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)

History of the 20th century though Churchill

The audio quality and narration is quite good. The young Churchill voice is a bit annoying.

This book is a fantastic look at the early 20th century. The prospective on England's upper class society is very interesting. All in all, this is a great history book that is heavy on Churchill. Then judging by the influence he had on events in that time it isn't a stretch.

Superb narration!

Disappointed Mr Davidson does not reprise on later installments. Beaver rook is a hoot!
End

Excellent book and performance

As a churchill fan I knew I had to read/listen to this book. I have read many biographies of the great man, including Sir Martin Gilbert's glorious 8 volume tome. Still, this book offered much to me, not least of which was the fabulous performance by the narrator. He did wonderful voices, with Churchill's being, I think, one of the best to be found. I look forward to the next volume, which I'm headed to purchase presently.

Incredible Narrative, Scholarship, and Narration

Way back in high school, in preparation for European History AP, we were assigned William Manchester's "A World Lit Only by Fire" to read over the summer. I loved Manchester's narrative craft, and it was one of my earlier exposures to the combination of thorough scholarship and the ability to translate that knowledge into a good story. Since then, however, I had not picked up another one of Manchester's books.

That all changed when I discovered Manchester's trilogy-biography of Winston Spencer Churchill. Churchill has always intrigued me, and I finally decided to start learning a little more about the man. So when I discovered "The Last Lion," and listened to an excerpt of Frederick Davidson's fantastic narration, I was all-in. And, thankfully, I wasn't disappointed.

The depth and breadth of detail that Manchester not only researched but was able to mold into a coherent, compelling, and flowing narrative is simply incredible. He conducted decades of research, including going into numerous archives and interviewing dozens of people for hundreds of hours. And the story, the story! Manchester was simply one of the best historical storytellers of the 20th century; which makes him a fitting biographer for Churchill, who was also one of the best crafters of the English language of all time.

One thing in particular that I appreciated about Manchester's narrative is that, while it does in many ways lionize Churchill, it does not shrink from or attempt to elide or downplay Churchill's racism, classism, or other prejudices. He certainly does not explore them as much as other historians have, but he does not try to sugarcoat them. As great a man as Churchill was, it is important to keep his pretty terrible views of non-white people, non-Western Europeans, and non-upper-class people in mind. Great people often have great flaws, and his prejudices clearly impacted how he approached international relations, particularly with respect to the British colonies--usually to the detriment of the hundreds of millions of non-Europeans over whom the British Empire exercised control, and to detriment of Churchill's legacy.

I would also like to note Davidson's wonderful narration. He clearly grasped Churchill's impish humor and love of life, and was able to convey those to the listener. Davidson also does one of the best Churchill impressions I've ever heard. It was an absolute joy to listen to his narration, and it is a huge disappointment that he does not read the other two books in the trilogy. While the other narrator is not bad--he is, in fact, pretty good--he simply pales in comparison to Davidson.

Last Lion

Great book somewhat grueling at times. Love the readers impression of Churchill. WC really comes to life in this book.

Amazing story.

Any lover of history needs to read this. only a minor issue with some of Mr. Davidson's pronunciations, but this is more to do with style of speech and me not being a native speaker of the Queen's English.

Ready for the second volume!

This an amazingly well done history of the man and the times. Long, but never boring!

Churchill and Manchester at their finest

Exhaustive research by William Manchester which was the hallmark of his writing. In depth insight in to one of the towering legends of the 20 century. I highly recommend!

Compelling

In every way, this was an epic read. The narrator was delightful, the writing riveting and the story of Churchill’s trials and tribulations spell binding. It’s a monster of a read… and worth every page.

I am amazed by the scope of Churchill’s life and his energy and endurance. He had an incredibly rich life. He is an inspiration!

Well Done

A well researched, well read biography. Entertaining and insightful with a sprinkling of wit Margret Asquith and Winston would have enjoyed.