Winston Churchill the Official Biography by Martin Gilbert Randolph Churchill (5 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. The Official Biography, 8 vols 1966-1988. All first editions published by Heinemann. With The Companion Volumes, 13 vols 1967-1982. All first editions published by Heinemann. With The Churchill War Papers, 3 vols, 1993-2000. All first editions published by Heinemann. These 3 vols are slightly taller than the other vols in the set. With The Churchill Documents, 7 vols 2014-2019. All first editions published by The Hillsdale College Press, Michigan. Bound in full red morocco gilt, all edges gilt, flat bands to spine, Churchill coat of arms to front board with gilt fillet round the edges. Scarlet endpapers. Red cloth slipcases blocked with the Churchill coat of arms. The last 7 vols of The Churchill Documents have been bound to match. There is a very slight difference in the shade of red morocco, but otherwise the grain of the leather, tooling, typeface, colour of gold, endpapers and slipcases have all been matched perfectly. Vols 1 & 3 of The Churchill War Papers have been signed on the title page by the editor Martin Gilbert. There are no other marks, annotation, bookplates or ownership marks. 31 vols extending to just over 7 feet of shelf space. Work on the biography was begun in 1961 and not completed until 2019, 58 years later. The official biography is by some way the longest biography ever written on any person. Sir Isaiah Berlin described Churchill as 'a man larger than life, composed of bigger and simpler elements than ordinary men, a gigantic historical figure during his own lifetime, superhumanly bold, strong and imaginative, an orator of prodigious powers, the saviour of his country, a mythical hero who belongs to legend as much as to reality, the largest human being of our time.' (Quoted in PMM 424). A magnificent set of a monumental work, and probably the finest set in existence. Shipping extra at cost.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. London: William Heinemann Ltd. First Editions. 1966 to 1988, First Editions throughout, the preferred uniform British, Heinemann edition. Complete 21 volume set of the 8 text volumes plus 13 companion volumes of the Official Biography. All in the publisher's original bindings and in the original dust jackets. Consists of: Vol. I - YOUTH 1874-1900, (1966); Vol. II - YOUNG STATESMAN 1901-1914, (1967); Vol. III - THE CHALLENGE OF WAR 1914-1916, (1971); Vol. IV - THE STRICKEN WORLD 1917-1922, (1975); Vol. V - THE PROPHET OF TRUTH 1922-1939, (1976); Vol. VI - FINEST HOUR 1939-1941, (1983); Vol. VII - ROAD TO VICTORY 1941-1945, (1986); Vol VIII - NEVER DESPAIR 1945-1965. (1988); Companion Volume I, Part 1: 1874-1896 and 2: 1896-1900 (1967); Companion Volume II, Part 1: 1901-1907, Part 2: 1907-1911 and Part 3: 1911-1914 (1969); Companion Volume III, Part 1, August 1914-April 1915, Part 2, May 1915-December 1916 (1972); Companion Volume IV, Part 1, January 1917-June 1919, Part 2, July 1919-March 1921, Part 3 April 1921-November 1922 (1977); Companion Volume 5, Part 1, The Exchequer Years, 1922-1929 (1979), Part 2, The Wilderness Years 1929-1935 (1981), Part 3, The Coming of War 1936-1939 (1982). All British Heinemann editions, complete with dust jackets. The Companion Volumes collected important documents which accompany the Biography and include some charming early correspondence between Winston and Lady Randolph Churchill. Dust jackets generally in good condition with rubbing and some whitening to the edges of the jackets, minor closed tears (Vol III, and Companion Vol III Part 2), rubbed with loss of colour to Vol III (see photos), clipped (to Vol IV, Vol VI, and Companion Vol V Part 1), and faded to the spines (Vol V and Companion Vol IV Parts 1-3). Protected plastic DJs to Companion Vols I Part 1-2, Vol II Part 1-3). The red cloth boards have some whitening to some of the cloth boards. Approximately 9 ¼ inches (23.5cm) tall. Condition Report Externally Spine good condition minor creasing to