Citizens of London

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

By: Lynne Olson

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

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.

©2010 Lynne Olson (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Ingenious history.... Olson's absorbing narrative does [Winant, Murrow, and Harriman] justice." ( Publishers Weekly)

riveting

you feel as if you're living through the war in England, I learned things about our Anglo relationship I never knew, from our American revolution through and after the second world war. You learn to appreciate the sacrifice England made to save democracy and how bad things could have turned out different

One of the best of a genre I love

The reader gets a thorough feel for what wartime London was like and how the important players of the era worked together (or didn't). It is hard to imagine now what the British in various cities endured night after night, only to make their way through battered cities and start over again.

This time and these people formed the world into which I emerged six years later. Lynne Olson has created a masterpiece.

Citizens of London describes my parent’s world of wartime London. The insight relating to the actions, motivations of leading wartime personalities including Wynant, Murrow, Churchill and Harriman painted a memorable picture of the conditions, stresses, conflicts, emotions and critical relationships that have shaped our modern world.

The very best tale of WWII London

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes.This book is for the history buff and the general reader.

What did you like best about this story?

The interweaving of the three main characters,with the prime movers of WWII British war efforts.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

If you had the chance, would you have wanted to be A Citizen of London during the War.

This book presented the War events Wonderful page turning story and

Non fiction is more amazing than fiction. This book brings to life the fear, struggles and emotions from the presidents and generals to the people on the street. The were many diaries and letters left behind gave detailed background this author could research which described the daily traumas of guns bombs love affairs, separation of families and starvation experienced.
Also at this time radio and newscasters and such as Edward R Murrow became more critical in this era.