William L. Shirer's Books

The Start, 1904–1930

By: William L. Shirer

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The former CBS foreign correspondent provides an invaluable look back at his life—and the events that forged the twentieth century. A renowned journalist and author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer chronicles his own life story—in a personal history that parallels the greater historical events for which he served as a witness. In the first of a three-volume series, Shirer tells of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. In this surprisingly intimate account, Shirer details his youthful challenges, setbacks, rebellions, and insights into the world around him. He offers personal accounts of his friendships with notable people including Isadora Duncan, Ernest Hemingway, and Sinclair Lewis. This fascinating personal account also provides an illuminating look into a lost pre-World War II era—and is notable as much for its historical value as for its autobiographical detail. Ideal for anyone fascinated by this period in history.

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697

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Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795334214

ISBN 13

9780795334214

William L. Shirer: Twentieth Century Journey

The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native's Return, 1945–1988

By: William L. Shirer

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William L. Shirer: Twentieth Century Journey

The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native's Return, 1945–1988

By: William L. Shirer

Now in one volume: the three-part autobiography from the National Book Award–winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. The former CBS foreign correspondent and historian provides an invaluable look back at his life—and the events that forged the twentieth century. The Start (1904-1930): In the first of a three-volume series, Shirer tells the story of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. The Nightmare Years (1930-1940): In the second of a three-volume series, Shirer chronicles his time in Europe as Hitler dominated Germany and began one of the most dangerous conflicts in world history. A Native’s Return (1945-1988): The most personal of the three volumes, this edition offers an honest look at the many personal and professional setbacks Shirer experienced after World War II ended—and delivers a fascinating take on the aftermath of the war. Series praise “Mr. Shirer stirs the ashes of memory in a personal way that results in both a strong view of world events and of the need for outspoken journalism. Had Mr. Shirer been merely a bland ‘objective’ reporter without passion while covering Hitler’s Third Reich, this book and his other histories could never have been written.” —The New York Times “Included in Shirer’s well-wrought narrative are such little-known events as the trials of American broadcasters who propagandized for the Third Reich during WWII, as well as such more familiar matters as the McCarthyism of the 1950s. The author’s comments are refreshingly unfettered by self-consciousness . . . A fine, fitting conclusion to an important work of autobiography.” —Kirkus Reviews

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1934

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795351089

ISBN 13

9780795351082

William L. Shirer: Twentieth Century Journey

The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native's Return, 1945–1988

By: William L. Shirer

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William L. Shirer: Twentieth Century Journey

The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native's Return, 1945–1988

By: William L. Shirer

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1934

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795351089

ISBN 13

9780795351082

The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler

By: William L. Shirer

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The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler

By: William L. Shirer

A concise and timely account of Hitler’s—and fascism’s—rise to power and ultimate defeat, from one of America’s most famous journalists. American journalist and author William L. Shirer was a correspondent for six years in Nazi Germany—and had a front-row seat to Hitler’s mounting influence. His most definitive work on the subject, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, is a riveting account defined by first-person experience interviewing Hitler, watching his impassioned speeches, and living in a country transformed by war and dictatorship. Shirer was originally commissioned to write The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler for a young adult audience. This account loses none of the immediacy of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich—capturing Hitler’s ascendence from obscurity, the horror of Nazi Germany’s mass killings, and the paranoia and insanity that marked the führer’s downfall. This book is by no means simplified—and is sure to appeal to adults as well as young people with an interest in World War II history. “For nearly 100 years William L Shirer has spoken to us of fascism, Nazis, and Hitler . . . [He] tells the unvarnished truth as he experienced it . . . I figured this school-type book wasn’t going to tell me anything new. But when I started reading, I realized that I wasn’t reading for the facts anymore. I listened to his story and heard the urgency in his voice: a voice from nearly 60 years ago telling us the truth about today.” —Daily Kos

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126

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Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795326130

