This book, first published in 1963, is an early biography of Winston Churchill, examining his personality and character that was woven so closely through the texture of Britain’s story in the first half of the twentieth century. In attempting to discover a complete and complex Churchill, in his character, ambitions and personal experiences, the book seeks to present a clearer insight into the events of Churchill’s life.

The moving conclusion to the acclaimed multivolume biography of one of Britain’s greatest military leaders by his Nobel Prize–winning descendant. The final installment in Winston S. Churchill’s four-volume biography of John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough—a famed military leader known for never having lost a military campaign. Despite his successes, Marlborough’s later years were full of struggle—including attacks from political and personal enemies. Winston S. Churchill vividly recounts the intrigues and challenges of his ancestor’s extraordinarily eventful life. In this last volume, detailing the end of his career, Marlborough’s story is told with sensitivity and nuance—giving the reader an intimate glimpse into his state of mind. It’s a fascinating read for anyone interested in English history—and provides profound insights into leadership, loyalty, and personal conduct as valuable today as three centuries ago. “A sustained meditation on statecraft and war by the greatest war leader of our time.” —Foreign Affairs “The greatest historical work written in our century, an inexhaustible mine of political wisdom and understanding, which should be required reading for every student of political science.” —Leo Strauss

"It is my hope to recall this great shade from the past, and not only invest him with his panoply, but make him living and intimate to modern eyes."—from the preface to Volume One John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough (1644-1722), was one of the greatest military commanders and statesmen in the history of England. Victorious in the Battles of Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), and countless other campaigns, Marlborough, whose political intrigues were almost as legendary as his military skill, never fought a battle he didn't win. Although he helped James II crush the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth, Marlborough later supported William of Orange against James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and brilliantly managed England's diplomatic triumphs during the War of the Spanish Succession. Marlborough also bequeathed the world another great British military strategist and diplomat—his descendant, Winston S. Churchill, who wrote this book to redeem Marlborough's reputation from Macaulay's smears. One million words long and ten years in the making, Churchill's Marlborough stands as both a literary and historical masterpiece, giving us unique insights into the Churchill of World War II, for just as Churchill's literary skill helps us understand the complexities of Marlborough's life, so too did his writing of Marlborough help Churchill master the arts of military strategy and diplomacy. This two-volume edition includes the entire text and almost all the original maps.