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Reviews
Citizens of London: The Americans who Stood with Britain in its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne Olson
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.
alundeberg's review
5.0
Lynne Olson's eye-opening book examines the efforts of Americans stationed in London, primarily Gil Winant, Ed Murrow and Averell Harriman, to bridge the gap between the British and Americans during the war. However, I found it to be more of a study of London and its tenacious, dedicated, and proud population. This is a sweeping and expertly written history that shines light on how difficult it was to build strong Anglo-American relationships on all levels. I appreciated Olson's theme of how in order to build any relationship there needs to be an understanding of the other party as shown by Winant and Murrow in their efforts to educate each population about the other. Both men realized that building bonds was more strategic than building egos.
If you are looking for a book that clearly shows the complexities of this relationship and the strengths and weaknesses of both countries, this is a book for you. If you are looking for a book about how great America was during the war, look elsewhere.
If you are looking for a book that clearly shows the complexities of this relationship and the strengths and weaknesses of both countries, this is a book for you. If you are looking for a book about how great America was during the war, look elsewhere.
rinda's review
5.0
Listened on Hoopla. Excellent writing and great narrator! I am always amazed at how history comes to life through the people who lived it and made big things happen. Such a tragic, hopeful, devastating, and eventful war on so many fronts. Made me very angry at how selfish America was and how hard it is for governments and those in them to get anything done or even understand the extent of what is occurring in such bureaucracies.
The writer lives in DC, but she sure had sympathies with Britain and its people. Brought to light how much more a country who has the war in their backyard suffers than the one who goes over to help. I had never heard of the 3 Americans who had such an impact so it was great to get a different perspective from their part.
The writer lives in DC, but she sure had sympathies with Britain and its people. Brought to light how much more a country who has the war in their backyard suffers than the one who goes over to help. I had never heard of the 3 Americans who had such an impact so it was great to get a different perspective from their part.
mepitts's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Very good, informative, well-written book. I’ve read LOTS of WWII history but the stories of Gil Weinant and William Hitchcock and the details of the Polish contribution were all new and fascinating. Wish the author had trimmed some of the familiar details about the war AWAY from London a d found the details about the various affairs tawdry and disheartening, but the book itself is highly recommended.
mssarahmorgan's review
4.0
A great read, all about the personal relationships behind the big geopolitical decisions made in Britain and the US during WWII. Particularly interesting views of Roosevelt and Edward R. Murrow. Not just for history nerds! Vivid characters facing mortal danger, falling in love, trying to save the world - I learned a lot, but it's also just a great story.
saras's review
5.0
I flew through this book. It was so fascinating. I am very interested in WW 2 and the home front in Britain and the United States, and I learned a lot from this book. The title is deceptive. It's not only about the three men, Murrow, Winant and Harriman, but about the entire Anglo-American alliance, from its formation, through its honeymoon period, difficult moments and triumphs. Highly recommended!
librarianonparade's review
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.
seano's review
4.0
The main characters in this book, from worst to first, as ranked by me, Sean O:
Stalin: 10 -- what an asshole.
Joseph P. Kennedy: 9 -- slightly less of an asshole than Stalin.
Pamela Churchill: 8 -- a bit of a stuckup socialite.
Averill Harriman:7 -- a bit of a tool, frankly.
FDR: 6 -- Kind of a dick to UK, France, and Poland.
Churchill: 5 -- Kind of a badass.
Tommy Hitchcock: 4 -- Mustang P-51 innovator, champion Polo player.
Edward R. Murrow: 3 -- Prototypical broadcast newsman.
General Dwight David Eisenhower: 2 -- Keeping all the cats herded for D-Day.
Ambassador Gil Winant: 1 -- All-around good guy.
Stalin: 10 -- what an asshole.
Joseph P. Kennedy: 9 -- slightly less of an asshole than Stalin.
Pamela Churchill: 8 -- a bit of a stuckup socialite.
Averill Harriman:7 -- a bit of a tool, frankly.
FDR: 6 -- Kind of a dick to UK, France, and Poland.
Churchill: 5 -- Kind of a badass.
Tommy Hitchcock: 4 -- Mustang P-51 innovator, champion Polo player.
Edward R. Murrow: 3 -- Prototypical broadcast newsman.
General Dwight David Eisenhower: 2 -- Keeping all the cats herded for D-Day.
Ambassador Gil Winant: 1 -- All-around good guy.
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