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)

{ 13 comments }