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The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II: Alone, 1932-1940: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II: Alone, 1932-1940
- Narrated by: Richard Brown
- Length: 36 hrs and 21 mins
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The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II: Alone, 1932-1940: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II: Alone, 1932-1940
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The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume I: Visions of Glory 1874-1932
- Written by: William Manchester
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 41 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant
- By Anonymous User on 2023-02-10
Written by: William Manchester
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Churchill
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- Narrated by: Stephen Thorne
- Length: 50 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 178
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 158
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Story5 out of 5 stars 156
There have been over a thousand previous biographies of Churchill. Andrew Roberts now draws on over 40 new sources, including the private diaries of King George VI, used in no previous Churchill biography, to depict him more intimately and persuasively than any of its predecessors.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Not just another Churchill Biography.
- By Anonymous User on 2019-11-14
Written by: Andrew Roberts
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Band of Brothers
- E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne, from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
- Written by: Stephen E. Ambrose
- Narrated by: Tim Jerome
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 276
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 245
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Story5 out of 5 stars 244
Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, was as good a rifle company as any in the world. From their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942 to D-Day and victory, Ambrose tells the story of this remarkable company, which kept getting the tough assignments. Easy Company was responsible for everything from parachuting into France early D-Day morning to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. Band of Brothers is the account of the men of this remarkable unit.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great listen! But I am kinda bias!
- By B.J. Nixon on 2019-12-11
Written by: Stephen E. Ambrose
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Caesar
- Life of a Colossus
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 113
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Story5 out of 5 stars 111
Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Julius Caesar's life, Adrian Goldsworthy covers not only the great Roman emperor's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some 2,000 years later.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent performance, timeless story.
- By Nicholas Taylor on 2018-02-26
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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Paris 1919
- Six Months That Changed the World
- Written by: Margaret MacMillan
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 25 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize, renowned historian Margaret MacMillan's best-selling Paris 1919 is the story of six remarkable months that changed the world. At the close of WWI, between January and July of 1919, delegates from around the world converged on Paris under the auspices of peace. New countries were created, old empires were dissolved, and for six months, Paris was the center of the world.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Very important book
- By AvidReader on 2023-02-13
Written by: Margaret MacMillan
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The Second World War: Milestones to Disaster
- Written by: Winston Churchill
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 51
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Story5 out of 5 stars 52
Churchill's history of the Second World War is, and will remain, the definitive work. Lucid, dramatic, remarkable for its breadth and sweep and for its sense of personal involvement, it is universally acknowledged as a magnificent reconstruction.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Historical Treasure
- By Doug Glaum on 2020-01-30
Written by: Winston Churchill
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The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume I: Visions of Glory 1874-1932
- Written by: William Manchester
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 41 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant
- By Anonymous User on 2023-02-10
Written by: William Manchester
-
Churchill
- Walking with Destiny
- Written by: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: Stephen Thorne
- Length: 50 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 158
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 156
There have been over a thousand previous biographies of Churchill. Andrew Roberts now draws on over 40 new sources, including the private diaries of King George VI, used in no previous Churchill biography, to depict him more intimately and persuasively than any of its predecessors.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Not just another Churchill Biography.
- By Anonymous User on 2019-11-14
Written by: Andrew Roberts
-
Band of Brothers
- E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne, from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
- Written by: Stephen E. Ambrose
- Narrated by: Tim Jerome
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 276
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 245
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 244
Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, was as good a rifle company as any in the world. From their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942 to D-Day and victory, Ambrose tells the story of this remarkable company, which kept getting the tough assignments. Easy Company was responsible for everything from parachuting into France early D-Day morning to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. Band of Brothers is the account of the men of this remarkable unit.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen! But I am kinda bias!
- By B.J. Nixon on 2019-12-11
Written by: Stephen E. Ambrose
-
Caesar
- Life of a Colossus
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 111
Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Julius Caesar's life, Adrian Goldsworthy covers not only the great Roman emperor's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some 2,000 years later.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent performance, timeless story.
- By Nicholas Taylor on 2018-02-26
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
-
Paris 1919
- Six Months That Changed the World
- Written by: Margaret MacMillan
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 25 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize, renowned historian Margaret MacMillan's best-selling Paris 1919 is the story of six remarkable months that changed the world. At the close of WWI, between January and July of 1919, delegates from around the world converged on Paris under the auspices of peace. New countries were created, old empires were dissolved, and for six months, Paris was the center of the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very important book
- By AvidReader on 2023-02-13
Written by: Margaret MacMillan
-
The Second World War: Milestones to Disaster
- Written by: Winston Churchill
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 52
Churchill's history of the Second World War is, and will remain, the definitive work. Lucid, dramatic, remarkable for its breadth and sweep and for its sense of personal involvement, it is universally acknowledged as a magnificent reconstruction.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Historical Treasure
- By Doug Glaum on 2020-01-30
Written by: Winston Churchill
Publisher's Summary
Manchester tracks with new insights this complex, fascinating history, without ever losing sight of Churchill the man - a man whose vision was global and whose courage was boundless.
