The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory

Customer Reviews:

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-21

This is William Manchester at his best. This is fascinating reading and fascinating writing. Of course Winston Churchill was quite a character but to be honest I didn't know that fact until I read this book and its companion volume.
After reading this book I put it to my mind that I would read everything that Manchester wrote. I've got a couple more to go. You can't miss with this purchase. A great story, great writing, and good history. What more could you ask for?

Fantastic read.......2007-06-18

I am a little half way through the book, but it already is one of the best books I have ever read. The book deserves all the accolade. Manchester's approach to biography is a little different from many others in that he did not shy away from coloring the narrative with events that were yet to occur. He always hinted the historical significance of events in light of what happened later. I find this extremely helpful. For example: Churchill's fascination with early airplanes, his conception of tanks when dealing with a domestic riot are just two examples. These illuminated Churchill was indeed ahead of his peers in recognizing important trends.

The buildup to WWI is masterful. The book weaves Churchill's struggle with the Irish Home rule question together with the naval arms race with Germany in 1913. Since we know WWI started in 1914, the realization that Churchill and the British government were struggling with a domestic problem (which surely was exploited by the German Kaiser) enhances our understanding of the immediate pre-war times.

I knew the old US of A was not a world player before WWI. This book adds to that impression. Until the outbreak of the war, the US is just not on Churhill's radar: it does not show up much in his writing, travel, and speech. Yes, he did a book tour in the US, but that was before he started his political career.

Can't wait to read the second half of the book.

Never Question Your Sanity ,,, It's not You.......2006-12-22

This book should be read (before, after or with) The End of the World as We Know It. The scenarios are almost interchangable.

.......not a secret anymore.............2006-12-11

Actually it is very sad to mention this blunder against humanity:

When the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers in October and November 1914, Britain's communications with India and the East via the Suez canal was immediately placed in jeopardy.
There was a secret agreement with Germany signed in August 1914 by the Young Turks that was troubling the Russians and taken as warning of the forthcoming trouble to The Tsar. The Russians regarded their Caucasian terrirories were also placed in jeopardy.
Consequently, the British and French, in order to protect their future `colonies' and bisect the `sick man of Europe', had to act forcefully. They opened another front in the South with the Gallipoli (1915) and Mesopotamian campaigns.

Anxious to score his first military encounter with `the enemy', Winston Churchill, in his capacity as Lord of Navy, prematurely urged a combined French and British naval incursion into Gallipoli. But the Turks were successful in repelling the British, French, and Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. and pushed their eventual withdrawal and evacuation.

((By contrast, in Mesopotamia - Iraq- after the disastrous Siege of Kut (1915-16), British Empire forces - mainly of Indian troops - reorganized and captured Baghdad (March 1917). Further to the west in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, initial British failures were overcome when Jerusalem was captured in December 1917, and the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under Field Marshal Edmund Allenby, broke the Ottoman forces at the Battle of Megiddo in September 1918))

Russia, the protector of the Greek Orthothox Armenian population, sent her best troops in the Caucasus. The Turkish, Vice-Generalissimo Enver Pasha, supreme commander of the ex Ottoman Empire armed forces, was a very ambitious man. His aim and everpresent dream was to conquer central Asia. Enver Pasha, like Winston Churchill, was not a practical soldier. He launched an offensive with 100,000 soldiers against the Russians in the Caucasus in December of 1914.
His main enemy was the severe Weather conditions.
Insisting on a frontal attack against Russian positions in the mountains , Enver lost over 80% of his troops at the Battle of Sarikamis, in the heart of the tough winter season.

In 1917, Russian Grand Duke Nicholas assumed senior control over the Caucasus front. Nicholas tried to have a railway built from Russia (Georgia) to the conquered territories with a view to bringing up more supplies for a new offensive. But, in March of 1917 (February in the pre-revolutionary Russian calendar), the Czar was overthrown in the February Revolution and the Russian army began to slowly fall apart.
Hence, the protector of the Armenians was gone.

Winston Churchill blunder in Gallipoli, opened patched over wounds and re-ignited animosities between the Turks and their Armenian neighbors. In 1915, the Armenians were the victims of his cowardice. The Turks committed a HOLOCAUST against the Armenians that immediately started after WC debacle in Gallipolis.
The mass murder of the Armenians was indeed the first Holocaust of the twentieth century.

A BRILLIANT BIOGRAPHY - WELL DONE!.......2006-07-27

This is a brilliantly written biography of one of the most fascinating characters in history. Like most of Mnchester's work (I must admit to being a big fan), this is a very readable biography, well researched and holds the reader's interest from page to page. We see so much of Churchhill in his role as a WWII leader that we tend to forget there was a young man, living, learning and growing before the back and white films we see today. It is good to be reminded of this from time to time. It is also, for those interested, to learn how a world leader of Churchill's calibre came into being, how he developed and why he was the way he was. This work gives us great insight to those questions. Cannot recommend this work highly enough.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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

Average customer rating:

Brilliantly Written European History - 1932 to 1940
Grab a bottle of Scotch and have at this book!
Churchill was begging....
absolutely a delight to read
solitary courage

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone 1932-1940
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316545120

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.

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Must Read!
Entertainment
review of wit and wisdom of Winston Churchill
Utterly Delightful
Power of Words in the Majestic Battle of Ideas

The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill
James C. Humes , and Richard M. Nixon
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060925779
Release Date: 2007-12-26

Book Description

An extremely entertaining compendium of bon mots, anecdotes, and trivia about Winston Churchill from a leading Churchill lecturer and performer -- useful for speakers, students, of history, and World War II buffs, as well as general readers.

