The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz

There are few historical episodes more well known to Anglophones than the Battle of Britain. Even the words Churchill used to help save democratic civilization have become cliches: Their finest hour, Blood, sweat and tears, Never have so many owed so much to so few.

Given that libraries could be filled with volumes dissecting almost every angle of Churchills life and WWII, its hard to imagine that Erik Larson could offer anything particularly original.

He has chosen, however, not to emphasize the extensive scholarship on this era, but to use journals and other primary sources to retell the Battle of Britain as it appeared to those in Churchills immediate circle. Thus, we get details as various as teenage Mary Churchills love of dances juxtaposed with his pet scientists ability to explain radar technology in a way he could understand.

These personal portraits, drawn from contemporary sources, combine to form a unique saga of what it felt like to be around Churchill in this troubled era. Accomplished with real brilliance, I thoroughly enjoyed Larsons narrative.

Personal taste for this kind of history will, obviously, differ. Should history be recounted with more ample reference to other scholars? Does the personal inform the world-historical as much as Larson suggests?

These are questions which ultimately have to be answered by every reader. But, to my taste, this technique was an immense success in shedding new light on this dark, but inspiring era, in human history.

As a longtime fan of Eric Larson I eagerly purchased his newest history The Splendid and the Vile (the title is based on a remark made by Churchill’s private secretary John Colville. Colville was watching the bombs burst on London one night during a Luftwaffe attack). The book examines the first year Winston Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) served as prime minister from May 10, 1940 to the following May. During that momentous period the British suffered fifty-seven nights of bombing by Goering’s vaunted Luftwaffe flying to Britain from their bases in Northern France and Belgium. In addition to his public role we see and become acquainted with Churchill’s family especially his eighteen year old daughter Mary. We also meet his daughters Diana and Sarah who was wed to the entertainer Vic Oliver (whom Churchill did not care for). Winston’s son Randolph was recently read to the beautiful Pamela but was unfaithful to her. Randolph had a serous drinking problem and served in the 4th Hussars and as a member of the British House of Commons. We even meet Churchill’s big cat Nelson (named after Lord Nelson). During the momentous year of 1940 we see Churchill wooing US President Franklin D. Roosevelt as he fought to get Lend-Lease through the Senate. Americans were isolationistic in belief until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 catapulting into the war on an active bases as Britain’s greatest ally. Churchill enjoyed good friendships with Lord Beaverbrook his air minister and good advisor Professor Lindemann among many others.
This is not dry history! Larson writes like a novelist but his book is backed up by years of research. The reader gets to know the figures in the book and to care for their fates. England was a brave nation as in their finest hour they faced the horrors of the Nazi menace with great courage and determination to never surrender. Anyone who is interested in Churchill, World War II or history in general will profit from this excellent book. This is the kind of book which could well get a young person hooked on history! Kudos to Erik Larson!

I have not started reading the book yet, although I am sure it will be excellent. I notice that the pages were accidentally printed upside down so they aren’t facing the same way the text on the binding is! I do not have a problem with turning a book upside down, just wanted to let everyone know this may be an issue!

I just received my book by Erik Larson “The Splendid and The Vile” and although I have yet to read this book I found it interesting that once I opened the box, took the book out and opened it – it was upside down! The book I received – and I cannot image that I will be the only one – was printed upside down. Hard to imagine something like this happening from Crown Publishing but, in the end, it just makes it more interesting!

I’m a big fan of Eric Larson and enjoyed most of his books. Lately, he’s been slipping. And this one is simply phoned in. It reads like a cut and paste job. Larson found a bunch of letters and diaries from people around Churchill and interspersed snippets from them among bombing raids. Or so it seems. There is no real narrative. The story seems to be … Churchill got handed an impossible job when he became Prime Minister, the Germans were really bad people who kept bombing England, many of those around Churchill seemed to be having a merry time while everyone else got bombed, and Churchill managed to get Roosevelt into the war (with the help of the Japanese who bombed Pearl Harbor). Sorry for ruining the plot but that’s it. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. Mr. Larson, please get back on your game and give us something like Devil in the White City again.

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