Darkest Hour

How Churchill Brought Us Back from the Brink

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Darkest Hour

By: Anthony McCarten

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Darkest Hour by Anthony McCarten, read by Sean Barrett.

From the prize-winning screenwriter of The Theory of Everything, this is a cinematic, behind-the-scenes account of a crucial moment which takes us inside the mind of one of the world's greatest leaders - and provides a revisionist, more rounded portrait of his leadership.

May, 1940. Britain is at war, European democracies are falling rapidly and the public are unaware of this dangerous new world. Just days after his unlikely succession to Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, faces this horror - and a sceptical King and a party plotting against him. He wonders how he can capture the public mood and does so, magnificently, before leading the country to victory.

It is this fascinating period that Anthony McCarten captures in this deeply researched, gripping day-by-day (and often hour-by-hour) narrative. In doing so he revises the familiar view of Churchill - he made himself into the iconic figure we remember and changed the course of history, but through those turbulent and dangerous weeks he was plagued by doubt, and even explored a peace treaty with Nazi Germany. It's a scarier, and more human story, than has ever been told.

Military

Politics & Activism

Presidents & Heads of State

War

Winston Churchill

Royalty

Inspiring

Scary

Imperialism

Interwar Period

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Critic reviews

I learned things from the script I didn't know. I just thought, "Can that be right? Were we that perilously close?" And so it just grabbed me. (Gary Oldman)

This is history written with the verve of a novel. Compelling and provocative (Piers Brendon, former Director, The Churchill Archives)

Pacy, refreshing, intimate and clear-eyed (Sonia Purnell, author of 'Clementine')

Most relevant

Well researched and written, fine narration, Churchill made some very difficult choices. The author gives good analysis of the three monumental speeches that Churchill made in the first three months of his premiership and the sources of his oratory. He also gives some detail of Churchill's eccentricities which brought a smile to my face. The author draws some interesting conclusions, was Churchill prepared to negotiate a peace treaty with Hitler or was he simply trying to keep Halifax and Chamberlain on side? Highly enjoyable listen

A different account of a well known story