Discover the Best Sellers Audiobooks in History, European

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Title: Macbeth

Subtitle: The King: Part 1

Author: Nigel Tranter

Narrator: John MacIsaac

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-16-09

Publisher: Tell-A-Vision Television

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Nigel Tranter introduces his tremendous novel of the true Macbeth and his struggle to make and save a united Scotland, of his devotion to the greatly-wronged young woman, Gruoch, of the humane laws they sought to establish, the battle he was forced to fight against Malcolm Canmore, the ancient Celtic Church he supported against the threat of Rome, and the price he paid.

©1978 Nigel Tranter; (P)1998 Novelsound

Members Reviews:

Macbeth The King? book of a great king Macbeth

?Macbeth The King? This is very famous book of a great king Macbeth Who is very famous for his bravery and he shows him as greatest kingdom emperor or His fair medieval ruler who defended his kingdom time and time again before eventually being overcome by his many enemies. This is completely different from the play by Shakespeare. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and is also called The Scottish play. Comprised of five acts, it starts by predicting tragedy, as three witches agree to meet up again after a battle is fought (setting the context for the play). Rich in imagery and with the idea prevalent that the state of nature affects the state of the world, there is thunder, lightning, doom and gloom.

Although fictional, is close to the existing legends and stories of the historical Macbeth. Macbeth The King which is an extremely sensory experience. This review is of the audio version, Narrated by John MacIsaac. The author's inflection adds drama to the plot, and additional sound effects help set the tone for the story. For example and the accompanying audio includes such ambient sounds as the crackling of branches underfoot and the fast breath of a frantic youth. Throughout his reading of the story, John MacIsaac alters his voice so that readers will come to recognize the different speech patterns and accents of its characters. Audio book is having three parts and available in three volume. The length of story of this audio book is two hours and forty five minutes. Macbeth was simply a character from a famous play then this is the book for you. One of my favourite Nigel Tranter novels

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Title: Order of the Alchemists

Subtitle: The Knights of Malta and Cagliostro

Author: Philip Gardiner

Narrator: Philip Gardiner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-31-08

Publisher: Reality Entertainment

Ratings: 1.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

This title reveals the true history of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and in so doing, we discover occult and sinister forces at play. From the days of heroic battles against Ottoman forces, to the alchemical world of the Grand Master himself, this book explores some very difficult questions: Who are these Knights? What was their role? Who gave them authority?

The story of the Knights of Malta is filled with mystery, intrigue and excitement. Come with us on a journey into the heart of battle.

Members Reviews:

Not a Book

This is not a book it is 20 minutes of some guy talking coupled with 35 minutes of music. Not only is it not informative it is kind of like a conspiracy theory but with not enough crazy in it.

Order of the Alchemist

Very short & not very clear plus most of it was music. Very disappointed

What the hell is this?

I wish I had read the other reviews. This book contains nearly continuous music behind the narration. That wouldn't be so bad, but the balance is very poor making it difficult to hear the reading. The writing is uninteresting and contains very little detail. All in all, this selection might be worth 50? but certainly not $12.33.

Order of the Alchemists

Don't waste your time.

Irritating to listen

What would have made Order of the Alchemists better?

The removal of the irritating music in the background.

Any additional comments?

I was so looking forward to listening to this story, but I could not focus on the words because of the music.

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Title: Quarrel with the King

Subtitle: The Story of an English Family on the High Road to Civil War

Author: Adam Nicolson

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-04-08

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

As he tells their story, Adam Nicolson reveals how a struggle for dominance began as the English crown slowly grew in strength and power, which evoked questions of loyalty that would simmer for decades. Was government about agreement and respect or authority and compulsion? What status did traditional rights have in a changing world? Did a national emergency mean those rights could be ignored or overturned? These were the questions that, in 1642, would lead to a brutal civil war, the bloodiest conflict England has ever suffered, in which the Earl of Pembroke---a devout subject---had no choice but to rebel against a king he believed had betrayed him and his country.