ISBN 13

9780795326134

Berlin Diary

The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934-1941

By: William L. Shirer

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Berlin Diary

The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934-1941

By: William L. Shirer

By the acclaimed journalist and bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, this day-by-day, eyewitness account of the momentous events leading up to World War II in Europe is now available in a new paperback edition. CBS radio broadcaster William L. Shirer was virtually unknown in 1940 when he decided there might be a book in the diary he had kept in Europe during the 1930s—specifically those sections dealing with the collapse of the European democracies and the rise of Nazi Germany. Berlin Diary first appeared in 1941, and the timing was perfect. The energy, the passion, the electricity in it were palpable. The book was an instant success, and it became the frame of reference against which thoughtful Americans judged the rush of events in Europe. It exactly matched journalist to event: the right reporter at the right place at the right time. It stood, and still stands, as so few books have ever done—a pure act of journalistic witness.

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662

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801870569

ISBN 13

9780801870569

The Sinking of the Bismarck

By: William L. Shirer

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The Sinking of the Bismarck

By: William L. Shirer

The famous war correspondent delivers an edge-of-your seat account of the naval chase and battle to take out one of Hitler’s most powerful warships. The Bismarck wasn’t just any warship. Its guns were much stronger and more accurate than any others in its day—meaning it could easily sink enemy ships without getting in range of their fire. It was one of Hitler’s most powerful weapons, and the Allied forces had to put it out of commission—before they lost the war. With the fate of the world in the balance, Allied forces chased the Bismarck across the stormy North Atlantic—culminating in a thrilling sea battle that changed the course of World War II. Unfolding with the taut suspense of a blockbuster movie, this book brings the excitement and danger of World War II to younger audiences—and demonstrates William L. Shirer’s mastery as a writer of history and a spinner of tales. “A book one reads with sustained excitement.” —Kirkus Reviews

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125

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795342462

ISBN 13

9780795342462

The Last Lion: Volume 2

Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-1940

By: William Manchester

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The Last Lion: Volume 2

Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-1940

By: William Manchester

The second volume of William Manchester's masterful account of Winston Churchill's life. Alone is the second volume of William Manchester's brilliant three-volume biography of Winston Churchill. In this volume, we witness the war within, before the colossal war to come. During this period, Churchill was tested as few men are: relentlessly pursued by creditors, disowned by his own party, vociferously dismissed by the press as a warmonger, and twice nearly lost his seat in Parliament. Yet despite his personal and political troubles, Churchill managed to assemble a vast, underground intelligence network-both within the British government and on the continent-which provided him with more complete and accurate information on Germany than the British government. Recognizing the horrifying truth, Churchill stood almost alone against Nazi aggression and the sordid British and French policy of appeasement. Manchester's luminous portrait never loses sight of Churchill the man-a man with limitations, especially his callousness toward others (including his supporters) and his recklessness, which could border on the foolhardy; but also a man whose vision was global and whose courage was boundless. Here is Churchill as a light in the approaching darkness, readying himself for the terrible stand to come.

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754

Publisher

Little, Brown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0316244872

ISBN 13

9780316244879

Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

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Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

The classic history of Adolph Hitler's rise to power and his dramatic defeat.

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1268

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

0671728687

ISBN 13

9780671728687

End of a Berlin Diary

By: William L. Shirer

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End of a Berlin Diary

By: William L. Shirer

“A vivid and unforgettable word picture of the destruction of Nazi Germany” (The New York Times). A radio broadcaster and journalist for Edward R. Murrow at CBS, William L. Shirer was new to the world of broadcast journalism when he began keeping a diary while on assignment in Europe during the 1930s. It was in 1940, when he was still virtually unknown, that Shirer wondered whether his eyewitness account of the collapse of the world around Nazi Germany could be of any interest or value as a book. Shirer’s Berlin Diary, which is considered the first full record of what was happening in Germany during the rise of the Third Reich, appeared in 1941. The book was an instant success—and would not be the last of his expert observations on Europe. Shirer returned to the European front in 1944 to cover the end of the war. As the smoke cleared, Shirer—who watched the birth of a monster that threatened to engulf the world—now stood witness to the death of the Third Reich. End of a Berlin Diary chronicles this year-long study of Germany after Hitler. Through a combination of Shirer’s lucid, honest reporting, along with passages on the Nuremberg trials, copies of captured Nazi documents, and an eyewitness account of Hitler’s last days, Shirer provides insight into the unrest, the weariness, and the tentative steps world leaders took towards peace.