Customer Reviews:

Must Read!.......2007-08-10

Have if you're like me and have a lot of friends that don't read (but love Blue Collar Comedy Tour...) then you can start using quotes right out of this book and they will think you just came down from the mountain of knowledge and wisdom. Hey you can even use this for those fun quotes at the bottom of your email! Look how global you can become, yes you!

Great book, very well organized and really a lot of fun to read. Winston Churchill was truly a clever man and would be on my top 10 list of Dudes I would like to have a Newcastle with.

Robb Boyd from Cisco's TechWiseTV is number one on the beer list...

Entertainment.......2007-06-08

A delightful book. I thought the author a little too sycophantic for my taste (I am an Australian after all) but the contents are very entertaining. You can dip into it at any place and read for two minutes or two hours and have a good chuckle.

review of wit and wisdom of Winston Churchill.......2005-09-12

The book is entertaining. It's the kind of book you don't just read through, but pick it up read a few sections at a time.

Utterly Delightful.......2004-10-23

A compact book with more than 1,000 quotations and anecdotes you can enjoy at any time.

Here are just a few:

Violet Asquith, the irrepressible daughter of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, found a kindred spirit in Churchill, who served in her father's Cabinet.

Once, in a flight of philosophical gloom, she turned to her dinner partner and said, "Winston, in terms of infinity, we are cosmic dust - we are just worms."

"Perhaps, Violet", Churchill replied, "but I am a glowworm."

* * *

If "Franglais" has been only recently coined to describe the bastardizing of the French language by English words, Churchill may have been the sire of this hybrid argot. Sometimes his additions to the noble Gallic tongue were even more attrocious than his accent.

During some delicate negotions at Casablanca, the stubborn Charles de Gaulle denounced an Allied plan to fuse him and his rival, French general Henri Giraud. Churchill, glaring at the Gaulle, delivered this concoction: "Si vous m'obstaclerez, je vous liquiderai!" (If you obstacle me, I will liquidate you!) A bewildered de Gaulle backed off.

* * *

In 1900, the twenty-six-year-old Churchill, after just being elected to Parliament, made a speaking tour of America. In Washington, he was introduced to a majestically endowed woman from Richmond, Virginia, who prided herself upon her devotion to the "lost cause of the Confederacy." Her family were Democrats who had opposed the Repubican policy of Reconstruction.

Anxious that Churchill should know her sentiments, she remarked as she gave him her hand, "Mr. Churchill, you see before you a rebel who has not been Reconstructed."

"Madam," he replied with a deep bow that surveyed her decolletage, "reconstruction in your case would be blasphemous."

Power of Words in the Majestic Battle of Ideas.......2003-11-04

In this book, James C. Humes gives his audience an excellent opportunity to conjure up a mental picture of Winston Churchill and his legacy. As a renaissance man, Churchill was more than a skilled politician and a gifted soldier. Perhaps more importantly, Churchill was a man of inspired words, whose work was ultimately crown by the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Churchill often was far from politically correct and did not hesitate to say, write and do what he thought was right. Churchill's bluntness did not make him dear to everybody.

Humes first brings to light many of the great thoughts of Churchill in "Observations and Opinions." Humes classifies key words alphabetically without giving context so that readers can easily find a quote of their liking about a specific subject. Some readers might get frustrated about it if they are not familiar with the key milestones in the life and career of Churchill. These readers can read books such as "Churchill a Life", "Churchill a Study in Greatness", "Clementine Churchill The Biography of a Marriage" or "Winston and Clementine The Personal Letters of the Churchills" to fill in the gaps in their knowledge of Churchill for that purpose.

Humes forges ahead in a similar way in "Orations and Perorations", "Coiners of Phrases", "Saints and Sinners" and "Escapades and Encounters." In these sections, Humes is usually very good at giving his audience the context so that readers better understand where Churchill was coming from. Hours of fun and laughter are virtually guaranteed, especially in "Escapades and Encounters."

Churchill's witticism, wisdom and oratory probably reached their climax in the faithful summer of 1940 when Britain stood alone against the Nazi monster. Churchill galvanized by his words and actions the civilized world to soldier on when the horizon seemed hopelessly bleak. As President Franklin Roosevelt said to his aide Harry Hopkins after listening to one of Churchill's radio broadcasts during that period: "As long as that old bastard is in charge, Britain will never surrender." The words of Churchill will continue to resonate for a long time in the heart and soul of humanity. Churchill's words will further shine like diamonds in the night when humanity loses hope from time to time.

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Churchill to the MAX!

A great work on a great life

Knights of the Realm

Very good one volume biography

Why Didn't I Read This Years Ago?

Churchill: A Life
Martin Gilbert
Manufacturer: Owl Books
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The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill

The Second World War: A Complete History

Never Give In!: The Best of Winston Churchill's Speeches

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory

The First World War, Second Edition: A Complete History

ASIN: 0805023968

Amazon.com

It is impossible to understand the Second World War without understanding Winston Churchill, the bold British Prime Minister who showed himself to be one of the greatest statesmen any nation has ever known. This lengthy biography is a single-volume abridgment of a massive, eight-volume work that took a quarter-century to write. It covers Churchill's entire life, highlighting not only his exploits during the Second World War, but also his early belief in technology and how it would revolutionize warfare in the 20th century. Churchill learned how to fly a plane before the First World War, and was also involved in the development of both the tank and anti-aircraft defense. But he truly showed his unmatched mettle during his country's darkest moments: "His finest hour was the leadership of Britain when it was most isolated, most threatened, and most weak; when his own courage, determination, and belief in democracy became at one with the nation," writes Gilbert. There are several wonderful books available on Churchill, but this is probably the best place to start.

