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

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
reading-galore avatar reviewed on + 115 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3


This is a wonderfully written history of England's Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, during his time in office. It sheds light on both the personal side of his life and the extreme challenges that he faced during the war. There are many amusing stories woven in between the war effort and his family provides interesting history as well. I found the accounts of the bombings and the impact on daily life fascinating. I am sure that there was a vast amount of material available to work from and the real challenge for the author was deciding what to leave out. Even at 500 pages, it still felt like a simplified version of things, making it easy to devour. Another great Erik Larson book!