Erik Larson explores the life in England during the time of the Blitz by focussing on Churchill and his family. The portrayal is a mixture of "life as normal", "total paranoia" and "putting on a straight face." Churchill's family still continued on their normal (if very quirky) lives despite the German bombing. However, he was also scared for the future of his country. Germany was coming from a position of strength. Britain desperately needed America to help out. However, there were politics at play there also. Churchill could not appear too desperate. Germany was not able to have their easy victory, and Britain ended up more united. The US eventually became all in after the Japanese attacks at Pearl Harbor. The book tries to present the "personal" view of a world leader during trying times. It is not really a biography and not really a history. Churchill and his family had plenty of foibles. Sometimes he seemed to be stuck in minutia that seemed out of place during war time. Other times, he managed to give the perfect speech for the time.
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