Book Description

Distilled from years of meticulous research and documentation, filled with material unavailable when the earliest books of the official biography's eight volumes went to press, Churchill is a brilliant marriage of the hard facts of the public life and the intimate details of the private man. The result is a vital portrait of one of the most remarkable men of any age as well as a revealing depiction of a man of extraordinary courage and imagination.

Customer Reviews:

Churchill to the MAX!.......2007-08-10

If you like Churchill and would like to know a on of info about him, more then just clever and witty quotes, then this is the book for you! Great book!!

A great work on a great life.......2007-07-28

An excellent biography of a most fantastic life. The book gives a very good outline of all major events in Churchill's life as an officer, a journalist, an author and above all: maybe the most important politician in Western Europe ever.

Churchill's early years, at school and in wars in India, Cuba, Sudan and South Africa are well covered. His career as a Member of Parliament, as well as Cabinet positions up to WWI are also very interesting. Churchill had very modern reflections on the principles of welfare states in 1905, which caused him to leave the Conservatives for the Liberals.

Churchill's finest hour is of course his early (from 1932) and consistent warning about German rearmament before WWII, and his leadership as British Prime Minister from 1940. The book's finest hour, in my opinion, is the last chapters. After the war, Churchill is 70 years old. His health is quite bad. He refuses to give in, and clings to power. From time to time, he decides to quit, but every time changes his mind. Just like the rest of us.

The book has some serious flaws. Churchill made many mistakes during the interwar years, but Gilbert runs to his defence at every one. One example: Churchill took a major stance against Indian independence. According to Gilbert, this was because Churchill was concerned about the minorities of the sub-continent.

Read and enjoy the book, as long as you are aware that Gilbert has done what many other biographers have done before him: fallen in love with his object.

Knights of the Realm.......2007-07-09

If you are only going to read one book on Sir Winston Churchill this is the one to read. Sir Martin Gilbert is Sir Winston's official biographer and that project took roughly 30 years to complete and produced an eight volume account. Gilbert even wrote a memoir of his experiences writing the biography _In Search of Churchill_, and received a knighthood of his own for his work on this project.

This book is the condensed version of the eight volumes that Gilbert took so long to write. Gilbert's account is authoritative, but the majority of it focuses, understandably, on the 1939-1945 period. Gilbert prefers to write with an unrelenting chronological narrative, an approach that works perfectly in biography. Sir Martin is a talented writer and even through this book is over 950 pages long it reads quite well. Gilbert has also quoted a lot from Churchill's own writings and speeches and it is clear the man had mastered the English language.

Many Americans are not that familiar with geography of Churchill's life and Gilbert has included 28 maps that allow the reader to track the great man's life graphically. These maps are particularly interesting because they range from the obvious like political maps of Europe in both World Wars, but also places where Churchill lived in England and a very detailed rendering of Whitehall--the region of London where all the government offices are located.

No book is perfect. In condensing eight volumes into one, Gilbert has skipped a little on developing a full human portrait of his subject. One also gets the impression that at times it was possible to just show up at 10 Downing Street and have a meeting with whoever happened to be the Prime Minister at the time. Gilbert also clearly likes his subject and takes his side in the many disputes he faced. This focus is understandable, but the author never really examines the legitimate points that Churchill critics had to make. Before the war, as far as the public was concerned, Churchill had been wrong on the abdication crisis, wrong on India, and, yes, wrong on the Nazis. It was only after the Britain came to blows with Germany that people came to reassess his position on Germany. Even during the war his formulation of strategy was suspect on more than one occasion. Gilbert does not avoid these issues, but his coverage of the other point of view could be better.

All in all, though, these complaints should not blind readers to the fact that this is an exceptionally good book by the foremost authority in the field. Buy it, you will like it.

Very good one volume biography.......2007-06-02

Overall I really enjoyed Martin Gilbert's Churchill biography, and would recommend it to others. I found it an enjoyable read, and overall I thought it did a good job covering a remarkable man.

I did think there was some room for improvement though:

- The book didn't spend as much time on the WW2 years as I would have liked. I felt Gilbert's chapters here were a little rushed and sparse, and that they mostly recited the basic facts without a lot of new insight. I would have preferred more coverage of the weeks immediately after Churchill took office (when some in the cabinet debated whether to open negotations with the Germans, and which might have come to pass had it been someone other than Churchill in office). I would have also liked to have seen more coverage of Churchill's (at times very complex) relationship with Roosevelt, as well as more about his relationship with Alan Brooke and the rest of his cabinet.

- Churchill's relationship with his family was also not covered in much depth. Clementine seemed to be continually away in Gilbert's text, and her relationship with Winston felt strained. I would have liked to have understood Gilbert's take on this more - since it is a little different from what I have read in other books.

I think I still prefer the William Manchester volumes on Churchill over this book when covering Churchill's early years - they felt a little more textured and deeper. Unfortunately Manchester was unable to complete his third volume before he died, so the WW2 years are not covered there at all.

