The Splendid and the Vile: Churchill, Family and Defiance During the Bombing of London

by Erik Larson

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

'Every time Churchill took to the airwaves it was as if he were injecting adrenaline-soaked courage directly into the British people ... Larson tells the story of how that feat was accomplished ... Fresh, fast and deeply moving.' New York Times

A STARTLING, GRIPPING PORTRAIT OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ALIVE IN BRITAIN DURING THE BLITZ, AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE AROUND CHURCHILL.

On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister, 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, the Nazis would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons and destroying two million homes.

In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson gives a new and brilliantly cinematic account of how Britain's most iconic leader set about unifying the nation at its most vulnerable moment, and teaching 'the art of being fearless.'

Drawing on once-secret intelligence reports and diaries, #1 bestselling author Larson takes readers from the shelled streets of London to Churchill's own chambers, giving a vivid vision of true leadership, when - in the face of unrelenting horror - a leader of eloquence, strategic brilliance and perseverance bound a country, and a family, together.

• ISBN13: 9780008274986
• Publish Date: 4 March 2021 (first published 25 February 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: William Collins
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 608
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[kiracanread]

The Spledid and the Vile is by far one of the best non-fiction books I've had the pleasure of reading. Erik Larson's writing style is so unique and I absolutely adore it, the way that this book reads like a fiction had me hooked so easily. I really can't wait to read some more of Erik's books.

[Beth C.]

A great look at Churchill, his first year as Prime Minister, and how it affected his family and his nation. It really humanizes him in a way that many books don't, and the Nazi view that pops up gives a great look at both pieces of the puzzle. Another great title from Larson, and one well worth reading.