WHERE DID THIS LITTLE GEM COME FROM?????? I GOT IT FROM A FRIEND BUT COULDN'T FIND IT IN THE [LOCAL STORE]. I LOVED THIS BOOK. IN 300 PLUS PAGES THE AUTHOR GAVE ME A RIP-ROARING, SOMETIMES SAD, ALWAYS FASCINATING RIDE THAT LEFT ME FEELING LIKE I KNEW SO MUCH MORE ABOUT MY CULTURE! INCREDIBLE CHOICE OF INFORMATION, INCREDIBLE BLEND OF HUMOR, FACTS, AND SENTIMENT!

I CAN'T RECOMMEND THIS BOOK HIGHLY ENOUGH.

The most unusual Jewish book I've ever read of a light-hearted nature. Humour, quotes, literature, facts, but very emotional at once, then hysterical. I recommend it for anyone who wants to "feel" the Jewish sensibility!

I am Jewish. I didn't have much Jewish education beyond my Bar Mitzvah. A girlfriend who is not Jewish gave me this book. At first to be honest, I wasn't interested. But then I got into it. It opened the world of Jewish culture in a very unusual way. First with humor, then facts. I'm a trivia nut so that grabbed me. But then the author, in a very clever way, introduced me to small bits of literature, history, quotes, language, and for the first time, I got a real sense of what my parents have been trying to tell me about who I am and what I came from.This book actually inspired me.

A proud reader in Houston

William Manchester's first Churchill volume is one of those books that makes you just love to read.

This clearly isn't a book for all those who are fascinated by the mediocre and skeptical of the possibilities for true greatness. This is an unreconstructed and unapologetic look at a leader whose instincts often cut against the grain of the 20th century, but who would emerge as one of the great heroes of it, just when extraordinary leadership was needed the most.

Manchester is the rare gifted writer who has mastered the biographical craft as well as the sweeping narrative needed to succinctly encapsulate the mores and habits of an entire nation at a particular moment in time. He does this brilliantly in his introduction, about one hundred pages long, which sets the stage with a lavish description of Victorian England. This is one of the best parts of the book.

Early on, it is clear that the ambitious young Winston is headed for big things. This wasn't only because he came from one of Britain's most prominent families -- his father rose to become the second most powerful man in the government, and his mother was romantically linked to the Prince of Wales. Despite this, Manchester convinces us, successfully, that Churchill was the best of his generation, that he would have risen even from less auspicious circumstances (admittedly, this interpretation has its limits, since entire social classes were excluded from Parliament at the time).

Churchill made his career as a political maverick, changing parties not once, but twice, consistently taking positions that brought him close to political death. Yet Churchill survived -- and what's more, he turned out to be one of the most enduring political presences any democracy has ever seen. What is striking about Churchill's career is that it didn't simply culminate in 1940 after a plodding journey up the political ladder. No -- Churchill had first been elected to Parliament forty years earlier, and he rose quickly within a few years of his election. But then his career plateaud for about a quarter of a century. Here you had a man who was considered a future Prime Minister at age 30, who was in a position to be considered the heir apparent in governments of two different parties at various points from World War I until the late 1920s, and yet didn't take the next step. What happened?

The Great War and its aftermath, more than anything, foreordained Churchill's postponed "rendezvous with destiny." It was here where Churchill was the most out of step with prevailing political attitudes. Churchill held close to his heart a heroic vision of Britain, and believed deeply in the nobility of a war fought for a just cause. He also believed in the Empire, and did not think that Britain should relinquish what was already hers, even in a time of relative decline vis a vis the United States. Where most saw senseless slaughter in the trenches of France, he saw selfless heroism, a nation at its best.

The nation, or at least the political classes, did not agree with this interpretation. In a time that Walter Lippman proclaimed was "tired of greatness" and where the great fear was that Britain had overextended herself, Churchill defended greatness and Empire. In his view, strength in the service of democracy, and not blind disarmament, would prevent future wars. This view, ascendant in World War II, and in many ways, ascendant again in America today, was seen as discredited at the time, and Churchill in the 1920's repeatedly butted heads with a Conservative leadership over disarmament and withdrawal from India. The trend was so strong in the other direction that Churchill was effectively cast out of his party by the end of the 20's, and looked destined to repeat the fate of his iconoclastic father, who was cast permanently out into the political wilderness for his own apostasies.

