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Title: Ivory Vikings

Subtitle: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them

Author: Nancy Marie Brown

Narrator: Tony Ward

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-03-15

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In the early 1800s, on a Hebridean beach in Scotland, the sea exposed an ancient treasure cache: 93 chessmen carved from walrus ivory. Norse netsuke, each face individual, each full of quirks, the Lewis Chessmen are probably the most famous chess pieces in the world. Harry played Wizard's Chess with them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Housed at the British Museum, they are among its most visited and beloved objects.

Questions abounded: Who carved them? Where? Ivory Vikings explores these mysteries by connecting medieval Icelandic sagas with modern archaeology, art history, forensics, and the history of board games. In the process, Ivory Vikings presents a vivid history of the 400 years when the Vikings ruled the North Atlantic, and the sea road connected countries and islands we think of as far apart and culturally distinct: Norway and Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, and Greenland and North America. The story of the Lewis chessmen explains the economic lure behind the Viking voyages to the west in the 800s and 900s. And finally, it brings from the shadows an extraordinarily talented woman artist of the 12th century: Margret the Adroit of Iceland.

Members Reviews:

Amazing history but slightly dramatic reader

This remarkable in-depth exploration of the history of 78 small chess pieces is a lot more than an archaeological history. It manages to weave the history of the late Viking age into art history, the history of chess, the history of the medieval church, the history of commerce in Europe, the history of literature, and the history of archaeological debate. Nancy Marie Brown expertly weaves these diverse topics together by following the pieces on the chess board, using the art and military history of the age to determine the date of the relevant pieces, and in turn connecting that to their creation. The insight into Icelandic history and literature, which is often overlooked in past academic works on the Chessmen, provides a unique insight into the way, for example, a rook would be fashioned after a berserker or a bishop would have powerful range of movement and be at the king's side. These are all tied into Icelandic experience and history so that, Brown argues, it proves the pieces were made in Iceland by Margaret the Adroit. Brown's book is a history, but it is written using some journalistic techniques as well, she having interviewed some of the main characters who have brought this Icelandic theory to the fore in the previous decade. The argument for Icelandic origin is compelling, logical, and well laid out. The history is interesting, engaging, and presented in an accessible way. Overall, a really well-written look into a unique piece of historical detective work and well worth the read.

I got the Audible version of this book, and the narration was clear and easy to follow, though the narrator takes slightly dramatic pauses before a quotation. I could listen to it easily, but he wasn't my favourite reader, seeming to be a bit over the top.

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Titolo: Federico II di Svevia (Storia d'Italia 26)

Autore: div.

Narratore: Eugenio Farn

Formato: Unabridged

Durata: 1 hr and 1 min

Lingua: Italiano

Data di pubblicazione: 08-13-15

Editore: Il Narratore s.r.l.

Categoria: History, European

Riepilogo Editore:

Federico II di Svevia è stato il più importante imperatore medioevale che l'Italia abbia conosciuto, egli favorì l'incontro delle civiltà greca, latina e araba e le coniugò insieme per dar vita ai primi tentativi di una cultura politica, letteraria e scientifica prettamente "italiana". Nipote di Federico Barbarossa, Federico II fu considerato da alcuni una "meraviglia del mondo", per altri fu invece l'Anticristo e per altri ancora il Messia venuto a riportare l'ordine di Dio sulla Terra.

Per tutta la prima metà del XIII secolo l'imperatore svevo si mosse con spregiudicatezza e inventiva in un complesso scenario politico, che egli influenzò fortemente e di cui fu protagonista. Il centro della sua politica fu il Regno di Sicilia e la sua corte a Palermo fu il luogo d'incontro delle menti più brillanti e sapienti d'Europa; egli ricostituì l'impero, costruì il primo stato centralizzato, imbrigliò le ambizioni temporali della chiesa e stupì il mondo con la naturalezza con cui compì quest'opera che oggi è da considerarsi titanica.

Questo volume è realizzato a cura di Maurizio Falghera, con riferimento alle opere degli storici Georgina Masson, Claudio Rendina, Gabriele Fantuzzi, Hubert Houben. La lettura è di Eugenio Farn.