the top and base of the red cloth spines, minor marks. Dust jackets fair to good condition see condition above. Joints good condition sound. Corners good condition bumped and worn. Boards good condition some minor wear. Page edges good condition top edge red to all Vols except Vol VI, VIII and Companion Vol II Part 2, unevenly faded to all volumes, fore edges foxed to Vol II part 2 and 3, Vol IV Part 3 and V Part 2. Binding good condition an attractive set, tightly bound. See above and photos. Internally Hinges good condition sound. Paste downs good condition clean. End papers good condition signature to Companion Vol I part 1. Title good condition very clean, minor marks to one or two volumes. Pages good condition very clean, minor marks to one or two volumes. See photos.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. London, Heinemann, 1966 to 1989 (all first editions apart from Biography Volume 6, the 1989 second impression, first published in 1983). Large octavo, 21 volumes (eight volumes of biography, and 13 companion volumes), complete as issued, with all plates as called for. Variously cloth and papered boards; trifling signs of use and age (including some light flecking and rubbing); an excellent set with the excellent dustwrappers (a little sunned and rubbed, with a few short tears, some price-clipped, some offset on the verso). The biography proper comprises eight volumes, as follows. Volume 1: Youth, 1874-1900 (1966). Volume 2: Young Statesman, 1901-1914 (1967). Volume 3: The Challenge of War, 1914-1916 (1971). Volume 4: 1917-1922 (1975). Volume 5: 1922-1939 (1976). Volume 6: Finest Hour, 1939-1941 (1989/ 1983). Volume 7: Road to Victory, 1941-1945 (1986). Volume 8: Never Despair, 1945-1965 (1988). The companion series comprises thirteen volumes, as follows. Companion Volume I, Part 1: 1874-1896; and Part 2: 1896-1900 (1967). Companion Volume II, Part 1: 1901-1907; Part 2: 1907-1911; and Part 3: 1911-1914 (1969). Companion Volume III, Part 1: August 1914 - April 1915; and Part 2: May 1915 - December 1916 (1972). Companion Volume IV, Part 1: January 1917 - June 1919; Part 2: July 1919 - March 1921; and Part 3: April 1921 - November 1922 (1977). Companion Volume 5, Part 1: The Exchequer Years, 1922-1929 (1979); Part 2: The Wilderness Years, 1929-1935 (1981); and Part 3: The Coming of War, 1936-1939 (1982). These companion volumes are an extensive source of previously unpublished primary and secondary Churchillian material. [21 items].

FIRST EDITIONS. 8 vols. 8vo. (23.5 x 16 cm). Publishers original red cloth, spines lettered in gilt, with the multicoloured dust-jackets. Numerous photographic illustrations. Light shelf-wear and occasional small losses to dust-jackets, generally an excellent set. The official biography, comprising Vol. I Youth 1874-1900 Vol. II Young Statesman 1901-1914 Vol. III The Challenge Of War 1914-1916 Vol. IV The Stricken World 1917-1922 Vol. V The Prophet Of Truth 1922-1939 Vol. VI Finest Hour 1939-1941 Vol. VII Road To Victory 1941-1945 Vol. VIII Never Despair 1945-1965. In May 1960 Winston Churchill wrote to his son: "My dear Randolph, I have reflected carefully on what you said. I think that your biography of Derby [Lord Derby, by Randolph Churchill, Cassell: London 1959] is a remarkable work, and I should be happy that you should write my official biography when the time comes. Your loving father, Winston S. Churchill" The first volume of Winston S. Churchill was published in 1966, the year after Sir Winston died. After Randolph's death in 1968 Martin Gilbert, who had joined Randolph as a research assistant in 1962, was appointed the official biographer.

18 Volumes. First Edition,Folding Plates,Illustrated,Publishers' Original Binding,With Dustwrappers Excellent condition. THIS IS A HEAVY SET WHICH WILL INCUR SHIPPING COSTS ABOVE THE DEFAULT RATE QUOTED BY ABE, ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE THE UK. PLEASE CONTACT US DIRECTLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE A QUOTATION FOR POSTAGE BEFORE ORDERING.