But with this son, there would always be a second act.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," is the first of William Manchester's projected three-volume biography of Winston Spencer Churchill. I found it a superbly crafted, supremely well researched account of the first 58 years of the life of the 20th century's greatest statesman. With wit and candor, Manchester chronicles Churchill from his earliest days as the neglected and troublesome first child of Lord Randolph Churchill and his American-born wife, Jennie, to his entry into the political "wilderness" over home rule in India in 1932. Manchester's portrait of his subject is balanced and objective; we see Churchill at his finest: a courageous (almost to the point of foolhardiness) army officer, and later a gifted Member of Parliament who became one of the youngest Cabinet ministers in British history. We also see him at his worst: a Cabinet minister with appalling political judgment at times, quick to meddle in other ministers' affairs while neglecting his own, and with an uncanny ability to alienate not only his political foes, but almost all his political allies as well.

In addition to a wonderfully written chronology of Churchill's life, Manchester provides an overview of the times in which Churchill lived. I was fascinated by the author's account of Victorian England -- its culture, its mores, and its view of itself in the world. The sections which describe Churchill's times make highly entertaining and absorbing reading by themselves.

"The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932," clearly shows why William Manchester is one of the pre-eminent biographers at work today. The book is written with obviously meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and crisp, sparkling prose; I have yet to find a better account of Churchill's life. Now, if only Mr. Manchester would give us that third volume . . .

William Manchester does much more here than tell the story of perhaps the greatest person of the 20th century--he transports you back to the pre-WWII England to see the events that shaped Winston Churchill's life and political destiny. You not only come away with a true sense of who Churchill was (and he truely was the hand that slammed the door to Hell during WWII)--you also gain real insight into other key British politicial figures of the day including Lloyd George, Lord Halifax, Nevile Chamberlain and many others in the context of their often-changing relationships with Winston.

I came away with a fresh perspective of the key people and geopolitical events of the time; and gained a wealth of useful historical information as well. This, and Manchester's first volume of Churchill's bigography should be required reading in any proper 20th century college-level history course. (They're crafted so well that students might actually read them!)

Beware--you will not want to put it down once you start reading; I didn't.

William Manchester's first Churchill volume covers the first fifty eight years of Winston's life. His second, "Alone," covers just eight. Assuming that there will be a third, it will cover the final quarter century, including most of World War II and Churchill's two spells as Prime Minister. To the elementary observer, these divisions seem somewhat out of sorts.

It's only by reading that middle volume that we understand just how critical those eight years were. Above all, "Alone" is a morality play -- the best one I know -- about what happens when democracies fail to confront aggression. At no other time in the 20th Century were so many people so wrong about a matter as grave as the Nazi buildup in the 1930s. Only Winston Churchill and a few of his cohorts disagreed at the time.

Early in the book, Manchester briefly lays out a powerful case for Britain's aversion to confronting Germany. Britain sensed the unfairness of the Versailles "diktat," and reacted strongly against it. To a great degree, London was fed up with France's insolence after the war, both in its lust for revenge against Germany, and in the flaccid disillusionment of Paris intellectuals. At the same time, Great Britain was a nation cornered by two bloodthirsty wolves -- Nazism and Bolshevism. In order to defeat the other, one would have to be appeased. Being a country dominated by aristocrats, Britain chose to enlist Hitler as a bulwark against Communism. In doing so, they ignored the basic fact of geopolitical proximity: only Germany, abutting France and a few hundred miles away from Britain's shores, had the capacity to strike at the West. Britain's aristocrats bet wrong, and Churchill, ever the "traitor to his class" immediately recognized it.