©2015 il Narratore Srl (P)2015 il Narratore Srl

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Title: I Never Knew That About London

Author: Christopher Winn

Narrator: Timothy Bentinck

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-10-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Best-selling author Christopher Winn takes us on a captivating journey around London to discover the unknown tales of our capital's history. Travelling through the villages and districts that make up the world's most dynamic metropolis, I Never Knew That About London unearths the hidden gems of legends, firsts, inventions, adventures and birthplaces that shape the city's compelling and at times turbulent past.

See the Chelsea river views that inspired Turner in his final years, and find out where London's first nude statue is. Explore London's finest country house in Charlton, and unearth the secrets of the Mother of Parliaments. Spy out the village that gave its name to a car and the Russian word for railway station. Discover which church steeple gave us the design of the traditional wedding cake, where the sandwich was invented, and where in Bond Street you can see London's oldest artefact. Visit the house where Handel and Jimi Hendrix both lived. Climb the famous 311 steps of the Monument, go from East to West and back again at Greenwich and fly the world's biggest big wheel.

Brimming with facts, stories and snippets providing a spellbinding insight into the history of London, this beautiful listen is guaranteed to inform and amuse in equal measure.

Christopher Winn's first book was the best-selling I Never Knew That About England. A freelance writer and collector of trivia for over 20 years, he has worked with Terry Wogan and Jonathan Ross and sets quiz questions for television as well as for the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph.

He is also the associate producer of a TV series by ITV on Great Britain, airing in 2014. His website is http://www.i-never-knew-that.com.

Critic Reviews:

"A delightful and informative addition to the capital's literary legacy...I Never Knew That About London will not fail to enhance months, even years, of gentle urban exploration.... Any number of morning or weekend outings can be constructed from these rich pages.... Winn's touch is always light, and his knowledge is never overbearing, so the selections and observations remain unfailingly interesting." (Rory MacLean, Guardian Online)

Members Reviews:

I never cared to know that about London.

I Never Knew That About London by Christopher Winn is well read by Timothy Bentinck and is a mildly diverting listen for those interested in Londons long history. It is organized by neighborhood and can be hard to follow especially in the audio version without the benefit of page layout clues.

It is basically a long list of random facts about London locations organized only by their rough proximity. The information can be extremely esoteric. Along the lines of, On this street lived Terry Dunno the drummer for an early 60s band youve never heard of, as well as John Whosit the green-grocer credited with introducing the avocado to London in 1912. Both houses were demolished in 1970.

Christopher Winn frequently references the locations for film shoots, but they tend to be rather obvious such as, Notting Hill drew international attention as the setting for the 1999 movie, Notting Hill.

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Title: Elizabeth I and Her Circle

Author: Susan Doran

Narrator: Joanna Daniel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-23-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

This is the story of Elizabeth I's inner circle and the crucial human relationships which lay at the heart of her personal and political life. Using a wide range of original sources - including private letters, portraits, verse, drama, and state papers - Susan Doran provides a vivid and often dramatic account of political life in Elizabethan England and the queen at its center. Doran offers a deeper insight into Elizabeth's emotional and political conduct, and challenges many of the popular myths that have grown up around her.

It is a story replete with fascinating questions. What was the true nature of Elizabeth's relationship with her father, Henry VIII - especially after his execution of her mother? How close was she to her half-brother Edward VI - and were relations with her half-sister Mary really as poisonous as is popularly assumed? And what of her relationship with her Stewart cousins, most famously with Mary Queen of Scots, executed on Elizabeth's orders in 1587, but also with Mary's son James VI of Scotland, later to succeed Elizabeth as her chosen successor?

Elizabeth's relations with her family were crucial, but just as crucial were her relations with her courtiers and her councilors. Here again, the story raises a host of fascinating questions. Was the queen really sexually jealous of her maids of honor? Did physically attractive male favorites dominate her court? What does her long and intimate relationship with the Earl of Leicester reveal about her character, personality, and attitude to marriage? What can the fall of Essex tell us about Elizabeth's political management in the final years of her reign? And what was the true nature of her personal and political relationship with influential and long-serving councilors such as the Cecils and Sir Francis Walsingham? And how did courtiers and councilors deal with their demanding royal mistress?

