The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson. This book although informative about the how life was in the UK at the time of Nazi invasion but looses readers attention after 300 pages or so. If I had to add a narative or lines from each cast it would be like
As you can see I took quite a bit of time to finish this one. but i can probably summerize the entire book in 4 lines.
Britain: If Britain is to survive it needs American help, and where is my brandy, cigar and music filled weekend
Germany: I will bomb the hell out of britain if 100 planes won’t do in the next chapter I’ll send 200 and then 300 in the next chapter so on so forth
America: I should send help, Should I send help
rest of Europe: kneel over and die
I am respectable to the gravity of the situation people in that era faced. But I find this book a bit too long which it didn’t need to be and could probably be said what’s needed to be said in 300 pages or so. The chapters I found had a lot of repetitive theme which was already covered . The book did cover the first year of Churchill administration with all alacrity and did well in including the lives of people surrounding him. it did however lacked a personal insight into the lives of common English-Men who were braving the same. The author could probably have dedicated more on the writing from the mass observation diarist which could have given the book a more unique perspective.
1 Comment