Churchill's story also holds valuable lessons for us today. By nature, Churchill was naturally aggressive, and as such, Manchester writes that he saw exactly what Hitler was up to. Pacifists often distrust such assertiveness, even in a democracy. In fact, assertiveness in defense of democratic values is almost always the right foreign policy. One can have assertiveness for good, or assertiveness for evil, and one must choose it for good. In this way, Churchill's "black and white" Manichean worldview has truly stood the test of time.

As one reads William Manchester's second volume on Churchill, one is struck by Churchill's uncanny grasp of the threat of Nazi Germany, and his many attempts to warn Britain of its peril. Like Cassandra in Greek mythology, though, Churchill's predictions are not believed, and he is only included in the War Cabinet when war was inevitable. William Manchester's book is thoroughly researched, and is at least as good as that of Churchill's official biographer, Martin Gilbert, with one important difference: Manchester's book is written on a far larger canvas, and the level of detail he is able to devote to Churchill is far greater -- and the subject is more than worthy of it. Mandatory reading for anyone studying Churchill, a good prelude to read before reading Churchill's own five volume history of World War II in that it gives insight into Churchill's mind. On a personal level, I know that Mr. Manchester is advanced in years, and I cannot help thinking, in my selfishness as a historian, that I hope he completes volume III soon. It would be a tragedy if the task of completing this wonderful history proves to be too much for him.

Most people today know Winston Churchill at the great British Prime Minister of WWII. But Churchill was 65 when he became Prime Minister and had a public career spanning more than forty years. In this excellent book which is part biography, part history, William Manchester focuses on the period of 1932-1940 when Churchill was out of power, an outcast in his own party and universally derided as a warmongering relic. Churchill referred to these years as his "wilderness years" and they are among the most fascinating of his life because the years of Churchill's political exile coincide with the rise of Hitler and the growth of Germany from defeated power to world menace. Indeed, as Manchester chronicles, Churchill's return from the wilderness was intimately connected to the rise of Hitler because Churchill's relentless public opposition to Hitlerism and British policy towards Germany throughout the thirties is what led to his continuing exile while this same stalwartness preserved him from the mark of shame that infected the rest of the British elite when the policy of appeasement collapsed in 1939.

Manchester has an unrestrained admiration for Churchill. Nevertheless, at no time in this volume does he overlook Churchill's many faults of personality. Many of these faults become clear when Manchester examines Churchill's personal life at his Chartwell estate and his relationship with his family and the servants and secretary's who worked for him. Despite these faults, however, the Churchill of this book comes across as a man touched with greatness and who is well aware of it. But this book is not merely the story of Churchill but the story of the small shabby men whose policy of appeasement in the face of absolute evil laid England low. Most of the government during the thirties fits this bill but in particular Manchester singles out the three prime ministers, Ramsey McDonald, Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain and Chamberlain's foreign minister Lord Halifax.. The author's contempt for these "Men of Munich" drips on virtually every page. He contrasts their fecklessness with Churchill's steadiness. Certainly Churchill recognized from day one that Germany had been overtaken by a deranged criminal regime and that such a regime would necessarily threaten the peace of the world. The Men of Munich just could not see it. Churchill believed, without once wavering, that a foreign policy built on strength and deterrence could prevent war but that a policy of appeasement could only guarantee it. The Men of Munich believed quite the opposite. Manchester shows the motivation of the appeasers to be more complex than commonly understood. Nevertheless, since, to their mind, no rational human being could want war, any dispute with Germany could be resolved through diplomacy and negotiation. It never occurred to the Churchill's foes that Hitler was no rational human being but rather quite mad or that they were not "negotiating" with him so much as giving in and retreating.

A review of the events of the thirties shows a steady British retreat beginning with the failure to stop the re-occupation of the Rhineland then the failure to halt the annexation of Austria, the infamous betrayal of Czechoslovakia at Munich and finally the failure to prevent the final conquest of Czechoslovakia. Indeed, even after the invasion of Poland and declaration of War, Britain and France held back from aiding the Poles for fear Hitler would "turn west". Not until Churchill returned to power, nearly a year after the start of the war and days before the capitulation of France did the policy of appeasement truly end.

