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Darkest Hour
Darkest Hour: How Churchill Brought England Back from the Brink | Anthony McCarten
16 posts | 7 read | 15 to read
From the acclaimed novelist and screenwriter of The Theory of Everything comes a revelatory look at the period immediately following Winston Churchills ascendancy to Prime Ministersoon to be a major motion picture starring Gary Oldman. He was speaking to the nation, the world, and indeed to history... May, 1940. Britain is at war. The horrors of blitzkrieg have seen one western European democracy after another fall in rapid succession to Nazi boot and shell. Invasion seems mere hours away. Just days after becoming Prime Minister, Winston Churchill must deal with this horroras well as a skeptical King, a party plotting against him, and an unprepared public. Pen in hand and typist-secretary at the ready, how could he change the mood and shore up the will of a nervous people? In this gripping day-by-day, often hour-by-hour account of how an often uncertain Churchill turned Britain around, the celebrated Bafta-winning writer Anthony McCarten exposes sides of the great man never seen before. He reveals how he practiced and re-wrote his key speeches, from Blood, toil, tears and sweat to We shall fight on the beaches; his consideration of a peace treaty with Nazi Germany, and his underappreciated role in the Dunkirk evacuation; and, above all, how 25 days helped make one man an icon. Using new archive material, McCarten reveals the crucial behind-the-scenes moments that changed the course of history. Its a scarierand more humanstory than has ever been told. McCarten's pulse-pounding narrative transports the reader to those springtime weeks in 1940 when the fate of the world rested on the shoulders of Winston Churchill. A true story thrillingly told. Thoroughly researched and compulsively readable.Michael F. Bishop, Executive Director of the International Churchill Society
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KristiAhlers
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This is without a doubt one of my favorite books regarding Winston Churchill. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read its faced paced, doesn't read like a textbook, and does a fantastic job of putting the reader right alongside Winston Churchill as he made his way through an impossible situation. #nonfictionread

dabbe Did you read THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE? I'm finding that one hard to push through. Stacking this one, though! 🤩🤗😍 1y
KristiAhlers @dabbe I have not. That makes me sad though as it's on my list to read. I do find that author can be a hit and miss for me. This one though I literally inhaled in a day 1y
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Andrew65
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This was an excellent book covering the early days of Churchill‘s Premiership at quite the Darkest Time for the country. Interesting theory postulated about Churchill seriously considering suing for Peace at the time of Dunkirk. Hadn‘t realised Dunkirk happened in the first 25 days as Prime Minister and how vulnerable that Premiership was in its early days. A remarkable man.
Now to watch the film.
2nd book finished for #ValentinesDayReadathon

EadieB John and I watched the film this afternoon. It was a great film! Churchill was a dynamic figure! 2y
Andrew65 @EadieB What a life he had! Both a dynamic figure and an indomitable person too. I need to search out the film as not seen it yet. 2y
EadieB @Andrew65 The film was good! Saw it on Netflix. 2y
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 2y
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Andrew65
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On abit of a phase of non-fiction books so have picked a up and started this audiobook. It wasn‘t in the plan for #FabulousFebruary 🤷‍♂️

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Dragon
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Watched this movie in honour of Remembrance Day. Churchill takes a ride on the tube in order to gauge the public opinion on appeasement. He recites this quote to the passengers on the train. #Lestweforget

rabbitprincess I watched this movie this weekend as well! 6y
Izai.Amorim I saw that one, too. I found the tube scene kind of difficult to believe but it was definitely poetic. (edited) 6y
Dragon Thanks @rabbitprincess I thought the lead actor deserved his Oscar. 6y
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Dragon Thanks @Izai.Amorim I couldn‘t help wondering if it had really happened or just “imagined “ for the movie. 6y
Izai.Amorim @Dragon Could be real but Old aristocrat Churchill among the peasants is kind of hard to believe. 6y
Dragon Thanks @Izai.Amorim especially after the way it shows his treatment of his employees. 6y
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Alternative_Mr_Men
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Wow, ok. As someone with bipolar I‘m pretty disappointed McCarten thinks the ‘modern‘ treatment is ‘gulping‘ lithium. There are a lot of different treatments, & lithium has to be carefully monitored with monthly blood tests. No one in these ‘modern‘ times is gobbling lithium! Also Churchill would most likely be diagnosed BPII (like me!) So would get a mood stabiliser and antipsychotic to gobble. #breakthetaboo #timetotalk #mentalhealth #bipolar

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KimHM
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The second half is a bit of a slog. In proving his thesis that Churchill did waver, McCarten has to dissect a great many meetings attended by a great many officials and has to cite from their various notes and diaries. But he can be quite interesting when it comes to Churchill‘s rhetorical prowess. Ultimately, for someone as ignorant as I am about WWII, this is a 💡💡💡💡pick.

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KimHM
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Churchill had a standing desk?!

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KimHM
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I am at the halfway point and a homemade London Fog seemed a perfect accompaniment 😉📚❤️

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KimHM
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It‘s Spring Break 📚! 💚 ! 📚! and I am absolutely going to tackle all the TBR books I‘ve started and these two new ones as well 😇

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Lola
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I lost a big chunk of Saturday reading time to go see this movie with my husband but sometimes we must sacrifice for domestic harmony 😛 Englishman Winston didn‘t drink much tea (🍾and 🥃 were his faves apparently), but I made some when I got home. My Kindle cover reminds me a bit of all the beautiful old books in his bedroom, office and Parliament chambers. Going to back to my book set in the 40s to continue the mood set by the movie. #kindlewear

Lcsmcat I love that cover! #kindlewear (edited) 7y
Lola @Lcsmcat It‘s my absolute favorite. And it houses my favorite e-reader, the 2nd gen Oasis ❤️ 7y
JoScho Lola tell me about your oasis. I have a voyage and I have also had a paperwhite. I love my voyage but I must say I am tempted by the oasis. Is it that much better? 7y
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Anna40 Did you like the movie? 7y
Lola @JoScho I absolutely loved my Voyage and the 1st gen Oasis didn‘t tempt me at all.I thought the shape looked odd and it was too pricey IMO.When the 2nd gen came out and was waterproof-something I‘d been waiting for in a Kindle b/c I love to read in the bath-I went to check it out in person,and just loved it.The form factor is actually perfect-not weird at all and it‘s so light and easy to hold.I still think it‘s pricey but I decided to splurge ❤️ 7y
Lola @Anna40 I did! We saw Dunkirk earlier this year so it was nice to have that context. And I‘m reading a book that takes place during this period, too so that was an added bonus for me 7y
JoScho Thanks for the info Lola. Doesn‘t it also do text to speech or audio books? 7y
Lola @JoScho It does do audio books and does them in the true recorded form rather than the disembodied robotic voice of the old text-to-speech, which is why the memory is bigger on the O2. I do audio books via my iPhone tho‘ so this wasn‘t a selling point for me on the new O2. 7y
MamaBear Loved Darkest Hour, and yes it is even better if you saw Dunkirk first! I‘m considering an Oasis when my current kindle gives out so good to know your thoughts and love your cover too. 7y
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