The Splendid and the Vile

Erik Larson's newest non-fiction work details, at a personal and often quirky level, the first year (May 1940 - May 1941) of Winston Churchill's tenure as Britain's prime minister. ( See other posts for his books: Devil in the White City, In the Garden of Beasts, Thunderstruck, and Isaac's Storm.) All of his books are good, but they have gotten better, IMHO, over the years. This book talks about the initial choice of Churchill, even though the King (George VI) would have preferred Lord Halifax. Larson, as always, uses copious primary and secondary sources in talking about how Churchill's inspiring, pugnacious, moody, and eccentric behaviors affected those around him, from family members to secretaries, to the general populace. Accounts are taken from the collection of "Mass-Observation" (citizen) diaries. Youngest daughter Mary, who was still living at home, kept a diary and numerous excerpts are taken from this. Also, one of Churchill's primary secretaries, John Colville, kept a diary which served as the basis for subsequent books and his perspective is also heavily represented.
This was the year that Hitler turned his full fury upon Great Britain, having defeated their primary ally, France, and sued Churchill--unsuccessfully--for peace. We learn a lot about the ins and outs of Churchill's network of advisors, and about his unflagging attempts to engage the U.S. in a war that Americans vehemently wanted no part of. He felt Britain must appear as if they could win or the U.S. would never partner with them, while he was constantly trying to convince them that he desperately needed their material support. It was a delicate balance. Churchill knew that Britain's chances of survival without America's support were slim. We also learn what a very eccentric character Churchill was, but also how he was able to reassure and inspire the British public who endured months of bombings that resulted in the deaths of thousands and the destruction of, in some cases, nearly entire cities. We also hear from the Germans, especially propaganda minister Goebbels, and air marshall Göring as well as Deputy Führer Hess. We get the nitty gritty details of what it was like to endure night after night of the Blitz--the dust, the smells, the sounds. Most importantly, as the New York Times puts it, "When we look back on history, the most dramatic events — Rudolf Hess’s desperate solo flight to Scotland, the attack on Pearl Harbor — often overshadow everything else. But Larson’s deft portraits show the essential connection that words created between the powerful and the powerless, capturing the moments that defined life for millions struggling to survive the decisions of a few." Larson's great strength is to make the factual details into a compelling narrative.
Additional glowing reviews from NPR, Kirkus, and Publisher's Weekly. The reviewer in the Washington Post, on the other hand, feels Larson has succumbed to the "myth" of England as a green and pleasant land, standing alone against the invaders; whereas, "Strip away the myths of an embattled England, and a different war emerges. It’s heroic, but not in an Arthurian sense. Those dark satanic factories produced the Spitfire and the Hurricane..."