I would still also recommend this book as well.

Why Didn't I Read This Years Ago?.......2007-02-17

The first third of this book is dry as can be and I'm beginning to think, "From this a portrait of the man will never emerge." But those who persevere eventually collect their reward. The dryness begins to evaporate with the advent of the First World War. Churchill was tested to the breaking point with the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. He lost his job with the admiralty. At age 40 Churchill thought we was washed up. By happy accident he discovers painting, a pastime that will see him through even darker days to come (see also "Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings" by David Coombs).

The edge-of-your-seat chapters begin with the emergence of Hitler. Churchill issues Casandra-like warnings, spelling out with remarkable clairvoyance what will happen if the growing menace goes unchallenged. The world reacts with a yawn. And Hitler catches an unprepared world by surprise. Suddenly Churchill is the man of the hour. The wartime chapters drive home just how scarily-close the Nazis came to victory.

Gilbert's biography becomes anti-climatic as it becomes clear that the Good Guys will prevail. But there's still fire left in the old Prime Minister. Churchill recognizes the Hitlerian threat posed by Stalin in Post-WWII Europe. Churchill's final major life contribution comes with his Fulton, Missouri, "Iron Curtain" speech.

What's the most important aspect of this read? Churchill embodies the power of the spoken word. In 1940 words were about all besieged Brits had cling to. Our world would be a very different place (read "barbaric") had the rallying call been voiced by a lesser man. Well, it's been a long review. It was a long book.

Average customer rating:

I just like old Winston!
It's one thing to know the right words,but another when and how to use them.
Wit Beyond Comparison
Very Enjoyable
Excellent! A must for all who study the man and the language

The Wicked Wit of Winston Churchill
Dominique Enright
Manufacturer: Michael O'Mara Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1854795295

Book Description

Sir Winston Churchill was the greatest orator of his day, the greatest statesman of his age, and the greatest Englishman of the twentieth century. This enchanting collection gathers hundreds of his funniest and wickedest quips in tribute to the exhilarating wit of this great-hearted, infuriatingly conceited, wildly funny, and brilliantly talented Englishman.

Customer Reviews:

I just like old Winston!.......2006-11-11

You do have to think about many of his quips, most are very funny in a dry, perhaps a bit cynical manner. It is sometimes difficult to place his statements in the context of WW-II (I was born in 1944 and I do have a memory of that era because it was the biggest event in my parents lives - they talked about it all the time).

After a session with Mr. Churchill, I often wish American politicians had a bit of his prespective (though I reall doubt they would ever get elected).

It's one thing to know the right words,but another when and how to use them........2006-02-05

The wise and witty words of Winston Churchill ring throughout the 20th Century.Any that knew him personally or had anything to do with him must have waited with anticipation of hearing what he would say anytime he opened his mouth.This held true for Kings,Presidents,Generals and yes even for his family,including his grandaughter.At times, his use of silence could be as cutting
a reply as anything he could say.No doubt, he took as much enjoyment in his words as anyone he was aiming them at.It wasn't all one way either,he seemed to love a well delivered line,even if he was the object.
He neither claimed to be nor in fact was an'educated man',he
was similar to Mark Twain,in that he could cut to pieces,people of much greater formal education,if they tried to engage him in 'a battle of words'.
In his book "My Early Life" he said."It's a good thing for an
uneducated man to read books of quotations" and described how he read "Bartlett's Quotations".It is obvious that he often used and modified others quotations.
His friend Lord Brinkenhead quipped,"Winston has devoted the best years of his life to preparing his impromptu speeches."
"One of Churchill's most famous speeches is that of June
1940:'We shall fight on the beaches,we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,we shall fight in the hills...' It is said that,as he paused in the great uproar that greeted these words,Churchill muttered to a colleague next to him,'And We'll fight them with the butt ends of broken beer bottles because that's bloody well all we've got!"
A great little book reminding us of the words of one of the great voices of the 20th Century.

Wit Beyond Comparison.......2005-07-12

I received this book as a birthday gift from my lovely wife. I loved this book so much I bought is twice more as a gift for a departing superior and for a friend of 10 years. Anyone who has a love of history (particularly this era) will love this book, anyone in possession of a sense of humor will appreciate this book as well.

Recommended for a quick, witty read and as a gift for anyone you know with an 'off' sense of humor. We all know someone like that, are related or married to them, or publicly disavow any association with them. Regardless, buy them or yourself (ii case its you who is openly disowned) this book.

Very Enjoyable.......2004-10-23

This relatively small book is divided into several sections with slices from Churchill's life and quotations related to politics, speaches, friends, animals, family, etc.

Here are few excerpts:

While campaigning in 1900, it is said that the young Churchill was doing a spot of canvassing when one of those he approached exclaimed:

"Vote for you? Why, I'd rather vote for the Devil!"

"I understand", Churchill answered, "But in case your friend is not running, may I count on your support?"

* * *

When passed a very long but turgidly written memorandum on some worthy but uninspiring subject, the elderly Prime Minister weighed the thick wad of paper in his hands and commented, "This paper by its very length defends itself against the risk of being read."

* * *

Churchill liked animals; sometimes he found this difficult to reconcile with his fondness for rich food. Anthony Montague Brown recalled that 'One Christmas he was about to carve a goost. Learning it was one of his own, he put down the knife and fork and said, "I could not possibly eat a bird that I have known socially."