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405

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795349580

ISBN 13

9780795349584

"This Is Berlin"

Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

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"This Is Berlin"

Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

The legendary CBS news journalist’s selection of iconic World War II radio broadcasts from countries throughout Europe. William L. Shirer was the first journalist hired by CBS to cover World War II in Europe, where he continued to work for over a decade as a news broadcaster. This book compiles two and a half years’ worth of wartime broadcasts from Shirer’s time on the ground during WWII. He was with Nazi forces when Hitler invaded Austria and made it a part of Germany under the Anschluss; he was also the first to report back to the United States on the armistice between France and Nazi forces in June of 1940. His daily roundup of news from Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, and London, which documented Nazi Germany and the conditions of countries under invasion and at war, became famous for its gripping urgency. Shirer brought a sense of immediacy to the war for listeners in the United States and worldwide, and his later books, including the seminal Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, became definitive works on World War II history. This collection of Shirer’s radio broadcasts offers all the original suspense and vivid storytelling of the time, bringing World War II to life for a modern audience.

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756

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795344074

ISBN 13

9780795344077

Berlin Diary

The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934-1941

By: William L. Shirer

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Berlin Diary

The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934-1941

By: William L. Shirer

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662

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Taylor & Francis

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801870569

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9780801870569

The Last Lion

Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965

By: Paul Reid,William Manchester

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The Last Lion

Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965

By: Paul Reid,William Manchester

The long-awaited final volume of William Manchester's legendary biography of Winston Churchill. Spanning the years of 1940-1965, The Last Lion picks up shortly after Winston Churchill became Prime Minister-when his tiny island nation stood alone against the overwhelming might of Nazi Germany. The Churchill conjured up by William Manchester and Paul Reid is a man of indomitable courage, lightning-fast intellect, and an irresistible will to action. The Last Lion brilliantly recounts how Churchill organized his nation's military response and defense, compelled FDR into supporting America's beleaguered cousins, and personified the "never surrender" ethos that helped the Allies win the war, while at the same time adapting himself and his country to the inevitable shift of world power from the British Empire to the United States. More than twenty years in the making, The Last Lion presents a revelatory and unparalleled portrait of this brilliant, flawed, and dynamic leader. This is popular history at its most stirring.

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1004

Publisher

Little, Brown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0316222143

ISBN 13

9780316222143

A Native's Return, 1945–1988

By: William L. Shirer

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A Native's Return, 1945–1988

By: William L. Shirer

The prominent journalist, historian, and author—an eyewitness to some of the most pivotal events of the twentieth century—tells the story of his final years. In the last book of a three-volume series, William L. Shirer recounts his return to Berlin after the Third Reich’s defeat, his shocking firing by CBS News, and his final visit to Paris sixty years after he first lived there as a cub reporter in the 1920s. It paints a bittersweet picture of his final decades, friends lost to old age, and a changing world. More personal than the first two volumes, this final installment takes an unflinching look at the author’s own struggles after World War II—and his vindication after the publication of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, his most acclaimed work. It also provides intimate details of his often-troubled marriage. This book gives readers a surprising and moving account of the last years of a true historian—and an important witness to history.