Even without the benefit of hindsight, the policy of the British government during this period defies belief. Churchill stands as starkly in contrast to these appeasers as he does to the criminal Hitler. Churchill's wilderness years contain important lessons for today's policy-makers. Appeasement of evil is not only wrong but foolish. It never preserves peace but only guarantee's war. Manchester is a great writer. His prose is lively and his storytelling ability is excellent. All lovers of history will adore this book. I highly recommend it. What a pity that there will never be a third volume chronicling the war and post war years of Churchill's 90 year life.

Of all the books that profess to take you behind the scenes of a typical race team, this is the most engaging and interesting. As a die-hard fan of the sport, I have read most such books and they are generally either written by writers who aren't fans or fans who aren't writers, whereas this writer clearly is both. He manages to make the mundane interesting; perhaps the most dramatic part of the book is the second round qualifying attempt.

If you want to read one book about NASCAR, I recommend this one. Not because it's a hand-holding introduction, but because it's the best. It just does such a great job describing so many aspects of NASCAR. The organizing principle of the book is to examine a week in the life of Kenny Wallace's Square D Racing Team, but along the way, the author looks at NASCAR's personalities, history, technology, tracks, and fans. Huler has a real flair for description, and a genuine but not fawning affection for the sport.

I've also read Shaun Assael's "Wide Open" and Paul Hemphill's "Wheels," which are similar in many ways but to my mind are both inferior. Assael's book seemed flat compared to Huler's, though fans of Dave Marcis and Bobby Hamilton may enjoy the coverage that those drivers receive in "Wide Open." Hemphill's book spent a lot of time on a thesis that I soon found repetitively handled: NASCAR was once the province of the Southern working man but is now corporate entertainment. Both Assael and Hemphill follow NASCAR for a whole season and seem to get bored with it. Huler stays focused on a shorter timespan to much better effect.

I've read some more technical approaches to NASCAR as well, and found that Huler almost always snuck the information in those books into "A Little Bit Sideways."

Although I find this the best introduction to NASCAR because it's so engaging to read and so comprehensive in the bargain, those who are interested in learning more about NASCAR might also try "NASCAR for Dummies" by Mark "Awesome!" Martin and Juliet Macur. That book lacks Huler's style and story-line, but it does have a lot of interesting information about NASCAR, including some tidbits on strategy and technology that I haven't seen elsewhere.

I have no interest what-so-ever in NASCAR. However, I recognized Scott Huler from a former life and had to pick up the book when I spotted it at Borders. Mr. Huler is an excellent writer who manages to bring his readers to the scene of his subject matters. He makes anything he writes sound interesting. I hope that Mr. Huler continues to write more, and would read anything he writes! I wish him success in his book. A must-read if you're into NASCAR, or just looking for a good read!

The key point to be learnt from this volume of Churchill's memoirs is that history proved him correct. Through all the years leading up to World War II, Churchill alone understood the Nazi menace.

Every step along the road of appeasement was another potentially destructive step for democracy. It fed the Nazi appetite for power and revenge. Appeasement was also incredibly naïve although this is said with the benefit of hindsight. Churchill, by way of contrast, was saying these things at the time. He saw the dangers in turning a blind eye to the surrender of the Rhineland, Austria and finally Czechoslovakia. The line drawn at Poland was too late. It meant that the war had to be fought from a weaker position than could have otherwise been the case if the democracies of western Europe had taken an earlier stand.

Churchill's memoirs are long on detail and probably meant for a keen reader of modern history. Do not let this fact alienate potential readers. Churchill actually made history and his views remain relevant.

