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Reviews
Citizens of London: The Americans who Stood with Britain in its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne Olson
rosalyn007's review against another edition
5.0
The book starts with several quotes, one of which is by Churchill's daughter-in-law: "It was a terrible war, but if you were the right age and in the right place, it was spectacular." Olsen transports us right into the thick of all the excitement, of London during the Blitz, the draconian rationing, of being surrounded by constant death and privation, but also inside the raucous parties, the drama-filled inner circles of the Roosevelt and Churchill administrations, and the romantic acts of heroism, grit, and empathy shown throughout the war.
Winant, Murrow, and Harriman are lesser known but no less important actors in the European theater of WW2, and I'm so glad to know them through this book, which is leaden with first hand accounts, humanizing them even more. In fact, there are so many quotes pulled from the "people in the room" that better realize the various situations from both UK and US perspectives, from America's isolationist stance, to Britain's near breaking point in 1940-41, to the North African / French front, rise of Soviet power, and the post-war vie for dominance, etc. it really felt like I was looking at everything in real time.
Highly recommend for anyone who knows the general gist of WW2 timeline, but wants to delve deeper and follow a perspective not of your usual presidents or generals.
Winant, Murrow, and Harriman are lesser known but no less important actors in the European theater of WW2, and I'm so glad to know them through this book, which is leaden with first hand accounts, humanizing them even more. In fact, there are so many quotes pulled from the "people in the room" that better realize the various situations from both UK and US perspectives, from America's isolationist stance, to Britain's near breaking point in 1940-41, to the North African / French front, rise of Soviet power, and the post-war vie for dominance, etc. it really felt like I was looking at everything in real time.
Highly recommend for anyone who knows the general gist of WW2 timeline, but wants to delve deeper and follow a perspective not of your usual presidents or generals.
teriboop's review against another edition
5.0
Citizens of London follows three men in London during WWII: Edward R. Murrow, the American Journalist and head of CBS News in Europe reporting on the war, Averell Harriman the man FDR appointed to run the Lend-Lease program, and Gil Winant, the U.S. Ambassador to Britain. These men lived the war. They were in London from the beginning and saw the destruction and the struggle that the locals faced every day. They all formed bonds with Churchill and played a part in some of the decisions made by him and by FDR. These men may have been "foreigners" living in the heart of the European fight but they were Londoners in their own right.
This book was very well researched and got to the heart of each man. Olson was able to get very personal with each man, showing flaws and all. We also see a bit of a different side of the relationship between FDR and Churchill than is often discussed. These men were often seen as close friends who worked together as allies, but the relationship had its strains. This is well worth the read for anyone that is interested in WWII, particularly from the British point of view.
This book was very well researched and got to the heart of each man. Olson was able to get very personal with each man, showing flaws and all. We also see a bit of a different side of the relationship between FDR and Churchill than is often discussed. These men were often seen as close friends who worked together as allies, but the relationship had its strains. This is well worth the read for anyone that is interested in WWII, particularly from the British point of view.
mkesten's review against another edition
4.0
I can't say enough good things about this book, recommended to me by a customer of mine. The three central characters of the book, including Edward R. Murrow, John Gilbert Wynant, and Averil Harriman, were pretty much unknown to me. The stress and strain of the Anglo-American relationship in the years leading up to and including when the US entered WWII was also fairly new to me. I did not understand the weakness of the British and American intelligence in the years leading up to war and how important intelligence from Polish, Scandinavian, French, and other European nationals were to the Allied success. I also had little appreciation for the hole America dug for itself with the appointment of the Vichy French Admiral Darlan to run French North Africa, or the abandonment of Poland to the USSR, expeditious though they may seem to us today.
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
4.0
My ability to finish this book was imperiled when my cat, sensing that he was not at that moment the center of my universe, knocked a glass of water over onto it with extreme prejudice.
Thankfully, a couple days near the heating vent with a pile several heavy hardbacks from my to-read list piled on top left it in decent enough shape to finish up (far away from any liquids).
Olson has a nice style, and the book starts and ends well, but there are large swathes of the book that turn into sweeping explanations of what was going on during WWII, rather than focusing on the three characters she chose to frame the book around. It also turned into a little bit of who was sleeping with whom (hard to keep track of at times), which is something I really didn't care about.
But on the whole, an interesting read, and one I'm glad I was finally able to finish.
Thankfully, a couple days near the heating vent with a pile several heavy hardbacks from my to-read list piled on top left it in decent enough shape to finish up (far away from any liquids).
Olson has a nice style, and the book starts and ends well, but there are large swathes of the book that turn into sweeping explanations of what was going on during WWII, rather than focusing on the three characters she chose to frame the book around. It also turned into a little bit of who was sleeping with whom (hard to keep track of at times), which is something I really didn't care about.
But on the whole, an interesting read, and one I'm glad I was finally able to finish.
librarianonparade's review against another edition
4.0
The wartime alliance between Britain and America has been the subject of innumerable histories, memoirs, biographies, textbooks. Less well-known are the stories of the Americans who were in the war from the beginning, well before America joined the war in the wake of Pearl Harbour, and who all made vital contributions to ensuring that Britain survived that long.