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763

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Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795334176

ISBN 13

9780795334177

Gandhi

A Memoir

By: William L. Shirer

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Gandhi

A Memoir

By: William L. Shirer

Recalling his friendship and conversations with the late Indian leader, William Shirer presents a portrait of Gandhi that spotlights his frailties as well as his accomplishments. As a young foreign correspondent, William Shirer reported briefly on Gandhi—but the year was 1931, when India's struggle for independence peaked and Gandhi scored perhaps his greatest political success. The year before, he had led a 200-mile march to the sea to pick up a lump of salt—a violation of the British salt tax; and this symbolic act (like—he reminds Shirer—the Boston Tea Party) had propelled the Indian masses into nonviolent civil disobedience on a large scale. To check its spread, Gandhi had been arbitrarily imprisoned. Now he was out of prison and negotiating with the British viceroy: if Gandhi would call off the civil-disobedience campaign and attend an upcoming London conference, the British would make concessions too. These, however, were so limited and vague that many Indian nationalists regarded Gandhi's agreement as a sell-out; but Shirer underlines history's judgment of its wisdom with Gandhi's own words. More importantly, he notes, the British had finally been forced "to deal with an Indian leader as an equal." Along these lines, Shirer also witnessed British discomfiture at Gandhi's arrival—complete with loin cloth, spinning wheel, and goat’s milk; he saw the sensation Gandhi caused in London—and heard him address Lancashire millhands thrown out of work by the Indian boycott of British cotton. And he saw him at home, subsisting on four-hours' sleep and "frenzied acclaim." This book is sure to press upon readers the worldwide force of Gandhi's example. —Kirkus Reviews

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333

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

1451699948

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9781451699944

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

Chronicles the Nazi's rise to power, conquest of Europe, and dramatic defeat at the hands of the Allies.

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1280

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Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

1451651686

ISBN 13

9781451651683

The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940

By: William L. Shirer

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The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940

By: William L. Shirer

The famous journalist and author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich documents his front row seat at the pivotal events leading up to World War II. In the second of a three-volume series, William L. Shirer tells the story of his own eventful life, detailing the most notable moments of his career as a journalist stationed in Germany during the rise of the Third Reich. Shirer was there while Hitler celebrated his new domination of Germany, unleashed the Blitzkrieg on Poland, and began the conflict that would come to be known as World War II. This remarkable account tells the story of an American reporter caught in a maelstrom of war and politics, desperately trying to warn Europe and the United States about the dangers to come. This memoir gives readers a chance to relive one of the most turbulent periods in twentieth century history—painting a stunningly intimate portrait of a dangerous decade. “Mr. Shirer stirs the ashes of memory in a personal way that results in both a strong view of world events and of the need for outspoken journalism. Had Mr. Shirer been merely a bland ‘objective’ reporter without passion while covering Hitler’s Third Reich, this book and his other histories could never have been written.” —The New York Times

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963

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795334265

ISBN 13

9780795334269

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

By: William L. Shirer

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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

By: William L. Shirer

National Book Award Winner: The definitive account of Nazi Germany and “one of the most important works of history of our time” (The New York Times). When the Third Reich fell, it fell swiftly. The Nazis had little time to destroy their memos, their letters, or their diaries. William L. Shirer’s sweeping account of the Third Reich uses these unique sources, combined with his experience living in Germany as an international correspondent throughout the war. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich earned Shirer a National Book Award and continues to be recognized as one of the most important and authoritative books about the Third Reich and Nazi Germany ever written. The diaries of propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, as well as evidence and other testimony gained at the Nuremberg Trials, could not have found more artful hands. Shirer gives a clear, detailed, and well-documented account of how it was that Adolf Hitler almost succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is a chilling and illuminating portrait of mankind’s darkest hours. “A monumental work.” —Theodore H. White

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2093

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RosettaBooks

Published Date

ISBN 10

079531700X

ISBN 13

9780795317002

"This Is Berlin"

Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

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"This Is Berlin"

Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany

By: William L. Shirer

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756

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Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795344074

ISBN 13

9780795344077

The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940

By: William L. Shirer

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The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940

By: William L. Shirer

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963

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Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795334265

ISBN 13

9780795334269

Hitler and the Nazis

By: William W. Lace

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Hitler and the Nazis

By: William W. Lace

Discusses Adolf Hitler, his rise to power, the Nazification of Germany, the fate of the Jews, and the Third Reich during World War II.