I just finished reading The Gathering Storm. I have read other books about World War II including, A Man Called Intrepid. This has been, by far, the best. Winston Churchill shows himself to be not only a great statesman, but also an increadibly articulate writer.
First, the story captured me by his tremendous grasp and use of the English language. Churchill's writing is very understandable even though he uses very proper or "High" English. His words draw you in and paint pictures in your mind. It was easy to feel as if you were in the story.
Secondly, Churchill tells an incredible story of suffering, perserverance, sacrifice and honor. Churchill describes how people served with honor and respect without regard to their own needs. History is so easily forgotten but fills such an enormous void in society. Churchill turned his very life over to the country and to the world in order that good would win out over the evil of Nazi Germany and Hitler.
Churchill does not just tell of the things that were done right. In fact, the bulk of the book tells primarily of the failure of the Allies to prevent war. Churchill presents a valuable lesson that dictators and bullies can not be tamed by appeasement. The dictator's appetite grows with every inch given over. Churchill also points out his own failures and mistakes, never once trying to shift the blame or make an excuse.
The Gathering Storm should be a lesson to all of the consequences of thinking that "if it doesn't affect me I don't care". It is a valuable history lesson for all. It is also an excellent book on being a leader. Churchill shows that being a leader is not about being famous and winning admiration. It is about self-sacrifice and thinking of the greater good.
This should be required reading for all high school students as well as every politician. We all need to remember what a tremendous price was paid for us. Winston Churchill was one of the worlds greatest leaders and heroes.

Winston Churchill, in addition to his well-deserved reputation as a great war-time leader and statesman, also has a well-deserved reputation as a prolific author and historian. His six volume history of the Second World War, recently re-issued and now readily available, part history, part memoir, is a must read original source for any student of the War.

Obviously, what makes Churchill's history of the War unique is his involvement in so much of the narrative. He is alone among the great leaders in recording his experiences of this period. But this work is not merely a memoir of his role in the War but rather a complete work of historical scholarship in and of itself. In this book, volume one, Churchill covers the period from the end of the Great War in 1919 until the invasion of France and the fall of the Chamberlain government in 1940. The book is divided into two parts, the first "From War to War" briefly covers developments in Britain and Germany during the twenties that relate to the rise of Hitler and the growing menace of Germany in the thirties. The bulk of this section is devoted to the folly of Britain and France in allowing a toothless Germany to reach military parity with and then greatly surpass the abilities of the two Democracies. Churchill covers all the major events and gives his views on them, including his exclusion from the government and his frustrating inability to affect the course of events. His criticism is surprisingly muted, however. In his characteristic way, Churchill allows his adversaries' own words of folly to speak for themselves. His criticism after the fact his actually a good deal tamer than his speeches to Parliament during this period. Some of this may have to do with the fact of his reconciliation with Chamberlain after the beginning of the War.

The second part of the book, "the Twilight War" covers the period from September 1939 until the invasion of the West in the Spring of 1940. With the mind of a military thinker, Churchill details the naval challenges to Britain from he very start of the war, including the need to protect merchant shipping and the need to secure England's northern Baltic ports. In this section as well, Churchill chronicles the political and diplomatic difficulties of the early part of the war. Included of course, in his typically understated fashion, is the story of his return to power, first as First Lord of the Admiralty then as Prime Minister after the fall of the Chamberlain government. It is on this note that the book concludes, saving the story of the Fall of France and Britain's lonely stand for the second volume.

Churchill's way with the pen is incomparable. His use of the written English language is remarkable. As a history, this book is comprehensive and excellent. He makes much use of original sources, particularly regarding German actions. Its only weakness as a history is the lack of Churchill's detachment from the events of which he writes. But this weakness of the book as a history is its strength as a biography. Churchill's insights into the times in which he lived and the famous people with whom he dealt are invaluable. In this book, his description of Molotov as a perfect robot is priceless. Churchill states that the theme to this volume is "How the English-Speaking people's...allowed the wicked to re-arm." It is a lesson also covered in Manchester's "The Last Lion Volume Two-Alone." It is a lesson still invaluable today.

It's a sweet story of a 'simple' stuffed rabbit amidst the more 'complex' modern toys in a boy's "toy collection". The rabbit starts to believe that in order to get the love of the boy, he needs to appear 'real', or be able to zoom about like the motorized toys...
(And I'm not going to tell you the end hahahahaha!!!)
It was great having that read to me, while I was hugging my stuffed animals in bed.
But -- in a way, at first glance it looks like a simple story, but it is actually a surprisingly complex story. Leave it on your child's bookshelf as he/she grows up and he/she will reread it again and again as he/she questions issues such as "who am I?", "what does it mean to be 'real'"?, "what is my role in this world?", and even "what is death"?

