This final volume picks up in 1880, with William Gladstone returning as Prime Minister for the second time. He's already a legend, but instead of a victory lap, he plunges into the most divisive issue of the age: granting Ireland the right to govern its own affairs. The rest of the book follows his relentless, almost obsessive, push for Home Rule through the 1880s and into the 1890s. We see him win elections, lose them, form governments, and resign. The narrative is built around two massive Home Rule bills—both of which are defeated, tearing his Liberal Party apart in the process. Alongside this political earthquake, Morley shows us the private man: his deep religious faith, his quirky habit of chopping down trees for exercise, his complicated relationship with Queen Victoria (who frankly couldn't stand him), and his gradual, graceful retreat from public life. It ends not with a grand political victory, but with his death in 1898, leaving a nation to debate his colossal legacy.

Why You Should Read It

This book surprised me. I thought it would be a stately record of laws passed. Instead, it's a fascinating character study of an old man on a mission. Morley, who knew Gladstone personally, gives us a front-row seat to the contradictions. Here was a proper Victorian gentleman who gave fiery, hours-long speeches. A devout Christian who used ruthless political tactics. A man who loved classical literature but waged a brutal press war. You get a real sense of the physical and mental energy it took to be Gladstone. The theme that stuck with me is the cost of principle. He sacrificed party unity, his own popularity at times, and arguably his final years of peace for a cause he believed was morally absolute. It makes you think about what drives people in power and what they're willing to lose.

Final Verdict

This isn't a quick beach read. It's for someone who loves deep-dive biographies or is curious about the roots of modern British and Irish politics. If you enjoyed Robert Caro's books on Lyndon Johnson—that mix of immense detail with a compelling central figure—you'll find a similar rhythm here. You need a bit of patience for the 19th-century style, but the human story at its core is timeless. Perfect for history buffs who want to go beyond the dates and battles to understand the man behind them, and for anyone intrigued by stories of late-life ambition and unwavering belief.