"David McKean''s superbly readable chronicle of FDR and his ambassadors offers new insight on modern history''s greatest tragedy: The rise of Hitler and the Nazis . Watching Darkness Fall is one of those works that by illuminating the shadows makes a familiar story all the more powerful. A must for the bookshelf of anyone fascinated by World War II history." --David Ignatius, columnist, The Washington Post "In Watching Darkness Fall , David McKean has produced a compelling portrait of the men President Franklin Roosevelt chose to be his ambassadors in Europe during Nazi Germany''s march toward war. The story of the envoys'' rivalries and competition for FDR''s favor is a fascinating one, as is Roosevelt''s reaction to their differing advice, reflecting his own struggle over how to handle the looming war and America''s role in it." --Lynne Olson, New York Times bestselling author of Madame Fourcade''s Secret War "High drama, diplomatic intrigue, and damn good chinwag . David McKean has a fine eye for the telling anecdote in this gracefully written group biography of FDR''s pre-war ambassadors. Watching Darkness Fall is colorful biography but also an important piece of diplomatic history--and along the way, we learn a little more about the ever-elusive Franklin Roosevelt.

" --Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography, and author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter "David McKean has written a bracing, important book about a tragic period in Transatlantic history. Watching Darkness Fall is part diplomatic history, part political thriller. The path to the united effort to defeat fascism was full of roads not taken, and this book provides a very helpful map." --David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom "A lively, immersive history of a pivotal time." -- Publishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [heand damn good chinwag .

David McKean has a fine eye for the telling anecdote in this gracefully written group biography of FDR''s pre-war ambassadors. Watching Darkness Fall is colorful biography but also an important piece of diplomatic history--and along the way, we learn a little more about the ever-elusive Franklin Roosevelt." --Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography, and author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter "David McKean has written a bracing, important book about a tragic period in Transatlantic history. Watching Darkness Fall is part diplomatic history, part political thriller. The path to the united effort to defeat fascism was full of roads not taken, and this book provides a very helpful map." --David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom "A lively, immersive history of a pivotal time." -- Publishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history.

" -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [helishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [heand damn good chinwag . David McKean has a fine eye for the telling anecdote in this gracefully written group biography of FDR''s pre-war ambassadors. Watching Darkness Fall is colorful biography but also an important piece of diplomatic history--and along the way, we learn a little more about the ever-elusive Franklin Roosevelt." --Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography, and author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter "David McKean has written a bracing, important book about a tragic period in Transatlantic history.

Watching Darkness Fall is part diplomatic history, part political thriller. The path to the united effort to defeat fascism was full of roads not taken, and this book provides a very helpful map." --David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom "A lively, immersive history of a pivotal time." -- Publishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [heand damn good chinwag . David McKean has a fine eye for the telling anecdote in this gracefully written group biography of FDR''s pre-war ambassadors.

Watching Darkness Fall is colorful biography but also an important piece of diplomatic history--and along the way, we learn a little more about the ever-elusive Franklin Roosevelt." --Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography, and author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter "David McKean has written a bracing, important book about a tragic period in Transatlantic history. Watching Darkness Fall is part diplomatic history, part political thriller. The path to the united effort to defeat fascism was full of roads not taken, and this book provides a very helpful map." --David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom "A lively, immersive history of a pivotal time." -- Publishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took .

[helishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [helishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [heand damn good chinwag . David McKean has a fine eye for the telling anecdote in this gracefully written group biography of FDR''s pre-war ambassadors.

Watching Darkness Fall is colorful biography but also an important piece of diplomatic history--and along the way, we learn a little more about the ever-elusive Franklin Roosevelt." --Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography, and author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter "David McKean has written a bracing, important book about a tragic period in Transatlantic history. Watching Darkness Fall is part diplomatic history, part political thriller. The path to the united effort to defeat fascism was full of roads not taken, and this book provides a very helpful map." --David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom "A lively, immersive history of a pivotal time." -- Publishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took .

[helishers Weekly "Broad ranging . of considerable interest to students of modern history and the Roosevelt history." -- Kirkus Reviews "David McKean had the good idea of tracking America''s response to Germany''s rise by describing the milieu of America''s ambassadors and by assessing the policies they pursued and the actions they took . [hell is part diplomatic history, part political thriller. The path to the united effort to defeat fascism was full of roads not taken, and this book provides a very helpful map." --David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former Foreign Secretary of the Un.