I make sure I use this book with each class I teach--3rd and4th graders. They always get it--that love makes us real, too. Theymake the connection between the Skin Horse becoming shabby and people getting old. I always bring in my stuffed velveteen rabbit I bought years ago and it starts making the rounds and popping up on different children's laps. It is a pleasure to see them become attached to the rabbit instead of "mechanical toys that were very superior, and looked down upon everyone else." They also relate to the lessons the Velveteen Rabbit learns from the Skin Horse about how becoming real is a painful process sometimes and can take a long time.

This book is a simple work of art. Its beauty in itself is virtually indescribable. When I was little, it was my favorite book. In fact, I've had it ever since I was born. It is about a boy who owns a stuffed rabbit, and longs for it to be real. Eventually, because he loved the rabbit so much, his wish was granted. The book is so well written that it brings tears to my eyes almost every time I read it. It is definitely one of my all-time favorites.

I was doing research for a NASCAR Web site that I was creatingwhen I came across this title. Talk about a wealth of information!Ever wonder who won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race, or what makes astock car different from a regular passenger car? Mark has the answer! From track layouts to famous families, sponsorship to qualifying, Mark covers NASCAR with a thoroughness and humor that is a rarity, and much appreciated. I recommend that everyone, from new fans to old buffs, buy and read this book. I guarantee you that you won't be disappointed!

NASCAR for Dummies is definitely a "must read" for any NASCAR fan. It is the perfect book for those who are new to NASCAR... and is packed with information which even a veteran fan will appreciate.

You'll find in-depth information about a variety of topics, from car tech to how qualifying works... from how points are awarded to what some of the rules and regulations are. You'll find information about all of the different NASCAR Series, how sponsorship works, how to contact your favorite driver - or even get an autograph. There's even advice and tips for attending races in person.

The book is also loaded with NASCAR stats on different drivers, tracks and some of the sports history.

The best part about this book is that it is not written by a bystander, rather, it is written by one of the top drivers in the sport. Mark Martin is able to provide you with a view of NASCAR which I have not seen in any other book thus far.

Finally a book that explains questions that I have always had about why things are done that way in Nascar. I have subsriptions to several Nascar magazines, but this is the first source to explain such concepts as the bizarre series qualifying practices to set the running order in the Daytona 500 (as well as the point system for the Winston Cup Championship) in a meaningful way that the averager person has a chance to understand. Those new to Nascar will appreciate the in-depth detail and entertaining stories linking to concepts in book as explained by veteran Nascar driver Mark Martin. Even die-hard fans who already know much about Nascar will find this an enjoyable read.

Future generations will be most thankful that we had as Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill. Not only for his leadership, which undoubtedly saved the world from Nazism, but also because of his memoirs. Reading this book, it felt like I was actually there, feeling the tension as Hitler prepared on new conquests, the revulsion as France & Britain allowed Germany to destroy Czechoslavakia, the disbelief as neutral countries, USSR,Belgium, Netherlands, Norway etc, clung to their neutrality as it meant anything to Hitler, admiration for the British people as they resisted such overwhelming odds at great cost, and triumph as the Grand Alliance combines to crush Germany. Also there are so many parts of the book which describe so vividly so many great moments, such as when Churchill first meets Stalin. A top read!

Churchill's book is really astonishing, not only for the sheer size, but for the vast expand of knowledge displayed and the personal experience behind it. Churchill includes hundreds of documents and thus gives ample proof of what he writes. His strongest moments are his criticism of British appeasement policy and the account of 1940/41, where his will to survive and his pertinacity can still be felt through the pages. His personal experience is always there, though he refrains from giving his readers too many anecdotes. In spite of the fact the everything was written very shortly after the war, most things are quite accurate, though the pages on Nazi Germany are not always enlightened. But - being German - I have never felt any hatred towards my people as a whole and one can well join in with his disgust of Germany at that time. The book, or rather books, never bore. An absolute masterpiece of historical writing.