Members Reviews:

Not Much new Here for Tudor Afficiandos

I didn't learn much new from this book, but it was a good review of who was who and what went on at court. I especially liked the structure of the book. It is divided into three parts: Kin, Courtiers, and Councillors, and each section is divided into chapters focused on small groups or specific persons. "Kin" has chapter on Parents & Siblings, The Suffolk Cousins, Mary Queen of Scots, and James VI of Scotland (her eventual heir to the English throne). Three favorites are the chapter subjects of "Courtiers": Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; Sir Christopher Hatton; and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. The section has an additional chapter on the noblewomen who served as ladies in waiting to the queen. Part Three, "Councillors," includes chapters on William Cecil, Lord Burghley; Sir Francis Walsingham; and Burghley's son, Robert Cecil. In the course of the book, relationships between the various subjects and Elizabeth are analyzed and important events (the succession, Elizabeth's "marriage game," the Spanish Armada, the Dutch wars, religious dissent, etc.) are discussed in detail. In short, it's a nice primer or reference book on Elizabeth's reign.

Very detailed and enjoyable

The author takes a fresh look at this well studied chapter in English history. She focuses on the relationships of the various people within EI's sphere and tells each person's story through the prism of the relationship.

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Title: A Good Place to Hide

Subtitle: How One French Village Saved Thousands of Lives in World War II

Author: Peter Grose

Narrator: Julian Elfer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-26-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

The untold story of an isolated French community that banded together to offer sanctuary and shelter to over 3,500 Jews in the throes of World War II.

Nobody asked questions; nobody demanded money. Villagers lied, covered up, procrastinated, and concealed, but most importantly they welcomed. This is the story of an isolated community in the upper reaches of the Loire Valley that conspired to save the lives of 3,500 Jews under the noses of the Germans and the soldiers of Vichy France. It is the story of a pacifist Protestant pastor who broke laws and defied orders to protect the lives of total strangers. It is the story of an 18-year-old Jewish boy from Nice who forged 5,000 sets of false identity papers to save other Jews and French Resistance fighters from the Nazi concentration camps. And it is the story of a community of good men and women who offered sanctuary, kindness, solidarity, and hospitality to people in desperate need, knowing full well the consequences to themselves.

Powerful and richly told, A Good Place to Hide speaks to the goodness and courage of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

Members Reviews:

Weapons Of The Spirit--Extreme Pacifism At Work

I read this book as a pairing with another book, The Paris Architect--a work of historic fiction. This book, A Good Place to Hide is a non-fiction work under the heading of European History. Both books focus on the same time period--France in WWII after the Nazi invasion during the Vichy regime. Both books deal with hiding but in very different ways. In The Paris Architect, the hiding involves both helping individuals and cloaking deep changes in the main character Lucien. In A Good Place to Hide it is a massive "hidden in plain sight" experience involving villages, churches, Protestant pastors, Catholic clergy, the Boy Scouts, American Quakers and the commune of Le Chambon-Sur-Lignon. Each book was extremely powerful and profound in its own way.

In many ways The Paris Architect fleshed out the shades of grey in all the characters. Showing flawed people, German and French alike, with both good and bad aspects of their thinking and belief systems. Somehow for me this shaded depth made the Nazis and the Vichy regime stand out so clearly as evil and terrifying--something that other books had failed to do with such clarity. The author artfully showed Lucien growing in empathy, strength and the ability to see beyond himself. The narration was excellent.

A Good Place To Hide starts from a different place entirely. The people that were able to hide the 3500 Jews and others at risk were already strong and powerful pacifists ready to give their lives for their beliefs. This high remote French plateau of Huguenots, long schooled in the experience of persecution, stepped up and quietly did what they needed to do to help others. I loved hearing about the community, the no nonsense approach and the small ways they all tried to live with joy through such a troubled time. To me a well told story of bravery and belief.

The most fascinating thing about reading these books as a pair was the difference between fiction and non-fiction and each genres ability to form a solid but different connection with the reader. In fiction, the story can be manipulated for greatest impact quickly. Much can be implied subtly without needing to stress about keeping the minute facts straight.

