Darkest Hour

How Churchill Brought England Back from the Brink

By: Anthony McCarten

Narrated by: John Lee

From the acclaimed novelist and screenwriter of The Theory of Everything comes a revisionist look at the period immediately following Winston Churchill's ascendancy to prime minister - soon to be a major motion picture starring Gary Oldman.

May 1940. Britain is at war, Winston Churchill has unexpectedly been promoted to prime minister, and the horrors of Blitzkrieg witness one Western European democracy fall after another in rapid succession. Facing this horror, with pen in hand and typist-secretary at the ready, Churchill wonders what words could capture the public mood when the invasion of Britain seems mere hours away.

It is this fascinating period that Anthony McCarten captures in this deeply researched and wonderfully written new book, The Darkest Hour. A day-by-day (and often hour-by-hour) narrative of this crucial moment in history provides a revisionist look at Churchill - a man plagued by doubt through those turbulent weeks but who emerged having made himself into the iconic, lionized figure we remember.

©2017 Anthony McCarten (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Winston Spencer Churchill was amazing!

After seeing the film, I figured I'd give the book a try. So worth it!

not too long which was just right

not too long which was just right
not too long which was just right
not too long which was just right

Shining in the Darkest Hour

This is an exceptional look at a man who was not expected to be the Prime Minister of England. His ability to make the correct decisions regarding the war against Hitler. There were those still in Chamberlin's camp who believed negotiating with the Nazis was the best option. Churchill may have even considered this during the Darkest Hour. However, he knew England could easily fall, he worked with his allies and tried to cajole Roosevelt to commit to the war cause. It all could have gone badly for the allies, but in the end, Churchill excelled in the Darkest Hour.

This is an excellent book, John Lee is an excellent narrator and brought the book to life.

Highly recommended.

Smartly done...

Churchill is always a riveting subject matter. Lee is an exquisite voice actor. He definitely added layers to the storytelling.

This is how a leader looks like

Everybody should read this book, if for no other reason just to see what we should expect from politicians. In a very difficult time, British politicians look pretty good, putting the good of the nation and the values of civilization first.

Excellent

Great story and excellent performance. Made history come alive in detailing events and emotions. Highly recommended.

Orator for our age

Churchill was a master orator and accomplished so much good with his words. It is truly inspiring to listen to his speeches and to realize how hard he worked on them. one hour for each minute do delivered. We sure could use that in todays world leaders.

The narration was wonderful and not to be missed. I did find some of the book tedious but other parts gripping. I thought Halifax was a bit boring and not very helpful. I guess he was from the old guard and did not fully understand the gravity of the times, as Winston did and had tried to warn England about the tyrant in Germany.

Great Account - Shaky Thesis

The author gives a detailed account of the first month or so of Churchill’s leadership at the outset of WWII and its immediate precursors. Quite fine. He also inserts a shaky thesis that Churchill wanted to negotiate a costly peace while rallying the country to rescue the soldiers at Dunkirk and steeling themselves to fight to the last breath for freedom. While there is evidence that Churchill acceded to allow Halifax to make his insured inquiry, there is no indication Churchill expected anything from it. No contingencies were considered, no brake on thorough planning and execution for every aspect of total war. Worth a listen but I’m not convinced at all.

World history most Americans do not know

This is a very good history of the beginning of WWII most Americans do not know. And how close world history came to about as we know it today versus something completely different.

The movie has Dunkirk being a day. This book has it being much longer.

Awesome

Excellent story—great background to the challenges facing Britain at the beginning of the conflict with Hitler & Nazi Germany. A fair presentation of Churchill’s personality & temperament. Loved it!