Splendid – that’s an accurate description of "The Splendid and the Vile" by Erik Larson. It is fabulous read. The book covers Winston Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister at the start of World War II. It is a wonderfully researched and executed rendition of a terrifying and heartbreaking time when Britain becomes the sole country battling Nazi Germany. Larson uses primary sources in innovative and effective ways to cover Churchill and historic events using typical resources as well as Churchill’s daughter Mary’s diary, diaries of ordinary people, and even German sources, thus giving almost a 360-degree view of extraordinary times. "Splendid" provides personal insight into Churchill and his group but also the British people who lived and carried on despite the brutal and sometimes constant bombardment by the Nazis. Even though we might think we know the story and the ending, Larson actually imbues the book with suspense and drama. It is a story of true leadership, and courage and hope. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

Erik Larson has done it again! There is no other way to start a discussion of Larson's (Dead Wake) newest book: The Splendid and the Vile. This is the story of Churchill and his family in his first year as prime minister as Hitler not only takes over swathes of Europe, but also begins bombing England in what would become known as the Blitz.

Not solely a military or political history, Splendid seeks to answer the question: what was it like for people living through the Blitz? How did Churchill's family balance politics and personal lives? Using personal diaries and archival documents, Larson is able to tell these stories using the words of people like Mary Churchill, Winston's youngest daughter; Pamela Churchill, his unhappy daughter-in-law; and John Colville, one of his personal secretaries. Their loves and losses show attempts to carry on normal lives while also dealing with bombings that often came quite close to killing them. Although I hadn't really thought about it before reading Splendid, I knew very little about Churchill's family and quickly became fascinated to learn about them and their experiences. I found myself asking the book (in the middle of tense military action when I hadn't heard from the family in awhile) "but how is Pamela coping? Is Mary really going to marry that guy? What the heck is Randolph thinking?" every bit as anxiously as I found myself worrying over where the next bomb would fall.

Larson's eye for detail and talent for descriptions create a cinematic effect: the reader can see the moonlit countryside from the view of a Luftwaffe pilot, smell the cordite and taste the dust and grit of bombed out buildings. This should appeal to the casual reader every bit as much as the history devotee.

My favorite histories are ones that look at the day-to-day experience of regular people as well as the movers and shakers. Thanks to extensive diaries kept by people across England, those details are available to us and Larson uses these diaries every bit as much as the diaries of Churchill's private secretaries. Because of this, as well as Larson's excellent writing style, readers will be drawn in from page one and held, enthralled, until the very end.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Erik Larson is the author of many successful history books, including 'Dead Wake', ' In The Garden Of The Beasts' and 'The Devil In The White City'. His newest book covers the first year of World War II and the Nazi bombing campaign that would kill 45,000 Britons. The author details Churchill's leadership as well as his family life. The need to keep up the moral of the citizens as well as the fervent need for help from the USA is also documented. Larson's writing is entertaining as well as being educational...definitely a win-win.

I have read many books by Erik Larson and love his writing style. He writes nonfiction like he's telling a story, so I was excited to get an early copy of The Splendid and the Vile. While I've read many historical fiction books set during the war, this was my first biography. The description of Churchill, his family, and his "entourage" of assistants and bodyguards was engaging and even humorous at times. It gave me a better picture of this fascinating man that made such a difference to the war and England itself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Erik Larson did it AGAIN--another fabulous narrative nonfiction about one of the darkest times in history. This book read like a suspense novel even though it is nonfiction. Reading this gave me a new appreciation for and insight into Winston Churchill and the battles he fought to keep England safe. Excellent, must-read for anyone interested in the human experience in history.

Wow. Larson takes us to 1940s London with gorgeous detail and humanizes Churchill the legend in a way I'd not read before.
His meticulous research shows on every single page, and even though I knew the outcome of WWII, I could not put this down.

You really have to be interested in the life of Winston Churchill to read this book, it is an in depth look at the part he played in the war, as well as an in depth look into his personal life.

Unfortunately, at times, when the book dove into his personal life, I found my mind wandering.
But this is no fault of the author who is undoubtedly one the greatest non-fiction writers, and if you want to read book about a certain person, or about a specific event, you want it to be a book by Erik Larson.

Here's the thing: I am mildly obsessed with WWII fiction and The Crown, so when Erik Larson (who is the gold standard when it comes to nonfiction that read like fiction) writes a book about Winston Churchill and WWII, I am in, even though the book is a massive 600-page haul! It took me some time and it was an investment read, but all-in-all it was worth my time and effort. I can see this book being very popular with book clubs and readers who have mild obsessions like me.

Erik Larson is one of my favorite non-fiction writers. He has a way with non-fiction writing that reads like fiction, which is a special skill. The writing in this is no different. However, this one didn’t knock it out of the park for me. Possibly because of the subject matter, I didn’t find myself as engaged as his other books. I also had very high expectations. Still, the writing is great and a lot of interesting facts in here.

Erik Larson is a nonfiction narrative master. His research and coverage of Churchill and associates was astounding. I’m at the point that I’ll read anything he writes even if the topic doesn’t necessarily interest me - simply because his writing and research is that good. And, I’m usually fascinated with the topic by the time I’m done with the book.