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Title: I Never Knew That About Royal Britain

Author: Christopher Winn

Narrator: Tim Bentinck

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-12-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Best-selling author Christopher Winn explores Britain's royal past, unearthing a rich legacy of castles and palaces, cathedrals and country retreats, battlefields and monuments where kings and queens lived and died.

In this exploration of royal British history, discover whose heart is buried near the Tower of London, which palace was built on top of a mulberry garden, the world's oldest and largest occupied castle, and the first building in Britain to have latrines.

From the Palace of Scone to the Palace of Westminster; from Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of Henry VII, to Pontefract Castle, where Richard II starved to death; and from banqueting halls to beheading sites, this gem of a book is guaranteed to inform and amuse in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"A treasure trove of amazing facts and anecdotes - a right royal treat." (Aled Jones)

"Packed full of fascinating facts and anecdotes, Christopher Winn's I Never Knew That About Royal Britain contains entertaining trivia about the UK's royal castles and palaces." (Saturday Daily Express)

Members Reviews:

Potted history and spicey titbits

Fast and fun tour of royal Britain: almost but not quite as enjoyable as the London equivalent. The narrator is ideal for this sort of book.

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Título: Los vikingos [The Vikings]

Subtitular: Historia y cultura [History and Culture]

Autor: Online Studio Productions

Narrador: uncredited

Formato: Unabridged

Duración: 35 mins

Idioma: Español

Fecha de publicación: 04-30-15

Editor: Online Studio Productions

Calificaciones: 5 de 5 de 1 votos

Categorías: History, European

Resumen del editor:

Ningún pueblo de la época medieval fue tan temido, odiado y sujeto a las más diversas leyendas. Sus avances en la navegación, armas, organización social y particular mitología, los haría la ola migratoria más importante y significativa de los primeros tiempos de la Cristiandad. Fue tal el pavor de los pueblos atacados que cuando se escuchaba a lo lejos sus gritos de guerra, este rezo se volvía común: "Señor, apártanos de la ira de los varegos".

Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish.

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Title: The Gallic Wars

Subtitle: The Campaigns That Made Julius Caesar a Roman Legend

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Michael Gilboe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-24-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

The Gallic Wars, the series of campaigns waged by Julius Caesar on behalf of the Roman Senate between 58-50 BC, were among the defining conflicts of the Roman era. Not only was the expansion of the Republic's domains unprecedented (especially when considering it was undertaken under the auspices of a single general), it had a profound cultural impact on Rome itself as well. The Roman Republic, so dynamic in the wake of the destruction of their ancient enemy, Carthage, had recently suffered a series of dramatic upheavals; from the great slave rebellion of Spartacus to the brutal and bloody struggle for power of Marius and Sulla. Rome had been shaken to its very core, and a victory was essential both to replenish the dwindling national coffers and to instill in the people a sense of civic pride and a certainty in the supremacy of the Republic.

Caesar's successful campaigns in Gaul have become the stuff of military legend, in part because he had the foresight to document them himself. Caesar himself wrote a famous firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, apparently from notes he had kept during the campaigns, and he wrote Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries on the Gallic War) in the third person. Caesar's account described the campaigning and the battles, all as part of a propaganda campaign to win the popularity of the Roman people. As a result, he left out inconvenient facts, including how much of a fortune he made plundering, but the work still remains popular today, and it is still used to teach Latin.

Members Reviews:

Absolutely fantastic!

I usually find such historical accounts a trial to absorb but this narrative was fantastic and full of interesting points that I thoroughly enjoyed it and will listen to it yet again. A real pleasure!

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Title: The Siege of Jerusalem in 1099

Subtitle: The History and Legacy of the Climactic Battle of the First Crusade

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Jared Wekenman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-24-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

"I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to [persuade] all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it is meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it." (Pope Urban II, 1095)

Of the many campaigns during the Middle Ages, few are as remarkable or seemingly impossible to win at the start as the First Crusade (1095-99), and the true crowning achievement of that crusade, which resulted in two centuries of Western European Christian states in the Middle East and the permanent firing of the European imagination, was the conquest of Jerusalem on July 15, 1099 after three weeks of siege. That victorious siege came four years after the call for a crusade first went out, and had the Crusaders not taken Jerusalem, the First Crusade would not likely have been followed by any more and the campaign might have been no more than an historical footnote of what could have been.