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118

Published Date

ISBN 10

1560063726

ISBN 13

9781560063728

The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler

By: William L. Shirer

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The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler

By: William L. Shirer

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126

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Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795326130

ISBN 13

9780795326134

The Collapse of the Third Republic

An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940

By: William L. Shirer

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The Collapse of the Third Republic

An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940

By: William L. Shirer

The National Book Award–winning historian’s “vivid and moving” eyewitness account of the fall of France to Hitler’s Third Reich at the outset of WWII (The New York Times). As an international war correspondent and radio commentator during World War II, William L. Shirer didn’t just research the fall of France. He was there. In just six weeks, he watched the Third Reich topple one of the world’s oldest military powers—and institute a rule of terror and paranoia. Based on in-person conversations with the leaders, diplomats, generals, and ordinary citizens who both shaped the events and lived through them, Shirer constructs a compelling account of historical events without losing sight of the human experience. From the heroic efforts of the Freedom Fighters to the tactical military misjudgments that caused the fall and the daily realities of life for French citizens under Nazi rule, this fascinating and exhaustively documented account brings this significant episode of history to life. “This is a companion effort to Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, also voluminous but very readable, reflecting once again both Shirer’s own experience and an enormous mass of historical material well digested and assimilated.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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1948

Publisher

Rosetta Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0795342470

ISBN 13

9780795342479

The Last Lion Box Set

Winston Spencer Churchill, 1874 - 1965

By: Paul Reid,William Manchester

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The Last Lion Box Set

Winston Spencer Churchill, 1874 - 1965

By: Paul Reid,William Manchester

Universally acclaimed for their compelling narrative, their fresh insights, and their objective renderings of Winston Churchill's life, The Last Lion trilogy presents a revelatory and unparalleled portrait of this brilliant, flawed, and dynamic adventurer, aristocrat, soldier, and statesman. Born at the end of the 19th century when Imperial Britain still stood at the splendid pinnacle of her power, Churchill would witness the shift a few years later as the Empire hovered on the brink of a catastrophic new era. One of the greatest wartime leaders of our time, he would go on to stand alone, politically isolated in Parliament, as he took the lead in warning of the growing Nazi threat, and would lead Britain to victory against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers in World War II. Now, celebrated historian William Manchester's landmark biographies are collected together for the first time, along with the eagerly anticipated final installment Churchill's last years in power. More than thirty years in the making, The Last Lion is the definitive work on this remarkable man whose courageous vision guided the destiny of a nation during darkly troubled times-and who looms as one of the greatest figures of our century.

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3008

Publisher

Little, Brown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0316247588

ISBN 13

9780316247580

As It Happened

By: William S. Paley

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As It Happened

By: William S. Paley

As it Happened is a landmark memoir, the first of its kind by a giant of the communications media. It is the intimate and straightforward story of an original, the life and growth of an extraordinary man and the company he built, CBS. In the book, William S. Paley reminisced about his personal life and his life with CBS—from the celebrities of the entertainment world to the business and political leaders of America to the journalistic controversies still in the news. Paley bought CBS when it was a small struggling company called United Independent Broadcasting and when he was a young man still in his twenties. Within months he had begun a transformation which shaped CBS into one of the world's greatest communications empires. And still he found time to enjoy the "Roaring Twenties" in Paris, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and New York. A brilliant and creative businessman dealing for high stakes, Paley foresaw the cultural and informational impact of radio, and later, television. With an uncanny eye for spotting entertainment talent, he "discovered" for radio Bing Crosby, Kate Smith, Will Rogers, Frank Sinatra, and Paul Whiteman; and those he did not discover, he lured to CBS: Jack Benny, Amos and Andy, George Burns, Red Skelton, and a host of others. But this book covers more than radio and television—it is about the tastes and trends of American culture, written by the man who helped to create and refine many of them. William S. Paley was CBS. His life touched virtually every major event of the twentieth century. This is a fascinating and revealing work about a man who perhaps more than any other, brought the great events of our times to us.

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