When will we see the third and final volume of William Manchester’s Churchill biography, The Last Lion? —B.C., Ontario
The Last Lion vol. 3, Defender of the Realm 1940-1965, is being completed by Manchester’s friend Paul Reid, who expects to publish in 2011. I have the honor to be one of Mr. Reid’s proofreaders and am happy to share his remarks on his noble effort:
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 40 percent the remainder of the war and about 10-15 percent the postwar years. Bill saw the postwar years (or at least the last decade) as a long “afterword.”* 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 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, those under 40 years of age who did not grow up with stories of World War II percolating through their household.
* To the pedant on Amazon, rabbiting on about Paul’s “illiteracy,” his word was correctly “afterword” and the “afterward” previously published here was a typo.
Finest Hour has published two powerful excerpts from Defender of the Realm. Back issues are available through The Churchill Centre in Chicago (888-WSC-1874). These articles and our tribute to Manchester are also posted on the Centre’s website:
“The Fall of France” (Finest Hour 109, Winter 2000-01)
“Undaunted by Odds: the Battle of Britain“ (Finest Hour 124, Autumn 2004)
William Manchester (Finest Hour 123, Summer 2004)
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
The links to the Churchill Center posting of segments of the Reid vol. 3 seem to be dead. Any chance of bringing them back to life?
As a Churchill fan in general and a Churchill Center member in particular, I look forward to reading them online.
On May 10th The Churchill Centre switched to a new website, obliterating all the links I’ve posted herein. Their webmaster is working overtime to transfer vast tracts of material from the old site to the new. Will any reader needing a link referenced prior to May 10th please email me the link offline. I will pass it to our webmaster who will give it priority, and advise the new URL.
Just getting near the end of Vol 2 of Manchester’s Caged Lion and really looking forward to Vol 3 to see me though Chritmas and New Year – only to learn it wasn’t finished!! Any idea when the Reid Vol 3 will be published, please?
He’s wrapping it up (Dec 09) and I’m looking forward to reading proofs in Spring 2010. Given the editorial process, don’t expect books until 2011.
Having just completed reading the first two volumes of Manchester’’s
The Last Lion in just over a week, I too was keen to see what the score was for the third volume. Even if it means waiting another year or so, it will be so worthwhile. Manchester wrote like an angel!
A friend gave me the first two volumes of The Last Lion and I just finished them. What an amazing story of an amazing man. It is almost as if Churchhill’s entire life was designed to deliver him as the only world leader who could stand up to Hitler. I read on Wikipedia that William Manchester passed away. So I thought this work would remain unfinished. I’m delighted to discover that he appointed another writer to deliver the final volume and spent time directing him on how he wanted it written. Looking forward to its release in 2011.
And I too would love to read an excerpt if the material is available now, at a new site. Thanks!
The Churchill Centre has posted both issues of Finest Hourin which excerpts of Volume III appeared on its website. Go to this location and select issues 109 and 123:
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/support/the-churchill-centre/publications/finest-hour/issues-109-to-144
Glad to hear there may be a light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the third volume of The Last Lion. I’ve been waiting with baited breath for its completion.