As it turned out, the siege of Jerusalem and the crusade as a whole says much about the first major clash of Western and Eastern military tactics after the fall of the Roman Empire, as well as the power of faith and even fanaticism to motivate people beyond ordinary human endurance. For better and worse, the siege and fall of Jerusalem to the Crusaders has become a fundamental piece in the current view of the West in that part of the world. Indeed, to this day, the First Crusade remains a polarizing event, even among modern historians.

Members Reviews:

A brutal part of history little known to many

What made the experience of listening to The Siege of Jerusalem in 1099 the most enjoyable?

Knowing a part of history knowing to not many, and may explain or at least gives indications to problems we have today, almost 900 years later.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There is no specific character in the book.

Which scene was your favorite?

Not exactly a "favorite: but the description of what done inside the walls of Jerusalem is quite shocking.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is short so I did in a couple driving commutes. Yes, you want to reach the end although the amount of historic records is hard to keep tracking. I wish I could take notes to remember some events.

Any additional comments?

I'm starting to enjoy the brief historic books from Charles River Editors. Worth the almost $5 for 1.5 hours of very interesting listening.

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Title: The Diary of Samuel Pepys: Volume III: 1667-1669

Author: Samuel Pepys

Narrator: Leighton Pugh, David Timson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 36 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-17-15

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 32 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

The Diary of Samuel Pepys is one of the most entertaining documents in English history. Written between 1660 and 1669, as Pepys was establishing himself as a key administrator in the Navy Office, it is an intimate portrait of life in 17th-century England, covering his professional and personal activities, including, famously, his love of music, theatre, food, and wine and his peccadilloes.

This Naxos AudioBooks production is the world-premiere recording of the diary in its entirety. It has been divided into three volumes. Volume III presents the last three years of Pepys' diary. By then he was in his mid-30s and confident in his ability to deal with differing political factions within the Navy Office; his affection for his wife, Elizabeth, grew ever stronger despite wandering eyes, and he found he was worth 6,000 and more - a considerable sum for the son of a tailor, who started with nothing. His concerns with his eyes grew, and it was with some regret that he stopped writing his diary at the end of May 1669.

Leighton Push reads from the Robert Latham and William Matthews' text; prefaces are written and read by David Timson.

Members Reviews:

There is nothing like silence - C'est Fini!

"There is nothing like silence -- it being seldom any wrong to a man to say nothing, but for the most part it is to say anything."

-- Samuel Pepys, 6 December, 1667

1667:

The eighth (1667, with 201,000 words) and longest volume, of Samuel Pepy's famous diary. I can't believe I only have one volume left. I think the length of this volume/year has a lot to do with the unique circumstances England finds itself in. The war with the Dutch finally ends, but hasn't solved the inadequacies of money and governance in England. Charles II and his corrupt court has made it difficult to even keep a navy. Bills are piling up and debt has grown, and one of the more rational actors (The Lord Chancellor, 1st Earl of Clarendon) was undone by those in the Court that thought he had too much power with the King. He was impeached and banished with few taking his side (except his son-in-law Duke of York, and Henry Coventry*). Anyway, all of this trouble reduces Pepy's activity somewhat, so it appears he has more time to write in his diary, go to plays, prepare for his defense in from to fate House of Commons (Pepys was well respected for his competency and honest among the House of Commons, the nobility and the King), grope women, sleep with women, count his money, and even ejaculate in the Queen's chapel during High Mass on Christmas Eve ("But here I did make myself do la costa be mere imagination, marinade a jolie most and with my eyes open, which I never did before -- and God forgive me for it, it being in the chapel.).

I think one of the reasons I ADORE this diary is the honesty, the hilarity, the boldness of Pepys. It is strange. I've read now over 1 million of the most private thoughts a man can have about life, love, money, politics, ambition, marriage, duplicity, religion, science, etc., and I'm pretty sure I know Pepys better than I have known anyone except my wife and perhaps my children.