Critic Reviews:

"Clear and compelling popular history." (Kirkus)

"Supple and elegant.... A welcome treat." (Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

Members Reviews:

The Rise and Fall of the Pembrokes

While Nicolson's well-researched history focuses on the Pembroke family, his true subject is the shifting English power politics and economic base in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Earls of Pembroke are the perfect representation of the rapidly changing social and political structures at court and in the countryside. The first earl was a 'made man' from Wales who rose through the ranks on the merits of his rather shady talents (he was both a spy and a murderer), and once he arrived, he sought to legitimize his title and his legacy by tying his allegiance to the old manorial system--a system that was already beginning to crumble as the country shifted from a land-based to a money-based economy, and as the London became increasingly centralized. Much of Nicolson's study focuses on the third earl, William Herbert, who perhaps most successfully straddled the fences between two worlds and two eras, working to extend the pastoral ideal of his uncle, Sir Philip Sidney, into the heart of the Jacobean court itself. But the Pembrokes fared less well under Charles I, who so firmly believed in the divine right of kings that he ignored the old chains of reciprocity between king and lords, lords and tenants. Treating the rest of the country as if its sole purpose was to provide the luxuries of an isolated, effete court and cannon fodder for ill-conceived wars was an attitude that disturbed the third earl--and one that eventually led to the outbreak of civil war, the dissolution of the monarchy, and the loss of Charles's head. The family fortunes fell under Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth, and by the time the monarchy was restored, both it and the ideals of the Pembrokes had drastically changed forever--as had England itself. Nicolson's afterward points out how the gap between rich and poor expanded drastically in the 18th century, affecting in particular those who lived in the outlying counties, where farmers who were once self-sufficient, able to feed and clothe their own families from the direct results of their own labor, were now forced to focus on producing goods for sale and rarely earned enough coins to sustain them.

I found this approach to be an interesting and clever way to address familiar issues in a new way, one that put a more human face on them.

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Title: Read My Heart

Subtitle: A Love Story in England's Age of Revolution

Author: Jane Dunn

Narrator: Wanda McCaddon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-14-08

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Drawing upon extensive research and the Temples' own extraordinary writings - including Dorothy's dazzling letters, one of the glories of English literature - Jane Dunn gives us an utterly captivating dual biography, the first to examine Dorothy's life as an intellectual equal to her diplomat husband. While she has been known to posterity as the very symbol of upper-class, 17th century domestic English life, Dunn makes clear that she was a woman of great complexity, of passion and brilliance, noteworthy far beyond her role as a wife and mother. The remarkable story of William and Dorothy's life together - illuminated here by the author's insight and her vivid sense of place and time - offers a rare glimpse into the heart and spirit of one of the most turbulent and intriguing eras in British history.

Members Reviews:

Repetitious

Did I say, 'repetitious'? Yikes. Two very compelling characters, but we hear so often in the book about how wonderful their letters were that I would rather have listened to them, without the ponderously, well, repetitious and half-digested drivel that passes as history. One wonders whether publishers employ copy editors anymore.

Fine reader, though. Excellent diction, phrasing, and impeccable foreign pronunciation.

Interesting, but . . .

. . . somewhat repetitive. Using primarily their letters, the author tells of the love between William Temple and Dorothy Osborne in seventeenth-century England. The courtship was the most intriguing part. William fell in love with Dorothy and resisted his parents efforts to marry him off to a woman with a better dowry and a more prestigious family for over seven years before the two families gave in. Once they marry, the pace of the book slows and much of the focus turns to William's career moves. Still, a fascinating look at aristocratic life in the times.

GREAT LOVE STORY

Great book with a great passion for love and the story is very timeless and worth listening too. I felt as if I had live the love for myself. More books like this would be great.

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Title: The Bruce Trilogy 3

Subtitle: The Price of the King's Peace

Author: Nigel Tranter

Narrator: Michael Elder

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-08

Publisher: Tele-A-Vision Television

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In the third of this best selling trilogy, Nigel Tranter charts these turbulent years, revealing the flowering of Bruce's character, sustained by a passionate love, not only of his land and people, but...

Members Reviews:

oh to have the heart of Bruce and the love of his

men. Wallace would have been proud to follow him. At the end to cry Scotland.

Great trilogy.

Three brilliant books from which I learned much, however listening to the audio books I found the music rather irritating, that aside I heartily recommend them to anyone interested in Scottish history.

"The Bruce Trilogy 3" by Nigel Tranter.

