The Splendid and the Vile

By Erik Larson

Categories: History

Erik Larson's The Splendid and the Vile, published in 2020, follows Winston Churchill through his first year as Britain's prime minister. On his first day in office, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium, and over the following months German bombing raids killed 45,000 Britons. Larson tells the story through the words of Churchill's family, friends, staff, allies and rivals, showing how he held the country together during the Blitz. He also follows America's growing support, including Franklin Roosevelt's Lend-Lease program.

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