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The Splendid and the Vile

A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz

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The Splendid and the Vile

Written by: Erik Larson
Narrated by: John Lee, Erik Larson
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About this listen

 The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers a fresh and compelling portrait of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz

NAMED ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2020 BY The Washington Post • HuffPost • The Seattle Times • Lit Hub • The Week • PopSugar

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.

The Splendid and the Vile takes readers out of today’s political dysfunction and back to a time of true leadership, when, in the face of unrelenting horror, Churchill’s eloquence, courage, and perseverance bound a country, and a family, together.

This audiobook includes a recording of Winston Churchill's 1941 Christmas Eve speech. Europe Great Britain Military Politics & Activism Presidents & Heads of State Wars & Conflicts England Winston Churchill Belgium Royalty War Franklin D Roosevelt Marriage Leadership United Kingdom Imperialism US Air Force Biography Air Force Historical Nonfiction

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Imagine the events in Great Britain after Dunkirk, only the path that they take aren't known to the main players. A fascinating look at Churchill's circle from 1940 to the end of 1941. A useful tonic to current events.

A time of dread, punctuated by hope

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Totally enjoyed learning more about the people behind the historical time. I never knew Churchill was such a child-at-heart. Highly recommend this book

soo good!!

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Erik Larson’s captures Winston Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister in 1940, as he led Britain through its darkest hour with fearless resolve. Beyond the speeches and strategy, Larson paints an intimate portrait of Churchill as a devoted family man—sharing his life with his steadfast wife Clementine, his youngest daughter Mary, and a lively circle of friends. A gripping, humanized portrait of a visionary leader under siege.

Between Bombs & Breakfast : Churchill’s Year of Defiance

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Was not certain I wanted to read more Churchill but so well researched, written , and wonderful narration. Well done !!

Battle of Britain, a great read for all ages

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The book itself is so well put together and detailed, but the performance of this audiobook deserves a 6/5, wonderfully done!

Great book, incredible performance.

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