If you've read any of Erik Larson's award-winning nonfiction narratives, you know they're always engaging page-turners. The topic of his latest work is Winston Churchill's first year as prime minister, from May 1940 through May 1941, and, be warned, this book is a white-knuckle thriller! The terror of the Blitz is palpable, and you'll feel like a secret member of Churchill's backroom deliberations. Using firsthand historical records, Larson creates a vivid, intimate portrait of an intensely turbulent time and the heroes, villains, and everyday people who lived through and shaped it. Hold on to your hat! (CH)