New York Times Bestseller - When Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874; Imperial Britain stood at the splendid pinnacle of her power. Yet within a few years the Empire would hover on the brink of catastrophe. Against this backdrop; a remarkable man began to build his legacy. From master biographer William Manchester; The Last Lion: Visions of Glory reveals the first fifty-eight years of the life of an adventurer; aristocrat; soldier; and statesman whose courageous leadership guided the destiny of his darkly troubled times—and who is remembered as one of the greatest figures of the twentieth century. Praise for The Last Lion: Visions of Glory “Absolutely magnificent . . . a delight to read . . . one of those books you devour line by line and word by word and finally hate to see end.â€â€”Russell Baker “Bedazzling.â€â€”Newsweek “Manchester has read further; thought harder; and told with considerable verve what is mesmerizing in [Churchill’s] drama. . . . One cannot do better than this book.â€â€”The Philadelphia Inquirer “An altogether absorbing popular biography . . . The heroic Churchill is in these pages; but so is the little boy writing forlorn letters to the father who all but ignored him.â€â€”People “Superb . . . [Manchester] pulls together the multitudinous facets of one of the richest lives ever to be chronicled. . . . Churchill and Manchester were clearly made for each other.â€â€”Chicago Tribune “A vivid; thoroughly detailed biography of the Winston Churchill nobody knows.â€â€”Boston Herald “Adds a grand dimension . . . rich in historical and social contexts.â€â€”Time
#450954 in Books 1998-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.12 x 5.81 x 8.60l; #File Name: 0380976897300 pagesAfro-American air pilotsAfrican American war heroes
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This book details(in a good way) the life of a man who encountered racism ...By hawaii19This book details(in a good way) the life of a man who encountered racism and bigotry but did not let that get in the way of his hopes; dreams; and patriotism. The three qualities that I just mentioned(as the book notes; and does a good job of noting) led him to become the first African-American Naval Aviator. He wanted to take off and land from aircraft carriers; while Jesse Leroy Brown encountered bigotry(author details that greatly) he never became anti-white(author notes the white people the befriended instructed and took up for Jesse Leroy Brown) ; he was a devout Christian that never drank alcohol; smoked nor chewed tobacco; and never gambled. The book notes and talks about in great detail that he was kind yet tough and determined individual who when he became a Naval Aviator all of his white squadron mates accepted him as one of their own and were very angry and distraught when he passed away on December 4;1950 in the Jangjin(Chosin) Reservoir in North Korea. He died protecting US Marines!! He felt like God wanted him to protect those US Marines from the communist forces of North Korea and China. He also loved his wife Daisy Nix Brown and their love(as noted in the book and written very well by the author) could make for a love story. The author really talks about the personal notes he wrote to his wife. A great read and unfortunately we don't know as much about him because of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen but Jesse Leroy Brown was encouraged by the Tuskegee Airmen and they view Jesse Leroy Brown in awe. We owe it to the Tuskegee Airmen to know as much about Jesse Leroy Brown as we can; this book does a good job of helping us do that.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Hero Worth KnowingBy Reader ZeldaIf I had read this before Adam Makos's "Devotion" I might have given this 5 stars. But read it anyways. Ens. Brown was a pioneer and a hero and should be better known among Americans.8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. From a fellow Naval Aviator...By Daryl WatkinsJesse Leroy Brown is a true hero. His life was a shining example of perseverance and courage. Mr. Taylor's book was well written and extremely well researched. Jesse's flight school and combat experiences brought me vivid recollections of my own time in flight school and flying F/A 18s in combat. The Navy; along with American society; has gotten much better; but even in the late 80s and 90s; I observed some of the prejudice that Jesse encountered.This book has universal appeal; but it will be especially inspirational to those who are on the leading edge of a movement.I wish I could have met Jesse Leroy Brown and thanked him for paving the way for my success some 40 years later. My children will definitely know of his ultimate sacrifice. I thank Mr. Taylor for telling this important story.