What the critics say
"[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)
More from the same
What listeners love about The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II: Alone, 1932-1940: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II: Alone, 1932-1940
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2021-10-17
Good Book (mostly), Bad Audio
I like the first book and like Manchester as an author. but the audio for this book is awful, especially when compared to the previous book in the series (which I've listened to and like quite a bit more.)
The narrator's voice is muffled in this one, almost like he's speaking through a few layers of clothing into the microphone. Unlike in the last book, where the previous narrator sounded completely fine. Sometimes you can even hear background noise in the recording, which is distracting.
I was very frustrated by this book, sometimes to hear the narrator properly I had to turn him up and then suddenly the volume level would increase or decrease because of the narrator moving around or for no apparent reason at all. Then I'd grumpily change the volume again. I also download audiobooks in high quality, so this is quite annoying. The preview gives a good idea to what the entire book sounds like (which is quite honestly crap.)
Comparing this book to the previous one in the series, this book is much more of a drag. The previous volume covered over 40 years of Churchill's action-packed life, like his family and its history, his youth and boyhood, his bad relationship with his bad parents, his father's political career and death, his mother's numerous marriages and affairs, his war correspondence, his time being a prisoner of war and his great escape, his political views, his political career, his party defection(s), his marriage, his many cabinet posts, WW1 and its famous battles, Galipoli, the Balfour declaration, Lloyd George and Asquith, the British Raj, the British Empire, the decline of the liberals and the rise of the labour party, the start of the Soviet Union, the U.S during WW1, the German empire and its defeat, trench warfare and its numerous casualties, the British Empire after the war, the treaty of Versailles, as well as the attitudes of the Victorians, the Edwardians, and the post war generation among other things (was Manchester a madman? My God that's a lot of information).
This one covers 8 years "Alone", which are (maybe) the least interesting years of his career in which he was out of office and not much really happened until Hitler took power and begins expanding Nazi Germany. Quite frankly it's annoying hearing "Churchill warned Europe about the threat of Nazi Germany, but they didn't listen to his advice and warnings until it was too late" over and over and over again. It drags on more than a little bit. Especially because it lacks all the interesting side stories of the previous volume.
It's not a bad book by any stretch, but it's not as interesting as the first. There are parts I like, like the abdication crisis, Munich, the Spanish civil war, the anschluss, Norway, and Chamberlain and his resignation, but this book just doesn't cover a whole lot.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Stephen
- 2021-07-25
A tedious listen.
Too much detailed side bar stories and facts as to boggle your mind along the way. One feels adrift in a sea of materials that took away the excitement and entertainment value of the story. This is a work more befitting a scholarly research than an ordinary entertainment.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Francisco Wieler
- 2020-09-02
My favourite book on Churchill
This book is my favourite book of all time, the story, the protagonist, the narration by Richard Brown is amazing, transports me directly into the life and times of my super hero Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- McAvoy K
- 2019-09-03
History at it's factual best.
Very much enjoyed listening to this..the reader is very talented. There were some parts I found boring that were about the inner workings of the government. The incredible ignorance that Churchill had to face and the mocking he endured as his warnings were dismissed outright. I became quite angry at Chamberlain and wish he had of lived long enough to truly understand the devil he was trying to appease. Highly recommend this..and part one.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dykema
- 2019-01-30
Great Book - Sub-par Narrator
I finished the first volume and continued straight into this volume. As with the first William Manchester does a masterful job as an author. A credit to the blood, toil, sweet and tears that Manchester put into this volume. Unfortunately the narration is frustratingly bad, especially the cadence and tone when quoting Churchill. I struggled through none the less, and made it out the other end satisfied.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- sph
- 2011-12-12
Senseless change of narrators
Volume 1 of The Last Lion is one of the top five Audible books among the hundreds I have experienced. Manchester's scholarship is astounding, and the story of this great man's life and times is endlessly fascinating. That much remains true in Volume 2, but the book is tragically diminished by the narration of Richard Brown.
Frederick Davidson, the narrator of Volume I, was absolutely perfect. When Manchester quoted Churchill, Davidson spoke in Churchill's own voice. It was as if someone had recorded Churchill, himself, for each statement. Churchill's humor and emotion come through as if he were speaking directly to the listener. Brown, on the other hand, cannot even begin to imitate Churchill's intonation and cadence, much less the subtler meanings behind the words. As a matter of fact, Brown would have been better off, as would the listener, if he had not even tried. If he had just read Manchester's words, it would not have come off as so, well, amateurish. The only thing Brown's rendition of Churchill and Churchill himself have in common is an English accent.
