The first volume of A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES was published by Cassell in April 1956, with 130,000 copies. There were four volumes in the set, the final one appearing in 1958. The volume titles are:

Vol. I THE BIRTH OF BRITAIN
Vol. II THE NEW WORLD
Vol. III THE AGE OF REVOLUTION
Vol. IV THE GREAT DEMOCRACIES

Cassell did a first class job on these books, tall 8vo volumes bound in smooth red cloth with gilt titles and red stained top edges. The dustjackets had special illustrations for each volume. Firsts are plentiful, but fine copies are not. Collectors should be alert for foxing, faded top edges, or colour shift on the dustjacket spines. Dustjacket flaps should not advertise later volumes on first editions.
This work is far from a comprehensive history. It emphasises Churchill's recurring theme of the unity of the English Speaking world. It also focuses on a number of specific turning points in history where one person made a difference, the unstated message being "like me".
The American first edition by Dodd Mead is not as nice a production as the English. The books are shorter and bound in grey cloth. Again, there are huge numbers of reprints and BOMC printings. The US firsts should have $6.00 prices on the dj flaps, red stained top page edges, no debossed dot on the rear cover, and correct dates on the title pages. Please note that the trade firsts DO have a statement on the dj flaps about the book being a BOMC selection.

Like THE SECOND WORLD WAR, there was a deluxe Chartwell Edition published by the Educational Book Co. Ltd. The Canadian edition is dervied from the US edition with similar jacket design, but a more attractive binding in dark blue cloth. There have also been numerous paperbacks and abridged editions over the years. There was a nice leather bound edition produced by the Easton Press in 1992.

There were four excerpted works which are listed individually: The American Civil War, Heroes of History, The Island Race, and Joan of Arc.