William Raymond Manchester
author
William Raymond Manchester (1922–2004) was a prominent American author, journalist, and historian. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, where he was wounded in the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, he established a distinguished career in journalism, notably for The Baltimore Sun, and later became a professor at Wesleyan University. Manchester is best known for his extensive biographical work on significant 20th-century figures, including Winston Churchill (The Last Lion), Douglas MacArthur (American Caesar), and John F. Kennedy (The Death of a President). His writing style was often characterized by its personal narrative approach and detailed historical research. He received the National Humanities Medal in 2001 for his contributions to American letters.
- biography
- World War II
- political history
- journalism
Books
Works by William Raymond Manchester
- 1951 Disturber of the Peace: The Life of H.L. Mencken
- 1953 The City of Anger Novel
- 1956 Shadow of the Monsoon
- 1959 A Rockefeller Family Portrait: From John D. to Nelson
- 1959 Beard the Lion (Cairo Intrigue) Novel
- 1961 The Long Gainer Novel
- 1964 Portrait of a President: John F. Kennedy in profile
- 1967 The Death of a President: November 20–25
- 1968 The Arms of Krupp: The Rise and Fall of the Industrial Dynasty that Armed Germany at War
- 1974 The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America, 1932–1972
- 1976 Controversy and Other Essays in Journalism
- 1978 American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880–1964
- 1980 On Mencken Essays
- 1980 Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War
- 1983 One Brief Shining Moment: Remembering Kennedy
- 1983 The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Visions of Glory, 1874–1932
- 1987 Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of All Essay
- 1988 The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932–1940
- 1989 In Our Time: The World as Seen by Magnum Photographers Editor/Contributor
- 1992 A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance—Portrait of an Age
- 1994 Magellan
- 2001 No End Save Victory
- 2012 The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940–1965 Co-authored with Paul Reid
Awards
- 2001 National Humanities Medal
- Abraham Lincoln Literary Award
References
- William Manchester (April 1, 1922 – June 1, 2004) was an American author, biographer, and historian. link
- William Manchester (1922–2004) was an American author, biographer, and historian. link
- He was awarded the National Humanities Medal and the Abraham Lincoln Literary Award. link
- Manchester was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts. link
- He was promoted to sergeant in July and awarded the Purple Heart. link
- He met journalist H. L. Mencken, who became his friend and mentor. link
- In 1955, Manchester became an editor for Wesleyan University and the Wesleyan University Press. link
- In 1947, Manchester joined the Officer Candidate School but was dropped before receiving a commission. link
- Manchester used personal anecdotes from his service on Okinawa in his descriptions of battles. link
- A 2017 article in the intellectual review The American Spectator asserted that none of this was true. link
- In 1964, Manchester was commissioned by the Kennedy family to write the book. link
- Jacqueline Kennedy filed a lawsuit to prevent its publication. link
- The suit was settled in 1967. link
- Paul Krassner published a piece entitled 'The Parts That Were Left Out of the Kennedy Book'. link
- It was re-issued in October 2013. link
- He was also the recipient of the Abraham Lincoln Literary Award. link
- Manchester married Julia Brown Marshall (known as Judy) on March 27, 1948. link
- Manchester died at the age of 82 on June 1, 2004. link
- Manchester is interred at Indian Hill Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut. link