The Splendid and the Vile is a good, but not great, Erik Larson book. He has set the bar high for himself over the years with a number of very well-written histories. The Splendid and the Vile is also well written, but it feels slight. It is for the WW2 or Churchill completist as it details not only Winston Churchill’s actions and speeches during the London Blitz (mostly very well known), but also those of his family members and close circle of advisors, both famous and not so. The details about Mary Churchill’s (WCs teenage daughter) life through her letters are the best part of this book which still doesn’t quite rise to the level of Larson’s top work.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Galley.

historical-places-events, historical-research, history, nonfiction, Great Britain

I wouldn't normally read a book about Churchill because of his causing the Anzac massacre at Gallipoli, but this author is known for meticulous research and crediting. This intense scrutiny of the man, his aides and allies, family, and the people of Great Britain during a time for the space of a year when they were under fire in every sense of the word. Hitler and his minions were going about their murderous business, France fell, and the Americans had their heads in the sand. This book humanizes not only Churchill but those around him as well. I was surprised to find myself reading on for long periods of time. It's that well written.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crown Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

"If some of what follows challenges what you have come to believe about Churchill and this era, may I just say that history is a lively abode, full of surprises." Erik Larson is the master of taking a period in history, juicing it up with details of people and happenings behind the scene, and making the reader think about that history in a new light. This book is another humdinger that will make your jaw drop, will have you saying 'wow' out loud, and write down inspiring quotes over and over again. For instance, "...when I remember all that has gone wrong, and remember also all that has gone right, I feel sure we have no need to fear the tempest. Let it roar, and let it rage. We shall come through." Damn, this man could lead and inspire, like no other yet he was far from perfect. (he's got some quirky personal habits, that's for sure!) This book tells the story of that first year, the worst year of the Blitz, where thousands died, women and children and ordinary people, who all stood on the side of the Channel and told Hitler NO. I absolutely loved this book and anyone who loves history will as well.

I love how Eric Larson weaves history & story together! Winston Churchill was so dynamic and so interesting and reading anything about the man (& WW2) is absolutely fascinating; especially as this book takes place during his first year as Prime Minister.

Bestselling author Erik Larson turns his attention to Winston Churchill's first year as Prime Minister as he unites a nation in the face of the horrors of the London Blitz. With thorough in-depth research, Larson brings Churchill to life - sharing details on his political and personal life.

However, Larson's thoroughness is also a drawback. At over 600 pages, you need to love history books to appreciate this thick tome. Although, it is easier than reading Churchill's own six-volume work on the Second World War. 

All in all, my love of World War II books made this my favorite of the February 2020 book releases I've read. Just be prepared for an informative read on this fascinating topic instead of a thrilling read.

I have long been a fan of Erik Larson’s books. The Splendid and The Vile is no exception. Larson’s book looks at Churchill’s first year as prime minister, the first year of England in WWII. Rather than overwhelm the reader with another exhaustive Churchill biography, we instead are treated to this specific one year slice of Churchill’s life. It is about the war, about his family and the team that helps him navigate through this intense time. Fascinating book, well researched and written.

Thanks to Churchill and the British citizens ability to "Keep Calms and Carry On" Europe is what it is today (thank you). Learned a lot and enjoyed reading it - a lot of details at times but necessary to understand everyday life during the Blitz.

History which ticks along as dramatically as fiction, with Larsen's splendid talent for immersing the reader in a moment in time. A rich, exciting, whiplash-paced read.

As an Erik Larson fan I was thrilled when I received this ARC. I’ve read 4 of Larson’s previous books : Dead Wake, Isaac’s Storm, In the Garden of Beasts and The Devil in the White City. While The Splendid and the Vile did not engage me as much as the others, it was a well-researched and we’ll-written account of Churchill’s personal and public life around 1941. This past summer I had the chance to see the Churchill War-rooms in London and this was the perfect follow up.

I like learning about history and have more of an interest in it now than when I was younger and in school, having to read and memorize people and dates! During a trip to Dover Castle last year, we visited the underground tunnels where Churchill secretly held meetings during World War II. Its amazing how history comes to life when you can see something up close like where Churchill worked and where the battle of Dunkirk was planned.

If you ever go to Dover, England, be sure to visit Dover Castle and the tunnels underneath! Europe has such a fascinating history and I hope to visit again and learn more.

But I digress!

Take a look at The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson which is coming out next month!

“Mine is a more intimate account that delves into how Churchill and his circle went about surviving on a daily basis: the dark moments and the light, the romantic entanglements and debacles, the sorrows and laughter, and the odd little episodes that reveal how life was really lived under Hitler’s tempest of steel.” –Erik Larson

On Winston Churchill’s first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally—and willing to fight to the end.

In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson shows, in cinematic detail, how Churchill taught the British people “the art of being fearless.” It is a story of political brinkmanship, but it’s also an intimate domestic drama, set against the backdrop of Churchill’s prime-ministerial country home, Chequers; his wartime retreat, Ditchley, where he and his entourage go when the moon is brightest and the bombing threat is highest; and of course 10 Downing Street in London. Drawing on diaries, original archival documents, and once-secret intelligence reports—some released only recently—Larson provides a new lens on London’s darkest year through the day-to-day experience of Churchill and his family: his wife, Clementine; their youngest daughter, Mary, who chafes against her parents’ wartime protectiveness; their son, Randolph, and his beautiful, unhappy wife, Pamela; Pamela’s illicit lover, a dashing American emissary; and the advisers in Churchill’s “Secret Circle,” to whom he turns in the hardest moments.