* * *

A BBC broadcaster described once sitting next to Churchill as he gave a speech, keeping his audience hanging on to his every word. The boradcaster noticed, howver, that what appeared to be notes in Churchill's hand was only a laundry slip, and he later remarked upon this to Churchill. "Yes", said Churchill. "It gave confidence to my audience."

Excellent! A must for all who study the man and the language.......2003-11-03

The title of my review had simply told what I wanna say. Churchill is such a famous person of wit and words. That's beyond argument. Therefore it's not a difficult job for the editor-author to pick and pack Churchill's words, with some short sentences telling the background of each, into a thin book. Anyway, he did it alright.

I would like to pick some of my favorite quotes for your reference. Hope you like them and can share my feelings of how brilliant Churchill. and also indirectly, this book is.

1. "Trying to maintain good relations with a Communist is like wooing a crocodile. You do not know whether to tickle it under the chin or beat it over the head. When it opens its mouth, you cannot tell whether it is trying to smile or preparing to eat you up."

2. "No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeeed, it has been said that Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

3. "You will never get to the end of the journey if you stop to buy a stone at every dog that barks."

4. "Virtuous motives, trammelled by inertia and timidity, are no match for armed and resolute wickedness."

5. "What if I had said, instead of "We shall fight on the beaches", "Hostilities will be engaged with our adversary on the coastal perimeter?".

From the Publisher

Winston Churchill is one of the most extraordinary leaders the tumultuous twentieth century produced. Why did he see so clearly when those around him acted so blindly? What enabled him to stand steadfastly when those around him vacillated? How was he able to inspire whole nations to endure the unendurable and to achieve the unachievable when those around him surrendered all hope? In this remarkable new study of Churchill's legacy, Stephen Mansfield addresses these questions and shows us what lay at the core of Churchill's extraordinary character. The result is an inspiring portrait of a truly great leader.

Customer Reviews:

Nicely done.......2007-07-31

Mr. Mansfield has done a very nice job. He writes with the presupposition that history is the outworking of the providence and plan of God, a presupposition I accept, and which I believe is overwhelmingly confirmed by history itself. We all view the world through our presuppositions, and none of us can claim "neutrality." Those who "ding" Mansfield for his Christianity or for illuminating the Christian faith of his subject miss the point of the book. Would you have us all live in the ghetto where the only view allowed is secular humanism? Thankfully, we still live in a country where one is allowed to have Christian presuppositions. It was Mansfield's purpose to write from this point of view. If you "ding" him for having that purpose, then are you not saying that there should no freedom to express opinions different from your own? I am most amused by the reviewer who implies that Mansfield cannot understand England because of that country's current spiritual condition. Surely Churchill's England was different from today's England. England's decline (and our own here in America) can be directly traced to abandoning the Author of our lives and freedoms. Mansfield makes the point that Churchill understood England's place in preserving the freedoms of its Christian heritage, not only for itself but also for the western civilization, against the Nazi threats (definitely not the forces of goodness and light).

This history is written by a Christian (Mansfield) about a Christian (Churchill). If Churchill was, indeed, someone who experienced true conversion to Christianity, then his faith would have permeated all that he was and did. It would and did give him the necessary heart and spirit to persevere under severe trial. Conversion is not a matter which has no impact upon the personal and professional life of a man - it will govern all that he is - his thinking and life.

What a great little book! I am also delighted to discover that Churchill, when asked whom he should like to be if he could not be himself, thought about it and answered "Mrs. Churchill's second husband." All of his manly achievements notwithstanding, that aspect of his character put him over the top in my estimation.

Riveting biography and writing.......2007-05-13

I'd recommend this book not "only" because of the great information on Churchill's life struggles and events. I'm recommending this book mainly due to the writer's superb writing. I never thought I'd read a biography in one sit. You just can't stop reading, your eyes roll through the text with so much ease and pleasure. You feel Churchill's hardships, his courage, his character. Great book.

provoking, intelligent, and sophisticated........2007-02-10

This book challenges you and tests your knowledge and paradigms.
I found it thought provoking, intelligent, and sophisticated.
This should be a must read for everyone who seeks truth and meaning.
Way to go Mr. Mansfield!!!

Diamonds Refined.......2005-12-04

Delight is an expected find when reading works on or about Winston Spencer Churchill. Joy is a confirmation when these works attain to the stature and measure of the man. Refreshment is the derivative when joy and delight meet in a polished offering such as 'Never Give In.'

Stephen Mansfield has once again done well and served all parties equally in dispensing this gleaned narrative of the Twentieth Century's self-recognized 'Great Man.'

A man's man for all seasons, highlights of the legendary Churchill are brought forth in a parade of honed chapters refined like glistening diamonds. Those seeking heavyweight analysis will even so finish the book satisfied, while newcomers will be impressed especially in these breathtaking times.

Mr. Mansfield wisely moves through Churchill's life subject by subject, examining deftly moments which shaped the Character that so helped weld the first half of this century just gone. Superlatives tax the description of this work that may, in the field of Churchillian retrospectives, become the essential tome for both those initiating study, as well as we who yearn for one more look at a superb man under fire.

The most excellent aspect of the work is Mansfield's examination of Churchill's testimony regarding Jesus, a subject far too long neglected. As is the practice learned from the Master, the best is always saved till last.

TL Farley,
author,

When Now Becomes Too Late {prophecy}

Distant Reaches {adventure}

For Leaders, not avid Historians.......2004-05-31

In reading the reviews under this section, I find that a reader either loves this book or hates it - there is very little middle ground.

