The Splendid and the Vile
Popular History Accessible Mixed
🇬🇧 British
Churchill's first year as Prime Minister — the Blitz, the Battle of Britain, and a family and country under bombardment.
The Verdict
The most readable possible introduction to Britain's most dangerous year. Erik Larson turns Churchill's first twelve months as Prime Minister — the fall of France, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz — into an intimate domestic drama, built from diaries and declassified files, that follows the Prime Minister, his family, and his circle as the bombs fall. Larson's gift is to make a familiar story feel immediate and personal, alternating high strategy with the small human texture of a nation holding on. Narrative history as page-turner.
Who Should Read It
Read it if you want
- An accessible, vivid introduction to 1940-41
- Readers who want Churchill the man, day to day
- The Blitz as lived domestic experience
- Fans of narrative-driven history
Look elsewhere if you want
- Military-operational depth
- Readers who already know the period well
- A scholarly, analytical treatment
Why We Rated It 4.5
Historical Context
The Splendid and the Vile covers Winston Churchill's first year as Prime Minister, from May 1940, including the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, drawing on diaries, intelligence reports, and other primary sources. Published in 2020.
Events Covered
Editions & Reading Notes
Crown / William Collins (2020)First edition.
PaperbackThe standard reading edition.
Read It Alongside
The Last Lion: Defender of the Realm William Manchester · 2012 · ★ 4.5
First Light Geoffrey Wellum · 2002 · ★ 4.6
Memoir 
Citizens of London Lynne Olson · 2010 · ★ 4.4
Popular History Collector's Corner
A recent title; inexpensive and easy to find. Check current listings. → Check listings on AbeBooks.
Where to Buy
ISBN: 978-0385348713
Read This Against
The same events seen from a different vantage point. The fullest understanding often lives in the space between accounts that don't agree.
Berlin Diary William Shirer · 1941 · American, German
Memoir Other Books About the Same Events
First Light Geoffrey Wellum · 2002
Memoir The Last Lion: Defender of the Realm William Manchester · 2012
The Second World War Winston S. Churchill · 1948
Memoir Berlin Diary William Shirer · 1941
Memoir Citizens of London Lynne Olson · 2010
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What does The Splendid and the Vile cover?
- Churchill's first year as Prime Minister, May 1940 to May 1941 — the fall of France, the Battle of Britain, and the Blitz.
- Is it a good first book on Churchill in the war?
- Yes — it is among the most accessible and atmospheric introductions to 1940-41.