Erik Larson is a great author and all his books are highly recommended for fans of history. Recommended for purchase.

Wow! Erik Larson does it again! And this time about Winston Churchill. An interesting look at WWII from perspectives and stories we don't typically hear as much about this era. If you like Erik Larson/non-fiction that reads like fiction, pick this up ASAP!

Once again Erik Larson's new book is nonfiction that is as hard to put down as the best fiction. The Splendid and the Vile recounts the early days of Churchill as prime minister, when France fell to Germany and the British empire stood alone against Hitler. He makes no attempt to gloss over Churchill's eccentricities and faults, and despite those faults it is clear to the reader that Churchill was the only man who could have saved the empire. An extraordinary book about an extraordinary time in history, impossible to put down even though the reader knows the outcome.

Erik Larson's The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz is sharply focused on the man, his family, and friends from May 10, 1940 when Churchill took office until America finally enters the war.

The book is meticulously researched and still personal and relatable. Churchill is presented in all his glory and all of his eccentricities. Letters and diaries from friends and family fill in life during the period from Hitler's invasion of the Low Countries and the rapid fall of France, the crucial evacuation at Dunkirk, the fear of occupation, and the devastation of the Blitz.

One thing I was not aware of was that in 1937 the Mass Observation Diary Project was formed. The Archives provide primary source material of the everyday lives of the 500 volunteers. An excellent source at any time, but during those years preceding and during the war--an amazing resource.

"A pioneering social research organisation, Mass Observation was founded in 1937 by anthropologist Tom Harrisson, film-maker Humphrey Jennings and poet Charles Madge. Their aim was to create an 'anthropology of ourselves', and by recruiting a team of observers and a panel of volunteer writers they studied the everyday lives of ordinary people in Britain. This landmark digital project opens up revolutionary access to the archive. "(Source: the above link)

The Splendid and the Vile ranks among my favorite nonfiction books this year (or ever), an absolutely engrossing account of disasters, courage, and defiance; of great leaders, elegant language, and of ordinary people.

Read in November.

NetGalley/Crown Publishi
History/Nonfiction. Feb. 25, 2020. Print length: 464 pages.

Many thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way by the publisher.

Erik Larson does it again! No other non-fiction author melds quotes, speeches, letters, etc so seamlessly together that it makes you feel as if you are reading a fictional novel. And trust me, as a history major, I have read my fair share of poorly written and dry non-fiction books. I have always been impressed with Larson’s ability to combine facts and personal perspectives in such a way that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat wanting more.

It is evident that Larson researched Churchill and England during the Blitz down to the last details. Larson provides personal accounts of Churchill’s family and political life, while also giving data on the official war efforts of England. I'm not a huge numbers person (math, ugh), but I enjoyed being given the full experience of the war instead of just a small part.

I enjoyed the fact that Larson found and utilized multiple different viewpoints for this book. Mary Churchill and Churchill’s private secretary, John Coville, both reveal different sides of the prime minister, while also giving life to the book. Throughout the book they fall in and out of love and continue to live their lives despite the repeated bombings in London and the stress of the war.

My one major critique is that I wish the book had included a stronger viewpoint from a figure in the United States. A major sub-plot in this book (you know beyond the whole war thing) is Churchill’s attempts to convince Roosevelt and the Americans to join the war. I would have like to hear more from everyday Americans or from a government official on their perspective and reasonings why it took America so long when they were hearing accounts of what was happening in Europe.

Great, informative, easy to read non-fiction account of World War II! Highly recommend!

I always learn so much from Erik Larson and even with knowing a fair amount of WWII London history and the Churchill family, there is so much insight here. Instead of spewing facts and death totals, Larson gives us a real sense of the human spirit and incredible bravery the Londoners displayed every day during the Blitz as well as insight into some of the key players in Germany and the states. He also gives us insight into how the Brits felt about Winston Churchill and how the Churchill family weathered his unusual approach to leadership and his almost tireless energy when it came to saving his country against the odds. Eric Larson presents the man and the myth as well as highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of Churchill's family and confidants. When you see what this small country went through before the Americans could finally be persuaded to enter the war it is truly amazing that they not only survived but came together helping each other and stoically supporting the man they knew could lead them out of the darkness. With every book, I read on the subject I have more respect and admiration for this group of ordinary people who came together and stared death in the face. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This is a well-crafted and expertly researched book about Churchill and the first year of the war. The author crystallizes much of the known research and adds a smattering of new information. While Churchill was often a difficult person with some strange eccentricities, he was perhaps the only person with the stamina and determination that could lead the people through this difficult time. His ability to encourage and motivate his people in the midst of continual bombing is perhaps his greatest achievement.
The book spends much time exploring the family and personal relationships and this adds to the drama of the times.
The author also explores Churchill’s persistence and strength in light of the domination and determination of Germany to completely annihilate England. Of special interest is the exploration of Churchill’s relationship with Roosevelt and his uncanny ability to develop the political and personal ties that would provide relief to England.
Churchill was truly a man for his time and this book does a good job of providing understanding and insight into Churchill’s character and personality.
This book is a good read for any historians, history buffs, or just those who are interested in the development of leaders in a time of trial.