It is deeply disappointing. I am hoping that I can convince myself to finish this volume, simply for the historical information it can provide. However, that's a far cry from the way I felt about Volume I, when I could scarcely force myself to turn off my Nano early enough to get a decent night's sleep. I feel like a kid who got stiffed by Santa. I just don't get it. Whoever decided that ANYONE other than Frederick Davidson should render this work needs his (her?) head examined.
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69 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Wolfpacker
- 2009-01-23
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.
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33 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew
- 2008-06-24
Worth it
Manchester does such a good job of bringing this period to life it is an excellent listen.
And surprisingly you will also find a few wry smiles in his work.
I enjoyed it better than the first volume, which dealt WSC's younger life. It too is good but not a period I'm truly interested in.
This takes us to up to WSC becoming PM. I don't believe Manchester wrote the 3rd volume where Winston is actually war Prime Minister.
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19 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Roger Rick
- 2008-10-11
Poor narration, but excellent book
Were it not for the poor narration, I would definitely rate this book higher than Manchester's first volume. It certainly is a wonderful effort by Manchester to make sense of his time outside of the British government. You will share with Winston the frustration of being alone in a time of appeasement at any price. Nevertheless, the book treats Chamberlain rather fairly, despite his obvious blindness in judging Hitler.
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17 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Adel
- 2013-10-02
Terrible narrator
This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?
I could not understand two thirds of what Richard Brown was saying. This destroyed the value of the book.
What other book might you compare The Last Lion to and why?
I never had a book with such a bad narrator
How could the performance have been better?
Get somebody else to read the book
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
The content is fascinating whenever I could understand what the narrator was saying.
Any additional comments?
This will be 36 hours of torture. can I return the book?
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13 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2012-10-18
Incredible life and writing, narration not for me
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Richard Brown?
I may be able to listen to other Richard Brown narrations, but not when it requires quoting a distinctive person from history. In volume I Frederick Davidson did a masterful job of channeling Churchill. It was as if all of Churchill's early life was "on the mic". I believed I was listening to Churchill himself. Unfortunately Brown cannot pull it off, and it is a let down. As great as Manchester's writing is I don't think I can put myself through Volume II wishing I was listening to Davidson every time WSC is quoted. If you like Richard Brown's voice then get this Book. It's incredible history.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eclectic
- 2012-07-28
Good book, poorly read.
The last, unfortunately, of William Manchester's planned multi-volume biography of WSC. I purchased and read the book many years ago. As I had some driving time ahead this summer I thought it would be fun to re-visit it by istening to it in the car. Mistake!
The narrator makes the book very difficult to listen to. He has an odd tendency to swallow final syllables of words making it hard at times to understand the meaning. Also, he cannot resist the dreadful temptation to "imitate" Churchill when his words are quoted; which is very often of course.
This is a pet peeve of mine and, in my opinion, as his imitation is bad it makes the listening tedious in the extreme: "an outrage up with which I will not put". ;-)
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- CSO Fan
- 2015-10-17
Great book -- poor narration
If you could sum up The Last Lion in three words, what would they be?
Compromised by narrator.
What other book might you compare The Last Lion to and why?
Volume one
What didn’t you like about Richard Brown’s performance?
It is lame. Frederick Davidson's narration of Volume One is the sine qua non of great narration. Brown's ambiguous accent and his inadequate impersonations, not to mention horrible, tuneless singing, are a travesty when compared to Frederick Davidson's work. What a missed opportunity.
Any additional comments?
Very disappointed that Davidson did not complete the series.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- C.T.
- 2010-11-22
The Best Churchill Biographies
Manchester's 2 volume The Last Lion epic are the best biographies about Churchill and may in fact be the best biographies ever written. Manchester spent, quite literally, decades researching his subject. His books not only give an excellent portrayal of their subject, but the times and society in which Churchill lived. I believe it would be a crime to read/listen to only an abridged version (should one even exist). Of the two audio books, I felt Brown was the superior narrator. His natural accent fits the book perfectly, and you always knew when he was quoting Churchill directly due to the timbre of his voice when doing so. I found myself genuinely disappointed on finishing vol. 2 because, sadly, Manchester didn't live long enough to write a third volume addressing Churchill's life during his Finest Hour. Don't miss this excellent audio book.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- William Matthiesen
- 2016-01-10
Poor reader ruins the book
What would have made The Last Lion better?
Why in heaven did you not continue the series with Frederick Davidson, who is such a superb narrator. Really, the word "narrator" understates his magic as a story-teller. Having enjoyed the other Churchill books with Davidson, Brown is a poor amateur -- just a "reader" behind a microphone -- not a storyteller. Plus, he was evidently too lazy to look up names he didn't know how to pronounce. It really spoils the experience -- better to read this as a book than suffer through this reader's efforts.
Would you be willing to try another one of Richard Brown’s performances?
Absolutely not!
Any additional comments?
What were you thinking with this narrator?!
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4 people found this helpful