In "A Note to Readers," Erik Larson specifically notes that this is a work of nonfiction. Explore how the author uses primary source material to construct this intimate narrative.

Students should be able to deconstruct and articulate the tools that nonfiction authors use to build a factual narrative. They should examine Larson's use of diaries and letters in particular as primary source material that is used to capture the internal and emotional lives of the people in this narrative.

The Splendid and the Vile focuses on Churchill's first year in office. What is the impact of this authorial decision on your reading experience?

Students should analyze Larson's decision to only focus on a single year in this book. They should discuss how this focus allowed Larson to portray a more detailed account of Churchill's life and the Battle of Britain in particular. They should note how a...