A really excellent read that gets into the fascinating, weird personality of Churchill. Because Larson focuses so tightly on the Churchill family, you get an unusual view of London in wartime. It’s probably not for everyone and will take some time, but your patience will be rewarded. I love history like this.

For World War II buffs, The Splendid and the Vile will definitely be a pleaser, as it is meticulously and thoroughly researched. Focusing on the period between 1940-1941 when the German Luftwaffe launched a series of attacks on the British Isle, including London, Eric Larson offers a sweeping, yet intimate, account of Winston Churchill's experience of that period. As with all Larson's historical forays, the writing style is readily accessible to the non-academic reader, albeit at times the level of detail in this book can be mind-numbing and even tedious. That said, he does an excellent job of reminding American readers of details of WWII that are often lost in the current narrative of the so-called "Greatest Generation." For example, because the book focuses on the British experience prior to American entry in the war, the reader learns much about the momentous efforts by Churchill to get Americans to enter the war, knowing full well in the wake of France's surrender that without American support, Britain could only hold off Adolf Hitler for so long. These efforts were met with concerted opposition on the part of some Americans such as Joseph Kennedy, US ambassador to Great Britain and Charles Lindbergh, the flying ace and national hero who threw his support behind the isolationist group, the America First Committee. What the reader also discover is that due to isolationism, American military was in poor shape. As Time Magazine, at the time put it, “Against Europe’s total war, the US Army looked like a few nice boys with BB guns.” The reader is also treated to vivid descriptions of Churchill’s preference for flowery and flamboyant nightwear and his dancing habits. However, the book is at its best when it focuses on the experiences of ordinary citizens, recounting their perceptions and experiences of aerial bombing as part of the social research project, Mass-Observation. In 1939, Mass-Observation invited members of the public to record and send them a day-to-day account of their lives in the form of a diary. No special instructions were given to these diarists, so they varied greatly in their style, content and length. Thus, they provide an honest and often unseen perspective on war. Although I wish that Larson had spent more time on this aspect, given the countless pages already devoted to Churchill’s life, he has written an entertaining and informative popular history of this time period.

Like The Devil in the White City, Larson's latest is a gripping piece of non-fiction written like a novel. Engaging, easy to read, and fascinating!

In THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE, Larson focuses with “you are there” details, on the first year of Churchill as Prime Minister, May 1940-May 1941, a year coinciding with the catastrophic German air campaign as experienced by the Prime Minister, his family, staff, and all Britons who, at the time, faced the possibility/probability of an eventual German invasion of their island.

I enjoyed this book as I have all of the other Erik Larson books that I have read. His writing style makes history come alive and reads more like a novel than a recitation of the facts. This book deals with Winston Churchill's first year as Prime Minister, his family and those who worked closely with him, and the Blitz of London and surrounding cities during that time. He also relays the frustrations that Nazi Germany had in trying to get Churchill to surrender or at least enter a truce and his efforts to bring the United States into the conflict or at least gain their support in material and financing.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in World War II and in particular the Blitz and the role that Churchill played in it.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page

As terrible as the costs of war are, we tend to feel especial horror over civilian casualties.

Shortly after the beginning of World War II, German bombers attacked Britain relentlessly in what came to be known as “the Blitz” after the German word “blitzkrieg,” meaning “lightning war.” Between September 7, 1940 and May 10, 1941, some 45,000 British civilians were killed and another 139,000 were injured. Many were left homeless - over 12,000 alone in the final, brutal raid on London. Hundreds of thousands of buildings were destroyed or damaged. Overall, some 33,000 tons of bombs were dropped by the Germans over Britain. It was only after the Germans opened up a second front against Russia that the bombing abated, because the Germans needed to redeploy the aircraft of the Luftwaffe to their new Eastern Front.

Larson explains that he wrote this history after wondering how anyone could stand the fear, noise, and damage of the constant bombardment, and in particular, how parents could handle the threat to their children. (During the Blitz 7,736 children were killed and 7,622 seriously wounded.) He wondered how Churchill, by then aged 65, coped. Because so many biographies of Churchill have already been written, Larson opted to craft “a more intimate account” of this period using source material from diaries as well as documents. He drew from the private diaries of Mary Churchill, at 17 the youngest of Churchill’s four children; John “Jock” Colville, 25, one of Churchill’s private secretaries; and Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s chief propagandist.

The timeline of the book takes us from the evacuation of the Allies from Dunkirk in June, 1940, through the collapse of France shortly thereafter, the invasion by Hitler of Russia in late June, 1941, and finally to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and subsequent entry of the United States into the war. After vicariously enduring all that Churchill and the British did, one can’t help but have mixed feelings over the Japanese bombing; the sacrifice of the soldiers at Pearl Harbor and resulting willingness of Americans to enter the fray undoubtedly saved Britain, hanging on by a thread, from Hitler’s juggernaut.