These individuals were all ambassadors in their own way - forging strong relations with British political and military figures, building bridges and fostering understanding between the two government and helping to explain to a wary American public the very real dangers and sacrifices being suffered by the British public. However, this book focuses specifically on three men - US ambassador John Gilbert Winant (a particularly sympathetic figure and one deservedly well-loved in Britain), broadcaster Edward R. Murrow and businessman Averell Harriman - but it goes beyond just the stories of these three men's war, exploring the 'special relationship' of the US and Britain from all angles.
Once America enters the war formally in 1941 the book necessarily takes a wider scope, focusing particularly on Dwight D. Eisenhower's role in preserving and strengthening an often fraught alliance. But it never loses sight of the three men at its heart, all of whom forged such strong relationships with Winston Churchill that they all ended up in love affairs with members of his family - Winant with Churchill's daughter Sarah and both Harriman and Murrow with his daughter-in-law Pamela.
I found this an excellent read, and a really refreshing take on the Second World War. The wartime alliance of the two powers is probably unique in history - the staggering extent of the sharing of war materiel, personnel, locations, bases, intelligence, strategy, command structures was and will probably remain unprecedented. Yet even with two nations with as much in common as the US and Britain, sharing a common language, history, culture, political context, and with as much at stake as there was, the alliance was not destined to succeed without the hard work and understanding of many individuals, both British and American, but few more so than Winant, Harriman and Murrow.
These individuals were all ambassadors in their own way - forging strong relations with British political and military figures, building bridges and fostering understanding between the two government and helping to explain to a wary American public the very real dangers and sacrifices being suffered by the British public. However, this book focuses specifically on three men - US ambassador John Gilbert Winant (a particularly sympathetic figure and one deservedly well-loved in Britain), broadcaster Edward R. Murrow and businessman Averell Harriman - but it goes beyond just the stories of these three men's war, exploring the 'special relationship' of the US and Britain from all angles.
Once America enters the war formally in 1941 the book necessarily takes a wider scope, focusing particularly on Dwight D. Eisenhower's role in preserving and strengthening an often fraught alliance. But it never loses sight of the three men at its heart, all of whom forged such strong relationships with Winston Churchill that they all ended up in love affairs with members of his family - Winant with Churchill's daughter Sarah and both Harriman and Murrow with his daughter-in-law Pamela.
I found this an excellent read, and a really refreshing take on the Second World War. The wartime alliance of the two powers is probably unique in history - the staggering extent of the sharing of war materiel, personnel, locations, bases, intelligence, strategy, command structures was and will probably remain unprecedented. Yet even with two nations with as much in common as the US and Britain, sharing a common language, history, culture, political context, and with as much at stake as there was, the alliance was not destined to succeed without the hard work and understanding of many individuals, both British and American, but few more so than Winant, Harriman and Murrow.
holtfan's review against another edition
4.0
I'm going to blame the audio format for not garnering 5 stars on this one, because otherwise it was truly a stellar read. But the narrative didn't super click with me. The book follows the people who built a relationship and alliance between England and the United States during WW2--diplomats, journalists, playboys, and presidents. It is an engrossing narrative and brings history alive in a truly fascinating way.
I recommend checking it out if you like WW2 history.
I recommend checking it out if you like WW2 history.
ksull95's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I loved reading about all these amazing people who helped the Allies win the war on the much forgotten but equally important political battlefields. They supported Churchill and FDR and all the other big politicians but rarely, if ever, get the recognition and respect they deserve for all their hard work and the sacrifices they made in the name of the alliance.
crtney's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
joyxrm1's review against another edition
5.0
Citizens of London is beautifully detailed book about the Americans who were in London during WWII prior to the US getting involved and after. They played an integral part in brokering relations between Britain and America, helping to keep Britain going while they led the fight against the Nazis and while we were too "isolated" to get involved. Many of these people were unfamiliar to me, but were the true heroes of winning the war. Chief among them was Ambassador John Gilbert Winant, Edward Murrow and Tommy Hitchcock.
Through the war, we see that some of the other heroes have feet of clay. Men like Roosevelt and Churchill, who do great deeds, think larger than their peers and take chances for the greater good that others shirk away from. And yet, they are far from perfect. They also make bad decisions and their personal and professional choices are often selfish and narrow minded. Citizens of London is all of that and so much more! What eloquence....do people write like that anymore? I could have listened to the words of Churchill, Roosevelt, Edward R. Murrow long into the night. They inspire me to think bigger and act with courage. Read it...you will not be disappointed.
Through the war, we see that some of the other heroes have feet of clay. Men like Roosevelt and Churchill, who do great deeds, think larger than their peers and take chances for the greater good that others shirk away from. And yet, they are far from perfect. They also make bad decisions and their personal and professional choices are often selfish and narrow minded. Citizens of London is all of that and so much more! What eloquence....do people write like that anymore? I could have listened to the words of Churchill, Roosevelt, Edward R. Murrow long into the night. They inspire me to think bigger and act with courage. Read it...you will not be disappointed.
booksmarttn's review
4.0
Very interesting and well written book, mostly about 3 significant Americans in London during WWII. She really liked John Gilbert Winant and felt his contribution had been overlooked. He was very interesting. I also have a better understanding of just how desperate things were in England before the United States entered the war and that things could have easily ended far differently. I have a great respect for what the British put up with for years.