I believe those who discount this book are looking for an objective work on the history of Churchill. While this is a very fascinating subject, the market is saturated with such works, so if that is what you are looking for, go elsewhere...

Those who love the book don't seem to place such emphasis on its historical precision; rather on the value of the information as it pertains to their own lives and leadership styles.

I found this book to contain many great nuggets of wisdom and my highlighter saw much action as I poured through the pages.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their leadership qualities. If you are looking for a historical masterpiece, this isn't it nor did the author intend it to be...

Memoirs of the Second World War (An Abridgement of the Six Volumes of the Second World War)

Average customer rating:

Very biased and incomplete, but good
A magnificent book by a magnificent man!
All the ww2 history
Memoirs of the Second World War - Stalin, Soviet Union, Poland
Memoirs of the Second World War

Memoirs of the Second World War (An Abridgement of the Six Volumes of the Second World War)
Winston S. Churchill
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0395599687

Book Description

In honor of the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II, Nobel Prize winner Winston Churchill's essential, abridged memoirs of that time are reintroduced with an updated cover and a new low price. The quintessence of the war as seen by it's greatest player, in a one-volume abridged edition that captures all the drama of the original volumes.

Customer Reviews:

Very biased and incomplete, but good.......2007-07-15

I read this good book, here in Brazil.Among the World War II great leaders, only Churchill wrote a book about that war.
About american eugenics , race and gender relations, there isn't a single word against or about, in this big book, with more than 1,000 pages.There's some maps inside.This book isn't only about World War II, but also about the war's roots and fruits, includind about Cold War.
This book is very biased.The Churchill's mistakes in World War II, were enormous.About France's battle in 1940, seems that Churchill was in another planet then, not as England's leader then.Ever big Churchill's or England's failure, has almost nothing or no place at all, in this book.About war production and military weapons, there's almost nothing.
Secrets about Colossus computer and the breaking of german Enigma code machine or "purle" japanese code,were war secrets and also had no place on this book.
Even with so many bias and other failures, this book remains good and easy to read.

A magnificent book by a magnificent man!.......2007-01-10

Winston Churchill was a man of destiny, and he came to realize that, although he seldom hints at it. Without him Western Civilization would be drastically different today, for the worse.

Somehow he makes the day-to-day machinations of world governments read like a suspense novel. Yet he is concise, reserved and free from hyperbole. I think this is possible because he so clearly saw the Big Picture and knew deep down what really was at stake. The story didn't need to be enhanced for those who could understand, and those who couldn't . . . oh well.

This made the early decades of the Twentieth Century come alive for me. I now feel like I lived through those times.

I loved the book, and I love the man!

All the ww2 history.......2007-01-05

Churchill was not only a participant, but an excellent observer of this period. There are some good maps and pictures.

Memoirs of the Second World War - Stalin, Soviet Union, Poland.......2005-08-24

I find it indeed difficult to assess this book by Winston Churchill. I have read it with very mixed emotions. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that for any serious student of the history of World War II Winston Churchill's "Memoirs of the Second World War" is a must reading - unless he or she decides to study the full fledged, six volume, "The Second World War" itself.

However, if one is to base his entire knowledge of the war on this writing alone, treating it as the history book per se, one is likely for a big disappointment. The value of this book as a source of historical facts is questionable; its value, in my view, lies in that it is the first hand, direct, presentation of the views and ideas on the war politics by one of its biggest actors. Churchill wrote himself: "This is not history, this is my case." I agree. It is, at the same time, the best source of information one can probably get on the "state of competence" of one of the "Big Three". For in this writing Winston Churchill reveals to a large degree what he himself knew, or did not know, about various aspects of the unfolding events. However, the objectivity of his writing is to a certain degree weakened by his concerns for relations with some of the other big players in World War II. The name of Dwight Eisenhower immediately comes to mind here. At the time of this book's publication Eisenhower was the president of USA. Whatever disagreements Churchill may have had with him in 1944 and 1945, and the many he had indeed, he went long ways to smooth his criticism to not in the smallest way offend his former ally and the sitting president of the country with which he practiced the policy of "Grand Alliance". That this may have distorted the whole picture seems beyond much doubt.

I am in no position to evaluate Churchill's ideas and beliefs and confront them with the facts, in their entirety. Whether, for instance, his explanation of the fall of Singapore is correct or not is beyond my expertise. But on two subjects: Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union and the so-called "Polish Question" I do have opinions of my own.

We now know quite well who Joseph Stalin really was and what was the true nature of the Soviet regime in those years. From that perspective Winston Churchill's assertions about Stalin himself seem rather disconcerting. Especially so, since Churchill seem to have been reasonably well versed in matters relating to the Soviet Union and its foreign policies. Unlike many left-leaning politicians both in USA and Western Europe at the time he apparently had no illusions about the character of communist experiment in Soviet Russia. This was particularly true with regard to Stalin's foreign policies. Churchill realized Stalin was "de-facto" ally of Nazi Germany all the way until the day Hitler invaded the Soviet Union.

