The Splendid and the Vile

I’ve been on a bit of an Erik Larson binge, and particularly his works regarding World Wars I and II. Although I seemed to enjoy In the Garden of Beasts more than others, I was disappointed by Dead Wake and picked this book up with less excitement than I have had for Larson’s previous works. I’m glad I tempered my expectations, as I also found the Splendid and the Vile to under deliver.

This book does not read like a straightforward biography of Winston Churchill, or a thorough analysis of even the short piece of the war that it covers. It focuses on the time from when Churchill became prime minister until the United States joined World War II, so from 1940 until 1942. Although I did enjoy hearing some of the stories about Churchill himself during bombings and certain members of his staff that were integral to protecting Britain, I did not feel like I got a complete picture of anything from reading this book. It felt more like a variety of anecdotes and stories, as opposed to one story from beginning to end. The other people that took up space in the book were less engaging than I hoped for as well.

That being said, it’s still a well written book. If the Blitz happens to be a subject you were already interested in, go right ahead and dive in.