This is an incredible non-fiction book and offers so much detail that I encourage you to set aside plenty of time to really drink this in! History buffs will absolutely want to get their hands on this amazing book. Prediction- it will be a best-seller!

Coming out on February 25.

This is my first Erik Larson book and it didn’t disappoint. He is a master historian who brings the reader into each conversation, each meeting and each private setting as though you are a part of it as well. I will say that I had heard Larson writes history as a novel, which makes him such a brilliant historian bc he engages the reader. This book was engaging but it wasn’t written as a novel, it was written as though you were reading journal entries. That is my only complaint.

Erik Larson is an exceptional writer. His meticulous research, coupled with a conversational writing style, make his nonfiction books as enjoyable to read as a novel. He tells the reader about Churchill, but more importantly, we get to know people around him: his wife, his 18-year- old daughter, his spendthrift son, and most importantly, his entourage, all of whom worked tirelessly during the war years. The descriptions elicit a very visceral reaction—I felt almost as if I were a witness to the terrible bombings—but there are moments when he also injects humor. (Roosevelt sent his emissary Harry Hopkins to meet with Churchill in 1940; Churchill took him to review the fleet on a very cold, blustery day. Hopkins “looked for a place to shelter …from the cold and wind…and found a spot that seemed ideal. A chief petty officer approached him, saying ‘Excuse me sir, I don’t think you should sit there—that, sir, is a depth charge.’”)
I highly recommend The Splendid and the Vile, not only to readers with an interest in history, but also to those who usually don’t care for nonfiction. Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing this Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Erik Larson's previous work, so I jumped at the chance to read his newest book, even though I'm not the biggest fan of Winston Churchill (beyond his leadership in WWII - even though I'm aware there were issues there as well).

Even though voters turned him out of office very soon after the war, Churchill definitely had a strong hold on the British public with his strength and courage in weathering the Nazi blitz and facing down Fascism until its ultimate defeat. Larson shows this Churchill along with the side of him never seen by the public, as well as bringing his family's personalities and actions to light with details I've never come across.

All together, a very engrossing and well-written book, as you'd expect from Erik Larson.

Popular history at its best
This is a very humanized account of one of the most pivotal times in English history providing a up close portrait not only of Churchill but also of his family members and closest aides
It was a real page turner

Well researched telling of life in Greaat Britain and the Churchills's lives in the arly stages of World War II, as Winston became Prime Minister. Using primary sources, Larson outlines the affects of the London Blitz and the war in general on everyday people as well as members of the Government. Reads like a novel at points, but well documents. HIghly recommended for fans of Larson's earlier works and for those interested in World War II and British History.

Erik Larson never fails.Another engaging involving informative book each of his books takes us to a tie in history that teaches and entertains.Highly recommend.#netgalley#crownbooks

As always is the case, books by Erik Larson transcend the usual historical novel. This author always goes above and beyond in his books and provides the readers with a story that not only flows smoothly, but also is able to provide facts that are fascinating, erudite, and ultimately educate the reader, in a way that is fascinating and captivating.

There are multiple books about Winston Churchill, but this one merged together flawlessly pieces of his life. Winston had the uncanny ability to unite a nation that was bombarded with everything Nazi Germany had in its arsenal, but still managed to carry through to victory. It was also a fine tribute to the men and women behind the scenes, those who carried on because of Winston, and those family members who so believed in their husband and father. Winston didn't believe in failure and though there were many, his indomitable spirit seemed to transcend defeat and inspire in the British people that spirit, and drive that nothing could or would crush them.

Winston's character, that tough cigar chomping man who had various idiosyncrasies, was a marvel among men. His spirit and determination led a beleaguered country to its ultimate goal, that of staying a free Britain. He was a masterful leader of people, who made those around him strive for things it seemed impossible to achieve. The populace adored him, as he made himself one of them, walking through the ruins of war so gallantly and heroically, delivering speeches to the people, standing tall in the face of an imminent defeat. He was the man England needed and he pushed through valiantly, providing his nation with the spirit and determination it so needed in its hour of darkness. “Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the hard may be; for without victory there is no survival.”

If you are at all interested in history, in a man, in a country that stood up to what others might have claimed as unbeatable odds this book is one for you. I recommend it most highly for its authentic look at a man and a time that should always be viewed as the epitome of the human spirit.

Thank you to Erik Larson, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this fabulous book due out February 25, 2020.

Another very interesting and informative book by one of my favorite authors, Erik Larson. I am sure that I never realized just how alone, and for such a long time they stood after France fell to the Nazis. I would like to think I would bear up under the cold , hunger, and lack of sleep due to rationing of fuel and food, and night after night of bombing. A very enlightening book

Really well researched and interesting story by one the best research authors today. He never misses a beat and tells great stories of real events and people.

Erik Larson has a unique way to telling us the story insdie of history. He doesn't create all his characters but he brings them to life and he makes them both relatable and equally extraordinary. The Splendid and the Vile tells the story of Churchill and his inner circle, both political and domestic. Larson uses diaries, archival documents, including declassified intelligence reports to tell the story of the Londond Blitz.

At times, it feels like the day-to-day life of Churchill and his cohort will run out of intrgue but Larson brings the story back again and again using both the professional and personal to tell this story.