ie They are  NOT coming from overseas !!

Winston   S. Churchill

Volumes 1, 11 and 111

- by Randolph S. Churchill & Martin Gilbert -

Illustrated by photographs

Publisher: Heinemann, London, UK 

Published: 1966, 1967  and  1971 respectively

Binding: THREE(3) HARDcover with Dustjacket various lengths see below 

Condition: UNread & displayed condition! HERE in MELBOURNE! A retired display copy as illustrated!

Edition:  FIRST EDITION: 1st printings Vol 1 & 11. Vol 111 is a 2nd printing(1971)

TIGHT,  SCARCE   HARDCOVERs with Dustjackets  ~  IN  MELBOURNE  ... 

WHY do ebayers buy from US?

Because you KNOW what you're getting. My close up photos are of the actual item!!

Remain UNread and stored - after being display copies instore. They are tight and neat, with no inscriptions or marks within. Over 40 years old the dustjackets have wear and tear understandably.  Appears as in my photos - this is the exact copy!!  A nicely preserved copy - superb!

Minimal, if any, discernible shelf wear to the red cloth HARDcovers themselves, the interior is tight and spotlessly clean with 608, 774, 988 pages. THESE copies are FIRST EDITIONS: with Volumes 1 & 11 being 1st printings from 1966, 1967 and Volume 111 from 1971(2nd impression) respectively - the UK publishing by Heinemann, London. There are archival photographs illustrating these volumes.

Incredibly SCARCE titles - but over 40 years old - they remain UNread copies !

In original red cloth HARDcover bindings, in publisher's glossy dustcovers which are in good condition generally - underside repairs/nicks/edgewear apparent.

These are HUGE volumes - three red cloth HARDcovers in very good condition – despite being over 40 years old. They still have their dustjackets ~ although some edge wear and little tears are evident. Over 9¼” tall and over  pages in each - they’re BIG volumes.  I’ve included a few photos to let you see them and their condition. Each is over 1 kg in weight - so postage would have to be in a 5kg Australia Post satchel.

(Stored with 2019!)

Measures approx.  9  x 7¾  inches or  25  x  21cms

SYNOPSIS ....

Winston Churchill biography

Volume 1: - Volume I  (by Randolph S Churchill)  Youth 1874 - 1900 - 608 pages - photo illustrated - fold out graph. The first volume of the official biography of Winston S. Churchill, covering the years from Churchill's birth to the beginning of his political career. The book contains Churchill's letters written as a child, as a boy at Harrow, as a cadet at Sandhurst, and later as a subaltern in India.

Volume 2 - (by Randolph S Churchill) of this magisterial biography takes the story of Churchill from his election as Tory MP for Oldham to the outbreak of the Great War. When he took his seat on 14 February 1901, he was poised on the edge of a career whose Shakespearean scope would take him through success and denigration and years in the political wilderness when wilderness. This volume shows the forging of the mainspring that drove him throughout his career when, firm in his own beliefs, he refused to compromise.

Volume 3 - (by Martin Gilbert) The Third volume of the monumental Churchill Biography, covering the First World War.  This volume of the Official Biography covers the period from the start of WW1 through Churchill's fall from office following the Dardanelles and on through 1916 when he returned from service on the front. 

In this concluding volume of Gilbert's renowned series, readers see Churchill at the pinnacle of wartime power as Britain's victorious leader in 1945. The many-sided nature of Churchill's abilities and his achievements fill this work with a multicolored tapestry of people and events. Two 8-page photo inserts. Also 55 photographic plates and illustrations;and 20 maps.  Six facsimile letters. Biographical notes on all persons mentioned in the volume. Relates Churchill's story, political and personal- from the outbreak of war in August 1914 until December 1916.

Very Enlightening Historic reads!

About the Author

Randolph S Churchill Randolph Churchill, who began this great work with Martin Gilbert in the early 1960's had the exclusive use of Sir Winston’s letters and papers. The form in which is the work is cast is summed up in the phrase that Randolph Churchill quotes from Lockhart: "He shall be his own biographer." 

