Erik LarsonThe Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family and Defiance During the Blitz

This is a highly readable account of the early part of World War II, when Britain faced invasion and the bombs fell on British cities, usually London, indiscriminately and almost every night. The focus is on the then new Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and members of his immediate family during this ordeal.Much has been written about Churchill's life and about the war years, but nothing quite like this. The author has looked for some of the less reported stories from the time . He mined the unpublished parts of the war diary written by Jock Colville, Churchill's private secretary, and of Churchill's teenage daughter Mary, as well as of Mass Observation surveys taken among the general population at the time to give something of a feeling for what it must have been like to live through these events. For Churchill the pressure must have been beyond description, but what comes through most clearly is how in times of crises people carry on with their lives too, The loves, the parties, and the sometimes petty concerns of human existence carry on alongside the fear and the hope. This book brings that out brilliantly, as it does the remarkable courage and leadership shown by Churchill himself in the most challenging of times.There are lots of useful asides from the writings of the nazi leadership, with a fascinating account of Rudolf Hess's rather ridiculous attempts to broker a peace deal (on nazi terms, of course)At 500 pages of narrative this is a long book, but the story, though maybe familiar in its main events, races alongand I was sorry when I finished it , to the point that I even read the acknowledgements at the end...Superb reading, and a timely reminder that people have successfully got through much worse than we are experiencing now., and that the good times do come again.

The first two years of Churchill’s premiership - a fantastic page turner based on diaries of the great and the good (including Nazis) AND ordinary Brits responding to Mass Observation questionnaires. Reads like a brilliant novel.

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik LarsonThis book focuses on the dramatic events between the arrival of Winston Churchill as Prime Minister in May 1940 to the entry into the war of the United States in December 1941. The narrative moves effortlessly between the high drama of the war and the intimacies of Churchill’s family and the contrast between terrible events and the concerns of everyday life, not least the universal pleasures of romance in the beautiful summer of 1940, much of it told through the observations of Churchill’s youngest daughter Mary and one of his private assistants John Colville. This is very much the world of upper class English life but wider social comments come through reports from the Mass Observation correspondents.Churchill is introduced as an enigmatic figure divisive and unreliable to many political contemporaries but adored by much of the public who believe he is the only man to lead the country out of the dire straits apparent by May 1940. A striking part of the ensuing narrative is how Churchill becomes increasingly respected and even loved by those who work closely with him. He is described with all his eccentricity and unreasonableness but also his warm humanity. The unremitting pressure on him is all too obvious and although prone to dangerous diversions and an enthusiasm for any form of action his strategic sense is a dominating theme. Right from the beginning he sees Nazism as evil and not a force to negotiate with, he sees the absolute need to win the USA to the cause and he understands the power of image and oratory to stiffen morale and see the country through the dangerous months of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. The range of his concerns, his work load and amazing energy are quite remarkable. There are wonderful pen portraits of Beaverbrook, Ismay, Lindemann, Goring and Harry Hopkins but also the sadness of aspects of Churchill’s family life particularly the increasingly tragic figure of his son Randolph. The main themes are peppered with little vignettes such as the importance of tea for civilian life, the accounts for running Chartwell, the significance of radar, and the ceaseless round of Churchill’s purposeful entertaining.The author manages to bring to life a familiar period of British history with the skill of a novelist and an immediacy to events that take the reader to the heart of the personal and national drama. At the end this reader, at least, was reminded how fortunate civilisation was to have such a champion as Winston Churchill at its moment of greatest danger.

A day by day very personal account of a time in history we all know about. We rarely get this type of character development presented in such an up close and personal way in a non fiction book. Well documented and fascinating insights had me pursuing more information on most folks who appeared on these pages.

Not sure who this is aimed at. £20 for a book whose contents are little more than magazine filler. It's well written, as you would expect from a writer of successful crime thrillers but it is a scissors and paste job - all the material in the book has been done before (spookily familiar) and we read nothing new. It is one of those books which, if the author was not already known, the manuscript would have received a polite rejection slip. If you know nothing about Churchill and WW2 and are about 12 years old, this book is possibly for you. Otherwise, save your money. Academic rigour and analysis; not on this occasion.

This is a view of Churchill's first year as Prime Minister during World War 2, as sourced from the memoirs and diaries of those closest to him at the time.Casting him as a human being, this book is by turns hilarious and frightening. A warts-and-all view of the man, and his aides, gives a refreshingly realistic picture of how things were, without diminishing the amount of respect I have for all involved.

This is a really fascinating tale. It offers very vivid details. The descriptions of the bombing campaign create a feeling that you are there. Larson writes about historical fact in a novelistic style which is gripping and easy to understand.

Brilliantly written. Erik Larson has done it. Gripping from beginning to end. Superbly interwoven. Powerful and poignant. Essential reading, especially in these dark times...