Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour Lynne Olson Random House February 2 2010 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 threeMurrow, the handsome, chain-smoking head of CBS News in Europe; Harriman, the hard-driving millionaire who ran FDRs Lend-Lease program in London; and Winant, the shy, idealistic U.S. ambassador to Britainformed close ties with Winston Churchill and were drawn into Churchills official and personal circles. So intense were their relationships with the Churchills that they all became romantically involved with members of the prime ministers family: Harriman and Murrow with Churchills 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. Its 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. From the Hardcover edition. About the Author Lynne Olson, a former Moscow correspondent for the Associated Press and White House correspondent for the Baltimore Sun, is the author of Troublesome Young Men and Freedoms Daughters and co-author, with her husband, Stanley Cloud, of A Question of Honor and The Murrow Boys. She lives in Washington, D.C.From the Hardcover edition. About Iceberg The Iceberg Reader revolutionizes the reading experience, making it easier than ever to browse, buy and enjoy books. Features - Attractive interface provides a natural reading experience with full pagination. - Table of Contents incorporates one click navigation. - Vertical and horizontal page orientation. - Adjust font size with a pinch, text reflows automatically. - Search the text within a book. - Create margin notes with user notation. About Scrollmotion ScrollMotion, creator of the Iceberg Reader, is a content technology company based in New York City. For more information, visit www.scrollmotion.com. Support If you have any technical problems please email us at icebergsupport@scrollmotion.com before you post a review.
