gothiccauntie's review against another edition
2.0
I rather like Erik Larson's writing, but this particular book was painful to read.
Not because of the difficult subject matter that is the intimate details of the world wars, but because he insisted on a day-by-day account that results in nodding off like Churchill's aids must have when he was in the bath.
The point, I think, was to remind us that these figures western history has turned larger than life were indeed people who made some great decisions and some terrible ones, and worked as teams instead of gods. But man, I did not care about what Prof ate for dinner at every visit, or Churchill's daughters intimate opinions of each character, or Colville's pitiful love. These didn't take up sentences or paragraphs, which would have been fine, but pages and resurfaced whenever you thought you were finally done with them.
If you enjoy those down-to-the minute reconstructions, this may very well be the book for you! It's well researched and leaves literally no stone unturned. It wasn't for me.
Not because of the difficult subject matter that is the intimate details of the world wars, but because he insisted on a day-by-day account that results in nodding off like Churchill's aids must have when he was in the bath.
The point, I think, was to remind us that these figures western history has turned larger than life were indeed people who made some great decisions and some terrible ones, and worked as teams instead of gods. But man, I did not care about what Prof ate for dinner at every visit, or Churchill's daughters intimate opinions of each character, or Colville's pitiful love. These didn't take up sentences or paragraphs, which would have been fine, but pages and resurfaced whenever you thought you were finally done with them.
If you enjoy those down-to-the minute reconstructions, this may very well be the book for you! It's well researched and leaves literally no stone unturned. It wasn't for me.
deanneb's review against another edition
4.0
Very informative, interesting that all was pulled from diaries to make this a non-fiction book
atippmann's review against another edition
5.0
Gah, just loved this book. So interesting and just so perfectly executed! I’ve already recommended this book to my dad and my brother.
kandis_hope's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Full of research and well-crafted, this deep dive into Churchill’s first year is just what you would expect (and love to see) from Larson.
sarah3492's review against another edition
4.0
I thought it was a really well written book, and I love Larson’s style of making you care about the people in these books as people, with their own personal lives and problems, not just one-dimensional actors in history.
It may have been COVID brain, but it took me a loooong time to read it. It took awhile for me to be sucked into the story.
It may have been COVID brain, but it took me a loooong time to read it. It took awhile for me to be sucked into the story.
stitch626's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
wsking's review against another edition
5.0
Apt title for a book on a tumultuous time
Fantastic read. Thoroughly researched. Made Churchill and his family come to life. Larson brings the London blitz painfully alive. Also, (on a humorous note) who knew Churchill was such an avid nudist?
Fantastic read. Thoroughly researched. Made Churchill and his family come to life. Larson brings the London blitz painfully alive. Also, (on a humorous note) who knew Churchill was such an avid nudist?