The Great Silence - Hardcover

"Wonderful. . .[Nicolson] describes brilliantly, in a series of social anecdotes and snapshots of real people--35 characters going about their daily life, the low-stairs people as well as royalty as well as famous writers and artists. . . an absolutely gripping piece."--Tina Brown, NPR.org
"[Nicolson's] approach is anecdotal and eclectic, drawing freely on contemporary diaries, letters and memoirs to create an impressionistic picture of the lull preceding the Roaring '20s...Nicolson is at her most effective when describing the nation's search for a fitting public expression of its abiding sense of grief...[she] observes with poignant understatement."--Elizabeth Lowry, "The Wall Street Journal"
"Nicolson's emphasis on...three days, and her descriptions of them, are the best parts of her book."--Martin Rubin, "The Washington Times"
"[Nicolson has] a strong narrative, an empathic interest in characters under stress and a gift for the telling moment. The large historical shifts are here, but the small scenes steal the show...eloquent."--Catherine Holmes, "The Post and Courier" (Charleston)
"Wonderfully vivid...When we study history we...tend to overlook the transitional periods. Juliet Nicolson has, in a short time, become the voice of these critical gaps in the fabric of British history...In another splendid work of social history, Nicolson focuses on the years between 1918 and 1920. At once grand and intimate, Nicolson takes on a captivating journey."--The Daily Beast
"[A] vivid account of the aftermath of the carnage we glamorize as the Great War...[Nicolson] excels at ferreting out revealing details...[she offers] some wonderful vignettes. And the final pages of The Great Silence, which document Britain's official tribute to the dead, are magnificent."--Miranda Seymour, "The New York Times Book Review"
"Fascinating...Writing in a pellucid style with a keen eye for detail, Nicolson captures politics, society and culture and o