I’ve read several books by Eric Larson—he’s a writer who doesn’t disappoint, and “The Splendid and the Vile” is no exception. Set roughly over the one year period between the time Winston Churchill became prime minister of Great Britain in May 1940 and the end of the London Blitz in May 1941, Larson’s account takes the reader inside Churchill’s cabinet—and his private life—through letters, memoirs and diary excerpts from Churchill, his wife Clementine, daughter Mary and daughter-in-law Pamela as well as the various ministers and private secretaries—even King George VI—who witnessed this tumultuous period of World War II. Larson follows the events of the year chronologically, detailing Lord Beaverbrook’s efforts to increase Britain’s aircraft production; meetings between Churchill and France’s leadership as the situation in France grew ever more grim; Dunkirk; the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz; and Churchill’s numerous requests to Franklin Roosevelt for American military aid. He also provides the German perspective, combing through letters and diaries from Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, Luftwaffe Chief Hermann Göring and German ace Adolph Galland to illuminate German attempts to subdue Britain. Scattered throughout are excerpts from the Mass-Observation diaries of ordinary Londoners and Larson’s own sharp observations, which for me really elevated this book and set it apart from other accounts I’ve read. Here’s Larson describing the morning after one of the first big raids: “For Londoners, it was a night of first experiences and sensations. The smell of cordite after a detonation. The sound of glass being swept into piles.” And a diary passage typical of the many fascinating accounts: “It’s not the bombs I’m scared of any more, it’s the weariness,” wrote a female civil servant in her Mass-Observation diary—“trying to work and concentrate with your eyes sticking out of your head like hat-pins, after being up all night. I’d die in my sleep, happily, if only I could sleep.” This is not an exhaustive military history or a Churchill biography—there are already plenty of those. But if you want a fly-on-the-wall look at Churchill’s first year as prime minister from all sorts of perspectives, “The Splendid and the Vile” is a fascinating must read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown/Random House for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

This book is a deep dive into Churchill’s first year as prime minister of Great Britain. It is a bleak time for the nation and the book is a very interesting exploration of Churchill’s life. I have read other books on the subject but this one really captures how Churchill’s positive reputation grew over time. It may not be a read for everyone but those with an interest in history will find the book a treasure. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the Arc.

I am a huge fan of Erik Larson because his nonfiction novels read like fiction. I didn't quite feel the same way about this one, but I was still really fascinated by this in-depth analysis of Churchill's first year as Prime Minister during World War II. There were definitely parts that were a bit tedious to get through (though I think that's partially because I often read this book while nursing in the middle of the night), but overall, I really enjoyed it and feel like I have a much better idea of who Churchill was.

When Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in May of 1940, Europe was already in shambles. The Blitz was just a few months away; the evacuation of Dunkirk, mere weeks. Larson chronicles Churchill's frantic first year in office, depicting both the large-scale military action and the personal lives of those in his orbit. The specs of fighter planes and the love life of Churchill's secretary John Colville, the obliteration of Coventry and Churchill's collection of eye-watering dressing gowns, all the details both grand and quotidian are present. The width and depth of research bring to vivid life ordinary and extraordinary people.

I have actually never read a “bad” Erik Larsen book, and I can tell you this one is indeed “splendid”. His books are always extremely well researched and written. This one is no exception. Even in its “unedited” form I can predict this will be a best seller as he chronicles Winston Churchill and his leadership through Britain’s darkest days.

Wonderful nonfiction about a significant period of Churchill’s life. Draws you in with rich level of details and first hand quotes etc. My first Erik Larson, I believe, and I will certainly be reading more.

For the history buff and the curious, ERIK Larson’s new book, The Splendid and the Vile, brings to life the first year of Winston Churchill’s term as Prime Minister. Although at times the reader may become bogged down in too much detail, this book is for the most part a fascinating look at Churchill, those around him in his governmental and personal lives, and, to a lesser degree, those who surrounded Hitler throughout this momentous year. Larson’s writing style presents history in ways non-professional historians can access without feeling that the text has been “dumbed down.” Personally, I found the details of Churchill’s attempts to draw America into the war as well as the portrayal of Churchill’s success in motivating the British people during the hardest of times, to be fascinating and insightful. This is a splendid book that will have wide appeal.

One may find dates and short descriptions in a text book, or you could sit through a lecture to get a bit more personality, or even watch a documentary to see some moving pictures… but you wouldn’t get the depth and insight that you do in an Erik Larson book. In The Splendid and the Vile his meticulous research and talented writing give readers a fascinating look into one year in the life of Winston Churchill. Starting in May of 1941, just before he takes office as Prime Minister, Larson details the conversations, the meetings, and the speeches, but also the eccentricities of the leader and interworking of his whole family. This year holds the surrender of the French, the beginning of The Blitz, and calls to isolationist America for help.

Even though the book is weighty at just over 600 pages, the chapters are on the smaller size and are balanced well between the British side of the war and other points of view. The descriptions of the places are excellent and drew me in immediately to each scene. Another thing is Larson’s use of diary entries. Some are derived from the public who took part in a government project to get firsthand knowledge of the war.

Personal Note: I have like now read all of Larson’s books, and while I love his writing style, I just liked the subjects of a couple of his pieces a better than others. The Devil and the While City and Thunderstruck were excellent books that contained little-known true crime mysteries. And his last three books (Dead Wake, In the Garden of Beasts, and The Splendid and the Vile) have been without much mystery and their topics have covered parts of history that one can readily find. His writing is always good and he certainly picks out smaller characters to highlight in the overall scenes of history, but I just liked the other books for their singular subjects.

The Splendid and the Vile is an excellent piece of history. Perfect for that WW2 buff who is looking to expand their knowledge of one of the great leaders of the war.

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Crown Publishing, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

(DNF – 12%)
Interesting but plodding, it focuses as much on the important political figures and decisions as on peripherical figures that do nothing to advance the plot.

Disclaimer: I received from the publisher a free e-book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Larson does what he does best i.e. he takes a historically accurate event and relates it in the form of a “novel”-great for the non historian and, in addition , makes the characters more ‘human’. In this book he deals with the first year of Churchill’s tenure as prime minister snd the war against Nazi Germany. Personally , I knew a lot of the “ cold hard” facts but really enjoyed the in depth look at the players-who knew for example, thatChurchill wore pink silk underwear😂😂