Summary of The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. Summary of The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile is a vivid account of the British experience of World War II from 1940 to 1941. It is filled with insight into the life of Winston Churchill, who led the British during a time of war and heartbreak. Adolf Hitler had broken France and turned his attention to the island nation, and Churchill was tasked with leading the nation and preserving the last free outpost of Hitler’s Europe. The tome is a detailed foray into the outstanding British leadership that prevailed against terrible odds, with over 500 pages of historical fact, dates, battles, heroics, diary entries, and international relations between allies and enemies. It covers events from the first week of May 1940 to the New Year’s Eve of 1941, but there is enough material for years of reading—and decades of inspiration. Larson divides his tale into seven major parts, covering between one and four months each in successive periods. It begins with Winston Churchill’s acceptance of the position of Prime Minister of Britain in May 1940. Around this time, Hitler’s nefarious activities were climaxing in Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Neville Chamberlain was ousted by popular outcry at a crucial point in the war, and Churchill was promptly summoned to fill in the post. Grab a copy of this book now!