And the authors present Churchill, a far as possible, through his own words. The first volume covers the years from Churchill’s birth to his return to England from an American lecture tour on the day of Queen Victoria’s funeral, in order to embark on his political career. 

No statesman of modern times - or indeed of any earlier age - has left such a wealth of personal letters, such a rich seam of private and public documentation, such vivid memories in the minds of those who worked closest to him or were at his side at both historic and amusing moments. Through these materials, assembled by Martin Gilbert during more than twenty years, one can trace Churchill’s moods, aims, actions, hopes and farsightedness. The many-sided nature of Churchill’s abilities, his enormous capacity for work when well into his seventies, his literary achievements, his optimism, his humanity, his humour, his belief in man s capacity for self-improvement and survival, fill this volume with a rich tapestry of people and events, dominated not by the day-to-day struggle of politics and international conflicts but by an abiding sensitivity. 

Randolph Churchill died just after the second volume of this massive work was produced and Martin Gilbert continued the writing . He is one of Britain's most distinguished historians. Following Randolph's death in 1968 he was appointed the Official Biographer.

This work has been hailed as " stupendous achievement of immense and permanent value."

Reviews

A Rare Combination – FAMOUS, Significant and courageous   …. WSC was a rare combination, famous, significant, and courageous even in his early years. His fame began with a daring escape from a POW camp, though he had gained some attention as a newspaper war correspondent prior to that. His significance was beginning through his nonfiction books based on his military service and his experiences as a correspondent; this was the beginning of an extensive and important literary output. Of course, as anyone with even a slight knowledge of twentieth century knows, his significance is of the highest order. Churchill's courage is shown through his calm, focused behavior under fire, particularly in the incident of the armored train -- no spoiler here, read the book.
This biography is very detailed, as one might expect from an eight volume work on one man's life. The author of this first volume, Churchill's son Randolf, made extensive use of letters and telegrams to provide primary source documentation of his subject's, and others' thoughts, plans, opinions, activities, related to WSC's life and the times in which he lived.

Some may consider this level of detail a negative aspect as it means the tale does not move along in three-to-five second MTV like jumps from scene to scene. Others, this reviewer included, appreciate the chance to get to know quite well one of the most important men of the 20th century. I look forward to the remaining volumes and deepening my acquaintance with this striking personality.

The forging of  the 20^thCentury’s GREATEST statesman… This is an excellent read for anyone interested in a serious and in depth study of WSC. Most books about Churchill, chronicle major historical events he influenced and what he said and did through histories covering the occasions. This book is full of actual letters written by WSC, his family, and others who influenced him. It is not an easy read but the reader will really know Churchill, his thoughts, his character, his ambitions, and his flaws.

The research done on this book was amazing.……  Churchill made me almost feel that I was sitting in on private discussions. If anyone wants to REALLY understand Winston Churchill and the world in which he lived, this series is a must-read!

Challenging time in the life of  Churchill  …   This 3rd volume was written by Martin Gilbert after the death of Winston's son who wrote the first two volumes. To be honest I like Martin Gilbert's writing style better than Randolph Churchill's. As with the previous volumes, the author quotes extensively from correspondence to and from and about Churchill. This is a style that is quite detailed and may not appeal to many people, but gives an in depth look at his life you may not find with other biographical styles.

The volume starts with Churchill at the top of his career as the First Lord at the start of WW I. His naval preparations have paid off and he is a key advisor on the war council. Then he gets involved in what becomes the Gallipoli landings. He's a key proponent of this offensive, but it all goes bad when not enough resources are committed. He is subsequently blamed for the whole thing, is pushed out into a meaningless position, resigns and becomes a military leader on the front line. After a few months, he decides to get back into politics, but finds that he is a political pariah. This is a very difficult time for him and much of the time is spent trying to clear his name by trying to get the official proceeding of the war council published.

Churchill is exceedingly ambitious and is convinced that he is a key to obtaining victory quickly. This is an interesting look at a great man being held back from contributing great things to his country. I'm sure this whole episode had a huge impact on the rest of his life.

It is a good view of how important it is to have strong political support from those in power and from the public. He had neither during this time of his life after having had both prior to this time.