But with the Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union on June 21, 1941, virtually overnight, this hideous man becomes Great Britain's ally in the fight against Germany. And now that Stalin was on the same side of the barricade he became more than an ally. He, in the eyes of Churchill, seemed to have transformed into a better man. Politically and morally. Churchill spares no effort to present Stalin as an extremely intelligent man, not without sense of humor, a man with whom one can reason, negotiate and settle. On several occasions Churchill underlines importance of maintaining friendly relationship with the Soviet leader as if attempting to convince the reader, and possibly himself, that personal relationship could significantly alter the outcome of negotiations. Did he believe this or was he merely trying to justify his own conduct vis-à-vis Stalin? At any rate, I do not subscribe to a notion that just because someone finds himself on the right side of a political cause - and in the case of Stalin this was not his own choice, Hitler put him there - it makes him automatically a better being. Whoever Stalin was before German invasion he retained that character afterwards. And that simple fact demanded appropriate conclusions be drawn and remembered.

Poland, and "Polish Question", receives mixed treatment by Winston Churchill. It might even be more instructive to recognize what Churchill does not write about in the case of Poland than what subjects he dwells upon. The name of the general Wladyslaw Sikorski, Prime Minister and Commander in Chief of the Polish Government in Exile right from the Polish defeat in September 1939 until his death in the airplane accident in 1943 is not mentioned even once, not even in passing. And it is worth remembering that Poland was Great Britain's first, and for some time practically the only, ally in the war against Hitler right from the beginning till the very end. Not a single word is dedicated to the role of Polish airmen who fought with such distinction during the famous Battle of England. They were the heroes of the day then and Churchill knew perfectly well they were the best "scoring" fighters whose contribution to the victory was substantial if not decisive. More disturbing still is his complete silence on the subject of Katyn massacre. In April 1943 the Germans discovered mass graves in the forest of Katyn near Smolensk in then occupied Russian territory. Poles were inquiring with the Soviets since June 1941 about the faith of about 15,000 officers listed as Soviet prisoners of war only to be told they must have had "escaped to Manchuria". The German discovery of some 4,000 murdered and Sikorski's subsequent request for independent investigation by the International Red Cross was the pretexts for Stalin to break relations with the Poles and that was the beginning of all the subsequent troubles around the Polish Question. The truth of the Katyn massacre got swept under the carpet for years.

It is not until the summer of 1944 when the Soviets advanced to the territories of the pre-war Poland that this subject starts looming high on the agenda. Churchill apparently then realized that Stalin had his own plans concerning Poland where creation of a subservient government toped the list. To be fair Winston Churchill deserves credit for writing (and acting at the time) extensively about the Warsaw Rising of 1944. For two months the 50,000 Home Army soldiers armed with ammunition to last for just a few days fought valiantly inflicting great casualties on the Germans while the Red Army stood on the east bank of Vistula River doing practically nothing. Churchill was sincerely horrified at Stalin's refusal not only to come to military assistance himself but even to allow the Allies' planes attempting to drop supplies to land on the Soviet airfields. Churchill desperately tried to help. But Stalin had a much different agenda and for this purpose he didn't mind to allow almost a quarter million of Varsovians to perish. Roosevelt meanwhile apparently did not care. Churchill's exasperation over this issue is clearly visible and the pages dedicated to Warsaw Rising are some of the most emotionally charged in the entire book.

But it is Churchill's position on the question of new Poland's frontiers that causes most of my dismay. He openly agreed that the Soviet Union deserved additional territory at their Western frontier to boost their external security against any future threat from Germany. This was agreed in principle right from the start. It is true that in those territories ethnic Poles never constituted a majority. But that's a very poor argument. Neither Russians were a majority there. These were Belo-Russians, Ukrainians, Ormians, Jews, in short a multitude of ethnic groups who for centuries lived under the Polish-Lithuanian rule. The Russian rule they knew only since the partitions of Poland at the end of XVIII century. If anything, there would be a legitimate "border dispute", if you will, between Poland and Ukraine or Poland and Belarus. But there was not even a hypothetical question of national independence for these two nations. As it turned out, therefore, a double standard was employed: Poland was to be a one-nation, one ethnic group state while it was all right for (Soviet) Russia to be a multinational "federation". In the end Winston Churchill agreed to legalize Soviet annexation of Polish territories invaded on September 17, 1939 the basis of which was (now infamous) Molotov- Ribbentrop Secret Protocol of August 23, 1939.

With everything in the book read and digested the final impression of this, no doubt very remarkable, statesman I get, is one of a man visionary at times, perseverant, man often times of principle and yet also of a man who for the purpose of "higher good" would bend or re-interpret the facts falling victim to illusions. The same man who so forcefully condemned policies of appeasement towards Germany up until Munich agreements of 1938 would practice his own appeasement policies towards Stalin later on, clearly as a result of his own fallacies about the character of Joseph Stalin and the nature of the Soviet system. But this very same man retained the ability to disillusion himself and change own stands thus proving quite remarkable degree of intellectual and political flexibility. Unfortunately for him, as well as for the world, it is rarely sufficient to change ones mind. For if the circumstances have also changed it is usually too late. It was another matter to exact certain commitments from Stalin when the outcome of the struggle with Hitler's Germany was up in the air, quite another when Stalin's armies were approaching Vistula river. There clearly was a chance to block aggressiveness of the Soviet Union and prevent Iron Curtain from descending upon Central Europe and spare the Europe and the world Cold War - if both Churchill and Roosevelt acted firmly early on. But the many illusions about the man and the system they dealt with and lack of sufficient foresight, prevented them from achieving desirable political arrangements, namely independence of Poland and other Central European countries, something that soon afterwards became to haunt the Western Democracies for nearly half the century.

