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The Last Titans
How Churchill and de Gaulle Saved Their Nations and Transformed the World
Table of Contents
About The Book
A compelling joint biography of Churchill and de Gaulle that shines new light on two of the greatest figures of the 20th century.
Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle were thrown together by the challenges of war. They incarnated the resistance of Britain and France to the existential threat from Nazi Germany, and their ultimate victory over Hitler has ensured their achievements will never be forgotten. But, as The Last Titans shows, that is only a small part of a complex story. Both men influenced their countries, and the world around them, long after the war was won.
De Gaulle—tall, gauche, charmless, and incorruptible—exhibited qualities often associated with the English. Churchill—short, charming, a bon vivant, and fond of money—resembled the quintessential politician of the French Third Republic. Their working relationship was rarely smooth, but they appreciated each other’s stature: de Gaulle said Churchill was “the great artist of a great history,” while Churchill recognized de Gaulle as “l'homme du destin.”
Richard Vinen explores what made these men exceptional and how profoundly they were influenced by their national cultures. Beyond personal intrigue, the book makes a wider point that Britain and France are both haunted by perceptions of past greatness. Vinen retraces the paths of two leaders who once helmed superpowers but lived to see their nations weakened by two world wars and the loss of empires.
Written with extraordinary narrative verve, The Last Titans offers a fresh exploration into the lives of de Gaulle and Churchill. By bringing their two stories into one, each man is seen afresh and we gain new insights into their achievements and their legacy today.
Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle were thrown together by the challenges of war. They incarnated the resistance of Britain and France to the existential threat from Nazi Germany, and their ultimate victory over Hitler has ensured their achievements will never be forgotten. But, as The Last Titans shows, that is only a small part of a complex story. Both men influenced their countries, and the world around them, long after the war was won.
De Gaulle—tall, gauche, charmless, and incorruptible—exhibited qualities often associated with the English. Churchill—short, charming, a bon vivant, and fond of money—resembled the quintessential politician of the French Third Republic. Their working relationship was rarely smooth, but they appreciated each other’s stature: de Gaulle said Churchill was “the great artist of a great history,” while Churchill recognized de Gaulle as “l'homme du destin.”
Richard Vinen explores what made these men exceptional and how profoundly they were influenced by their national cultures. Beyond personal intrigue, the book makes a wider point that Britain and France are both haunted by perceptions of past greatness. Vinen retraces the paths of two leaders who once helmed superpowers but lived to see their nations weakened by two world wars and the loss of empires.
Written with extraordinary narrative verve, The Last Titans offers a fresh exploration into the lives of de Gaulle and Churchill. By bringing their two stories into one, each man is seen afresh and we gain new insights into their achievements and their legacy today.
About The Author
Photograph by Jochen Braun
Richard Vinen is professor of history at Kings College London. He was previously a fellow of Trinity College Cambridge and, more recently, an archive by-fellow at Churchill College Cambridge. He has written for The New York Times, TLS, The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Boston Globe, The Independent, Financial Times, the Literary Review, and The Nation. He has appeared frequently on radio and television. He has published widely on British, French, and European history and, in 2015, won the Wolfson prize for history.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (March 17, 2026)
- Length: 400 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668064849
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Raves and Reviews
“An insightful and admirably concise study of the two leaders and their vexed relationship, which swung from fondness to fury and back again. Mr. Vinen deftly weaves character studies of both, bringing a skeptical academic eye to the legends that surround them.”
—The Wall Street Journal
"Vinen’s book makes a thoughtful addition to the vast literature about both his subjects."
—Max Hastings, The Sunday Times
"Richard Vinen’s study of two very different but similarly stubborn national figureheads is intriguing, deeply researched and very well-timed."
—Philip Stephens, Financial Times
"An enthralling, penetrating portrait of two fascinating figures – and their countries – in times of war and peace."
—Jonathan Fenby, author of The General: Charles de Gaulle and the France He Saved
"Highly readable… He draws the two men with a sure touch, their personal interactions a mix of mutual suspicion and admiration."
—The Observer
"An exemplary dual biography delving into two leaders who shepherded their countries through the consequential Second World War."
—Seattle Book Review
"Vinen skilfully teases out the similarities as well as the difference between his subjects.… This neat juxtaposition is a good example of Vinen’s analytical technique, which is fortified with extensive original research.... He provides what is most needed: insight."
—Literary Review
"By bringing their extraordinary lives together, Vinen provides fresh insights into the characters and attitudes of Churchill and de Gaulle ... A lively and engaging account of two giants of twentieth-century politics."
—David Gauke, former Lord Chancellor and UK Secretary of State for Justice
“What Richard Vinen does so brilliantly in The Last Titans is to show how the differences between these two leaders helped dictate the destinies of their people, and he does so with just the right balance of intimate detail and trenchant analysis.”
—AirMail
"A rare grandiloquent title that is not hyperbole. A superb page-turner."
—Kirkus (starred review)
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