A masterpiece of world literature. Anyone remotely interested in twentieth century history should read Churchill's accounts of WWI and WWII.

Churchill begins the Second World War by noting that the "volumes [are] a continuation of the story of the First World War...set out in The World Crisis, The Eastern Front, and The Aftermath". As great as the Second World War is in scope and insight, it is even greater when considered together with his treatment of WWI. It is a pity his account of WWI and its aftermath are currently no longer in print, available only through university libraries and sellers of rare books (if any publishers are reading, I beg them to consider republishing his accounts of WWI).

Churchill's chronicles of WWI and WWII are a invaluable account of the incomprehensible turmoil that characterized the first half of the 20th century. The scope of this literary achievement is made even more precious and amazing when one considers the firsthand perspective given by Churchill. During both wars, he occupied important government roles, putting him in a unique position to chronicle events during that era. The World Crisis, The Eastern Front, The Aftermath, and the volumes of the Second World War are personal memoirs as much as monumental histories. They are compelling on many levels, the stories of many through one.

Having read Ronda's first book, I knew she was a talented writer with great stories to tell. Being a NASCAR fan, I knew that this was going to be a good book. I was not dirappointed!

The book is written in 27 short, easy-to-read chapters; each having a wonderful story about the legends of the sport. Each chapter also concludes with Ronda's life-lesson learned as a result of the events described. Once I began reading it, I lost a lot of sleep staying up into the night reading.

There are fascinating stories about Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt, Michael Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Ken Schrader, Alan Kulwicki, and Tim Richmond (a name many newcomers don't know, but know about--this is the life portrayed by Tom Cruise in "Days of Thunder"). As a reluctant newcomer to NASCAR, Ronda quickly became an avid fan and supporter of the sport while covering it as a sportswriter and then as a promoter for the manufacturers.

This book is a "must read" for any fans of the sport.

My wife bought this book, read it and kept bragging on it. I was reluctant to read because I'm not a big reader and I just didn't think I'd enjoy it that much. One day, I picked up the book and read the chapter about the late champion Alan Kulwicki. That did it. I then had to read the entire book. I enjoyed it very much. It shows the human side of a sport that is becoming so slick and so polished that it's easy to forget that the drivers are often regular guys with problems and struggles just like the rest of us. This book reflects on many of the heroes and legends who made the sport like Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and others. There are places, like where she talks about her friendship with and the death of Tim Richmond, that really put a lump in my throat. As in the case of Kulwicki, who is displayed here to be a serious loner who saw too much death in his young life, his mother included, that shaped his life and personality, you are shown an inside to the sport that is seldom seen. The men in this book are true heroes and the author is to be commended for writing it in a way that we feel we are being treated to VIP look at these guys.

Wow! What a great read! I am so glad I bought this book - it will be my stocking stuffer of choice for this holiday season for both guys and gals. This is a great book for Winston Cup die-hard fans and for novices! Ronda Rich is hilarious. It's full of anecdotes about all of the greats, including Earnhardt, Petty, Childress, Schrader, and more ... and all from the female perspective with plenty of stories that could only come from an insider. I read Ronda's last book and thoroughly enjoyed it, and this book stays the course. I found myself laughing out loud and feeling sorry when the book was over! More than just a book about racing, the book serves up some deep life lessons in each chapter - the author looks at the truth behind the losses and disappointments that come with the industry. She's quite a teacher - obviously a spiritual woman - it's a great read for kids too. I'm hoping this is the first in a NASCAR series for her ... if you see this Ronda ... please give us another one! Can't wait!

