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Title details for Citizens of London by Lynne Olson - Wait list

Citizens of London

The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour

by Lynne Olson
Arthur Morey
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In Citizens of London, Lynne Olson has written a work of World War II history even more relevant and revealing than her acclaimed Troublesome Young Men. Here is the behind-the-scenes story of how the United States forged its wartime alliance with Britain, told from the perspective of three key American players in London: Edward R. Murrow, Averell Harriman, and John Gilbert Winant. Drawing from a variety of primary sources, Olson skillfully depicts the dramatic personal journeys of these men who, determined to save Britain from Hitler, helped convince a cautious Franklin Roosevelt and a reluctant American public to support the British at a critical time.


The three—Murrow, the handsome, chain-smoking head of CBS News in Europe; Harriman, the hard-driving millionaire who ran FDR's Lend-Lease program in London; and Winant, the shy, idealistic U.S. ambassador to Britain—formed close ties with Winston Churchill and were drawn into Churchill's official and personal circles. So intense were their relationships with the Churchills that they all became romantically involved with members of the prime minister's family: Harriman and Murrow with Churchill's daughter-in-law, Pamela, and Winant with his favorite daughter, Sarah.


Others were honorary "citizens of London" as well, including the gregarious, fiercely ambitious Dwight D. Eisenhower, an obscure general who, as the first commander of American forces in Britain, was determined to do everything in his power to make the alliance a success, and Tommy Hitchcock, a world-famous polo player and World War I fighter pilot who helped save the Allies' bombing campaign against Germany.


Citizens of London, however, is more than just the story of these Americans and the world leaders they aided and influenced. It's an engrossing account of the transformative power of personal diplomacy and, above all, a rich, panoramic tale of two cities: Washington, D.C., a lazy Southern town slowly growing into a hub of international power, and London, a class-conscious capital transformed by the Blitz into a model of stoic grace under violent pressure and deprivation. Deeply human, brilliantly researched, and beautifully written, Citizens of London is a new triumph from an author swiftly becoming one of the finest in her field.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    March 3, 2010

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781400195954
      • File size: 503711 KB
      • Duration: 17:29:23

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Lynne Olson's account of Americans in London during the Second World War is an account of people, not places or events. It ranges from her praiseworthy attempt to resuscitate the reputation of the heroic United States Ambassador John Gilbert Winant to sometimes-lengthy catalogues of sexual liaisons between prominent Americans and Britons. Some basic knowledge of the war in Europe comes in handy. The topics of Winant and Edward R. Murrow provide the focus that holds the sometimes-diffuse audiobook together--more so than the topic of the people of London. Arthur Morey's clear, measured voice gives the listener easy access to the numerous characters and sometimes-complex facts. Morey recounts bedroom gossip and high strategy in the same serious tone, not unlike Edward R. Murrow, who figures so prominently in the story. F.C. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from November 16, 2009
      The Anglo-American alliance in WWII was not inevitable, writes former Baltimore Sun
      correspondent Olson (Troublesome Young Men
      ). In this ingenious history, he emphasizes the role of three prominent Americans living in London who helped bring it about. Best known was Edward R. Murrow, head of CBS radio's European bureau after 1937. His pioneering live broadcasts during the blitz made him a celebrity, and Olson portrays a man who worked tirelessly to win American support for Britain. Most admirable of the three was John Winant, appointed American ambassador in 1941. A true humanitarian, he skillfully helped craft the British-American alliance. And most amusing was Averell Harriman, beginning a long public service career. In 1941, FDR sent the wealthy, ambitious playboy to London to oversee Lend-Lease aid. He loved the job, but made no personal sacrifices, living a luxurious life as he hobnobbed with world leaders and carried on an affair with Churchill's daughter-in-law. Olson, an insightful historian, contrasts the idealism of Winant and Murrow with the pragmatism of Harriman. But all three men were colorful, larger-than-life figures, and Olson's absorbing narrative does them justice. 16 pages of b&w photos.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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