William Manchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Manchester
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Manchester in c. 1967
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| Born | William Raymond Manchester April 1, 1922 Attleboro, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | June 1, 2004 (aged 82) Middletown, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Resting place | Indian Hill Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Massachusetts State College (BA) University of Missouri (MA) |
| Notable works | American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880–1964, The Death of a President, The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill |
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William Raymond Manchester (born April 1, 1922 – died June 1, 2004) was an American writer. He was known for writing biographies and history books. He wrote 18 books that were translated into more than 20 languages. William Manchester received important awards like the National Humanities Medal.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Manchester was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts. He grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. His father was a soldier in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War I.
Joining the Marines
After his father passed away, and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, William Manchester joined the Marine Corps too. He was sent to college first, then called up for duty. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Manchester fought in the Battle of Okinawa. He was badly hurt in June 1945. He was later promoted to sergeant and received the Purple Heart medal.
College Studies
After World War II, Manchester worked as a copyboy for a newspaper. Then he went back to college. In 1946, he earned his bachelor's degree from Massachusetts State College. In 1947, he earned his master's degree from the University of Missouri.
Writing Career
William Manchester had a long and successful career as a writer. He worked as a journalist and later became a professor.
Journalism Work
In 1947, Manchester became a reporter for The Baltimore Sun newspaper. There, he met a famous journalist named H. L. Mencken. Mencken became his friend and helped him a lot.
Manchester wrote his first book about Mencken in 1951. It was called Disturber of the Peace. In 1953, Manchester published a novel called The City of Anger. This book was set in Baltimore.
Becoming a Professor
In 1955, Manchester started working as an editor at Wesleyan University. He stayed at this university for the rest of his career. He became a history professor there.
William Manchester developed a strong writing habit. He would often write for many hours without stopping. He loved writing so much that he would sometimes work for 50 hours at a time.
Famous Books
Manchester's experiences in the war inspired his book Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War. In this book, he shared his personal stories from fighting in the Pacific.
He also wrote several other books about World War II. One of his most famous works is a three-part biography about Winston Churchill, called The Last Lion. He also wrote a biography about General Douglas MacArthur, titled American Caesar.
The Death of a President
One of his best-selling books was The Death of a President (1967). This book tells the detailed story of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The Kennedy family asked Manchester to write this book in 1964.
Manchester studied the events leading up to the assassination very closely. He believed that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. This book was very popular when it was released.
Finishing Churchill's Biography
After his wife passed away in 1998, Manchester had two strokes. He told his publishers that he could not finish the third volume of his Churchill biography. This last book was called The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965.
In 2003, he asked his friend Paul Reid to help him finish the book. After Manchester's death, Reid completed the third volume. He used Manchester's notes and writings to finish the story.
Awards and Recognition
In 2001, President George W. Bush gave William Manchester the National Humanities Medal. This award recognizes people who have made great contributions to the humanities.
Manchester also received the Abraham Lincoln Literary Award. He won several other awards for his writing as well.
Personal Life
William Manchester married Julia Brown Marshall on March 27, 1948. Her nickname was Judy. They had three children together: a son named John, and two daughters named Julie and Laurie.
Death
William Manchester passed away on June 1, 2004, at the age of 82. He is buried at Indian Hill Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut.
Images for kids
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William Manchester's signature
See also
In Spanish: William Manchester para niños