While Churchill as a politician remains controversial, Churchill as a writer, and his book, fall very close to being a masterpiece. Rich, eloquent language, clarity of point, all-in-all good balance between detail and generality and, above all, passion with which he writes about subjects he was so intimately involved with - make for terrific reading experience. If not for the certain obstructions in his "pursuit of truth", the want not to offend then still living former allies and the apparent want to justify own conduct, that all resulted in certain distortion of the picture, I would give the book highest score of 5 stars.

Memoirs of the Second World War.......2005-08-15

Winston Churchill has helped to create the world we all live in now so to better understand it, it is neccesary to read what one of the authors had in mind.

Greatness: Reagan, Churchill, and the Making of Extraordinary Leaders

Average customer rating:

Interesting but not too relevant
Concise History on the Lives of Two Great Men
Two great leaders of a surprisingly similar mind
Fascinating and thought-provoking
(To some reviewers) Please discuss THE BOOK!

Greatness: Reagan, Churchill, and the Making of Extraordinary Leaders
Steven F. Hayward
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0307237192
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Book Description

The Unexplored Connections Between Two of History’s Greatest Leaders

Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill were true giants of the twentieth century, but somehow historians have failed to notice the many similarities between these extraordinary leaders. Until now.

In Greatness, Steven F. Hayward–who has written acclaimed studies of both Reagan and Churchill–goes beneath superficial differences to uncover the remarkable parallels between the two statesmen. In exploring these connections, Hayward shines a light on the nature of political genius and the timeless aspects of statesmanship–critical lessons in this or any age.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but not too relevant.......2007-03-16

Steven Hayward extends his research of Churchill and Reagan to look at comparisons of leadership skills, styles and effectiveness. While the comparisons are interesting, I found it difficult to see the relevance. As a specific comparative analysis, the book brings forward otherwise obscure parallels in the life and times of these two great leaders. The title is misleading in that I found no insights on "the making" of an extraordinary leader. As a book on leadership, Mr. Hayward's work gives examples of Churchill and Reagan leadership, but the work doesn't analyze the leadership examples in a way that the reader could learn leadership tips.

Overall, I found the book interesting, but not terribly relevant.

Concise History on the Lives of Two Great Men.......2006-11-17

Hayward does a wonderful job in only 170 short pages of describing the similarites between Churchill and Reagan. It is a very quick read and will leave you feeling good about these two men and the accomplishments they achieved while in office.

Hayward makes this statement, "Greatness is ultimately a question of character: Good character does not change with the times: it has eternal qualities." Are there any great leaders with character today? As in the lives of Churchill and Reagan, history will tell.

Two great leaders of a surprisingly similar mind.......2006-06-29

I found this book to be quite interesting but not at all what I had anticipated. Based on the title, I expected to see an erudite tome analyzing the lives of Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill culminating in a discussion of how great leaders, such as these, are "made." I was, of course, being rather naïve, for if anyone knew how great leaders are produced they wouldn't be so rare in human history. What I found, instead, was a side-by-side comparison of two great men with emphasis on the parallels in their careers; the manner in which they were viewed by their contemporaries and the media in their own times; their visionary natures; the constancy of their actions; and the many connections between them which can be drawn when their characters, actions, writings, speeches, and strangely enough their educations are closely examined.

This latter point, their educations, may have come the closest to telling us how great leaders are created. Both men, it would seem, were rather poor students in their early years, but both men spent most of the remainder of their lifetimes reading and writing and, in effect, educating themselves without any presumed experts to tell them that this or that theory or manner of thinking was incorrect. In their solitude, much like Abraham Lincoln, they were left to decide for themselves what was right and what was wrong. As a consequence, neither Reagan nor Churchill ended up conforming to the conventional wisdom of his time, with the result that neither one was fully understood nor appreciated during his political lifetime.

This is an excellent book filled with little known, or at least little remembered, facts, anecdotes, quotes, and excerpts concerning two great statesmen. The comparisons are many, with surprising similarities that do both men great honor. Bottom line - This is a book well worth reading. I highly recommend it, but don't expect what the title offers but the book fails to deliver.

Fascinating and thought-provoking.......2006-04-24

This is a short, fascinating, and thought-provoking read -- something that's always hard to find!

Fascinating, even eerie parallels between Churchill and Reagan: well, everyone will have his own favorites. Here are mine.

First, public speaking. They both wrote their own speeches and slaved over them. Churchill wrote on 4" x 8" paper, Reagan on 4" x 6" cards. They both practiced their speeches almost to the point of memorization, with the same result: they sounded spontaneous and convincing to their audiences. They both made speeches which changed men's minds. Carter, Johnson, and Nixon were incapable of such a thing.

Second, their marriages. Churchill's first marriage, Reagan's second -- both were Total Love Relationships, with absolute loyalty on both sides, the kind of love Walt Disney teaches us to dream about.

There are many other fascinating parallels (and non-parallels) between these two great leaders, but I'll leave them for you to discover as you read this VERY stimulating book!

(To some reviewers) Please discuss THE BOOK!.......2006-02-25

I have not read this but I'm tired of theses instead of reviews. I think many potential buyers would prefer a "reviewer" such as Ms. Burke justify her unusual rating of 3.5 stars, rather then give us paragraphs of her own impressions of Churchill before an actual review of 2 positive sentences. (Please note: My stars are based strictly on a 10 minute browsing and that someone finally did a work comparing the first and last of the West's Cold War leaders -- what should have long been an obvious and great subject.)