eager élan to hear more and more and more.

I had no idea Churchill’s life was such a struggle from parent neglect to constant antagonism from his House of Common party members, and of course, the opposition. I did not know he was such a war lord, and warrior in many theaters of conflict including the trenches in World War I. Nor did I have an adequate understanding how sharp a mind he had, and how caring he was for the downtrodden, as long as they respected their place alongside but not ahead of the British upper class. In fact, he had prejudices; although there was merely a distinction between peoples, but not a derogation of their humanity. Nevertheless, a prejudice. It was interesting to learn of his disgust of the Mahatma Gandhi – which was nothing compared to disgust at Bolshevism. Nor had I known how he financed his life, or how prolific of a writer he was – Darn! - His productivity makes me jealous. If one wants to learn how to be a real 19th century man; read this book. In short, as paraphrased towards the end of the book from his adversaries: Churchill does not debate, he orates, and he was always sure of his point of view and does not want to hear yours. That would be an indictment, but for the fact that Churchill was almost always correct.

I have recently read Churchill’s four book series on World War II. He is a very enjoyable writer, balanced but proud of who he was and what he accomplished. He was such a distinct human being it seems an easy task to now add another 137 hours (the length of this Manchester series on his life) to my reading/listening leisure time. Of course, reading a William Manchester biography – makes it easy. (Manchester died before completing the work and Paul Reid, finished the story – to equally great reviews.)

Finally, at least this first book was narrated by Frederick Davidson. He can read the ingredients on a can of beans and I would enjoy the delivered information. Now just a little more on Davidson. He always sounds too haughty, as though he is over affected with himself, for the first few pages. But no; he masters each topic and delivers with just the right effect, and in relatively good distinct voices – even though he never loses his haughtiness. So far Book One, a great read. I go on from here.

It’s a tedium but it’s a read well worth endeavoring.