Larson does a good job in embellishing what history buffs already know about the first year of the war in England with interesting personal observations by those closely tied to the centers of power. Just as we have come to expect from fiction, the daily ravages of war did not stop those caught up in its vise from experiencing the gamut of personal relationships. It is notable that, as Larson observed, “the attacks on London seemed clearly to unleash a new sexuality… As bombs fell, libidos soared.” One American wrote home confiding: “the only thing people seem scared about here is being lonely, so they date up way ahead of time to ensure against an evening alone.” Another woman observed: “Young people were reluctant to contemplate death without having shared their bodies with someone else.” Affairs involving married people were also common, Larson reports.

Evaluation: It is hard to read this thrilling account without gaining even more appreciation for Churchill than if one only had read his speeches, which were simply superb. One will also admire the courage and perseverance of those who went through so much and still carried on. It’s an inspiring story, and written to appeal to more than just a “history” audience - it reads in many ways like a thriller, albeit one you already know the outcome of.

This book went into amazing detail about what Churchill had to deal with in his first 2 years of being Prime Minister. I have read many books on World War II and yet Larson still brought out information that I had never heard about, such as the fact that the first bombing on London was an accident! At first I was intimidated by the length of this book but Larson did such a great job of drawing the reader in that I hardly noticed the length. By the end I was wishing he had written a book about the whole war, not just the Blitz. Larson described Churchill so well throughout the entirety of the book that it felt like I had met him in person! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about World War II and the politics that occurred prior to America joining the war. I'd like to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of The Splendid and the Vile.

Erik Larson delivers again! This book, like his others, reads like great historical fiction and captures the reader's interest from the first paragraph. So many books have been written about Churchill, but The Splendid and the Vile gives you a front row seat to a terrible time in history and the horrors suffered by Churchill and the people of England.

A saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance during the Blitz

From newly available sources, declassified files and personal diaries, Erik Larson chronicles Winston Churchill’s life during his first year as prime minister and during the London Blitz. This compelling portrait shows in a cinematic way how Churchill taught the British people the art of being fearless. The story is more than a political one it also tells us the domestic drama and the day to day experience of Churchill, his family and his inner circle.

We are taken in a time of unrelenting horror with eloquence. Mr. Larson artfully weaves a tapestry of events, speeches, daily routines and tells us how the Prime Minister was determined in his pursuit to obtain aide from the USA and how it was up to him to hold his country together during Hitler’s relentless bombing campaign. Mr. Larson is definitely a master of narrative non-fiction work.

Although the Battle of Britain has been told many times there are always new discoveries and some omissions. This book ninety-some chapter tackles in depths the experience of the Battle as well as describing Churchill’s eccentric behaviour. For those who are fan of historical events, we learn a bit more, and for the fie hard definitely this book is an added bonus.

Whether a non-fiction or historical fiction I love reading war time accounts. Mr. Larson did not disappoint, his vivid details brought the era alive with all the screeching, whistling and hissing sound that bombs do to scare the population and to obliterate everything. With the resiliency of the population and good leadership Britain survived and with the contribution of allies, the Axis defeated. ……..”Never forget”……..

Erik Larson is in top form with The Splendid and the Vile illustrating aspects of WW II and Churchill that most readers will not know.

Another terrific book by author Erik Larson. The focus is on Churchill's first year as Prime Minister. France is falling, Britain is enduring bombing of its cities. This period is when Churchill becomes the man we recognize in history books, a transformational and inspirational leader and visionary who will grow to have a significant impact on world affairs.

Accounts come from a wide range of personal diaries and memoirs. Churchill family members, personal secretaries, senior governmental officials, as well as civilian diaries from hundreds of volunteers keeping daily war diaries are included. The perspectives of senior German leadership and American senior officials as they consider entering the war are especially compelling.

Churchill was a decent, inspirational and intelligent communicator. Erik Larson’s meticulous research and masterful writing bring this true leader and patriot to life in a a fascinating and easily digestible manner.


**will post online reviews closer to publication.

A meticulously researched book about the bombing of England during 1940-41 which ends just as the US is entering the war. I can't even begin to fathom the amount of hours that went in the researching all the facts that go into making this book come alive as the author tells the story of the bombing of England at the hands of Germany during the beginning of World War II. As I have mainly read books from the US perspective, this books was great and gave me a lot of insight about the war from Churchill's point of view. It seems as if he is practically begging the US to help him avoid defeat and the US seems to find every reason to avoid any substantive help. Pick this up if you enjoy this author, his style or a great book about the war.
Thank you Netgalley, by Erik Larson, Crown Publishing for the ARC for my honest review.

Thanks Net Galley for the ARC

Bravo Mr. Larson, you never disappoint! Now some may say the Churchill field is too crowded already and perhaps you are right but this is a smaller more digestible piece for you to enjoy. No, if you have read several on PM Winston this will not illuminate some dark corner but n the likeable Larson language you get a glimpse into a pivotal year in the life of a great leader for WAR; but couldn't get elected once it was done. Lots of good lessons here.