Martin Gilbert has done an admirable job in condensing his milti-volume biography into one volume, but such an effort must necessarily involve many compromises. In this case, in an effort to bring about a more human picture of Churchill the man, he has sacrificed much of the fun of Churchill the public figure. Many of Churchill' most vivid and exciting incidents are passed over too quickly. Especially regretable is Gilbert's failure to include of many of Churchill's most enjoyable and amusing public dialogues with the other leaders of his day. Of all 20th-century leaders, Churchill was one of the most highly esteemed for his wit and eloquence in debate. A few examples show his eloquence; almost all of his wit is lost. The result is a book that is wonderful for those who already know Churchill, but, alas, is amazingly flat for anyone who has not read much about him. After reading it, one may admire Churchill's determination and leadership, but may wonder how he was able to claim the attention of the British people for so long.

This is the Churchill biography to read if you either don't have time or aren't looking to read several volumes. The official Churchill biography by Martin Gilbert was condensed by the author into this one volume, 1000+ page, wonderful book (released in 1991). Gilbert is direct, never overdramatic and as objective as possible for an official biographer. Also, this book is very factual and historical. For anyone looking for witty Churchill quips and anecdotes, I recommend James Humes's, "The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill", or Stephen Mansfield's, "Never Give In." This book is a strictly condensed biography that strays very infrequently into humorous side stories and quotes, of which Churchill obviously had many.

It can be very frustrating to waste time reading an unenjoyable, lengthy book, especially for the busy, nighttime only reader (like myself). This book is not one of those. Gilbert does a great job of handling one of the most (I believe "The" most) captivating men of the 20th Century. At the end of the book, whether one loves Churchill or hates him, any reader will, thanks to the masterful writing of Marting Gilbert, be sad at Churchill's passing and the book's ending.

I liked much better this book than those of William Manchester. The story is linear and one feels the author's absolute knowledge of the life of Churchill. Gilbert's admiration of Churchill is apparent. I heard he has written an eight volume (official) biography of which this book is a very comprehensive and very-very well written abridgement, in other words the eight volumes are „distilled" into one. I also think the quotations are much better selected, Churchill's often very long speeches are very well compressed (my favourite is the speech after Munich). This gives the impression - at least to me - of having read a whole speech, whereas in Manchester's book it never really happens and the speeches are usually followed or preceded by the author's comments. I felt Gilbert keeps a greater distance from his subject, the book is more like a frame and lets the reader build up Churchill's personality with his imagination. Also this might be important to some (like myself) that Gilbert's language is easier to understand.
The Manchester books are of a very different character, not linear, much more personal, the author presents a lot of insight, and tells his opinion or judgement on a variety of subjects and choses the right quotations to underline these. These two volumes of Manchester contain a lot more information and interesting details. I usually agreed with his judgements but i sometimes felt he was forcing and repeating them too strong and too often. A great advantage though is that we learn a lot more about the outside world.

Churchill's book on WWII has a part which is called the „Gathering storm" meaning the approaching Nazi danger for the democracies. For Hitler Churchill was the „gathering storm", a phenomenon which is impossible to ignore and whose „thunderous" speeches and articles were so „loud" and powerful. It was nothing else but the power and truth in his speeches that made him so menacing to the Nazis as he was distrusted by all parties of parliament and indeed by the whole population.This was the reason why he was attacked publicly as a simple MP by Hitler in the late thirties when Hitler was the all powerful leader of Germany and Churchill only a political outcast.

I heard people describing Churchill as a born leader. I disagree. I don't think he was a born leader. He was a genius, the „largest human being of our time" but I think these were not the traditonal leadership qualities that made him emerge to become a strong man and a very powerful leader but his courage and his very deep comprehension of history and the power of justice on his side. Without the truth being on his side i think he would never have been a great leader (unlike Stalin or Chamberlain or Hitler).

After reading it one gives credit to the British people and also to their parlamentary system for being so rubust and being able to defend itself in times of great danger. After this book it seems that no attempt were made to bypass it even when it seemed that the present rulers (Baldwin and Chamberlain) were leading it to certain destruction.

Very good idea and makes it much easier to find something in the book afterwards is that on the top of each page the year of the actual story is shown.

Although the author avoids making many personal comments, the book is so well built up and the story itself is so full of drama that it is hard to put down. I am looking forward to reading other works of Gilbert, who really became my favourite historian (I hope they'll be translated into Hungarian soon).