This trilogy tells the story of Robert the Bruce and how, tutored and encouraged by the heroic William Wallace, he determined to continue the fight for an independent Scotland, sustained by a passionate love for his land. Nigel Tranter succeeds admirably in bringing the story of Robert I - Scotland's greatest King - to life. Not only is his historical research near flawless, but the book is graced by that indisputable mark of a great story teller the reader is wholly absorbed into the world of the Bruce and his friends. Tranter also manages to draw a whole mixture of feelings from his readers - love, hatred, admiration and even that strange mixture of respect and disgust for Edward I that Bruce himself is said to have harbored. Nigel Tranter he is one of Scotland's most prolific and respected writers. He has an amazingly broad grip of Scottish history' ? He is an accomplished writer of compelling and unforgettable historical novels' With his imaginative dialogue, he provides a voice for Scotland's heroes Scotland 'Tranter's popularity lies in his knack of making historical events immediate and exciting. These audio books are very amazing story tale with nice pace of thoughts and free flow of story line. This audio book is nice story telling style. I was most certainly not disappointed

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: Epochs of European Civilization: Reformation to the 21st Century

Author: Geoffrey Hosking

Narrator: Geoffrey Hosking

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

This course provides a greater understanding of the role played by such influential figures as Luther, Calvin, Napoleon, Stalin, and other key figures of the period. Further, the importance of the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, the rise of the nation-state, World Wars, and the Cold War is expounded upon in a lively analysis bound to shed new light not only on world history, but on the present state of the world and the future of global politics.

Members Reviews:

Very concise wrapup of European history

All the history you've forgotten from high school, and more, is presented wonderfully in this series of lectures. A great introductory or refresher course, and good for piecing it all together. Geoffrey Hosking is easy to listen tonever stuffy or overbearing. At some points I would wish for more detail, but this book really does cover a large span of time. Very worthwhile.

If only teachers had told history this way!

Any additional comments?

Professor Hosking deserves a big kiss on both cheeks for having made my recent training runs at least mentally enjoyable! 16 hours (for both parts) of European history, told in the most melodic British English - highly recommendable! Especially for someone like me, with gaping holes in history knowledge due to uninspired teachers and Soviet-centred curriculum...

Good content and very listenable.

Another winner from Modern Scholar. Easy and enjoyable to listen to. A decent introduction to the subject. .

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Title: The Bruce Trilogy 1

Subtitle: The Steps to the Empty Throne

Author: Nigel Tranter

Narrator: Michael Elder

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-09-08

Publisher: Tele-A-Vision Television

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In the first of this best selling trilogy, Nigel Tranter charts these turbulent years, revealing the flowering of Bruce's character, sustained by a passionate love, not only of his land and people, but...

Members Reviews:

The Bruce Trilogy 1: The Steps to the Empty Throne

The problem Gary wrote about in his review on July 5,2009 still exists on August 26, 2010. I am told," no estimated time as to when an Audio Bug will be fixed". I am not holding my breath. I am very disappointed.

Not quite Trilogy 1

I was looking forward to listening to the 1st of the Trilogy but I could only download 2 chapters, what appears to be the 1st chapter of Trilogy 1 and the second [chapter of Trilogy 1] was in fact the 1st chapter of Trilogy 3 - would be interested to know if anyone has managed to receive the full Trilogy 1 book - anyway I will let you know what I think about it when I get to listen to it...

Missing chapters make for poor listening

I am a big Nigel Trantor fan and have actually read the book in hardcover, and it is a great book! Unfortunately, one would never know it by listening to THIS copy. The glitch has not been fixed, yet Audible is still selling and downloading the copy.

Captures the spirit of the time

If you could sum up The Bruce Trilogy 1 in three words, what would they be?

Well done abridgement

What did you like best about this story?

I've read the full version and this abridged version does the tale justice.The story flows seamlessly, and the narration is emotion packed. If you want a quick (well rather quick) introduction to a major foundation of Scottish independence, this is an excellent choice.

What about Michael Elders performance did you like?

He captures the time and the emotion.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The wooing of Elizabeth De Burgh is given full justice, and for a book written in 1969 is very contemporary. Women lost a great champion when Nigel Tranter, the author, died in 2000.

a highly accurate historical novel

an easily accessible story form overview of the power politics of the wars of independence.

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Title: The Lady in the Tower

Author: Jean Plaidy

Narrator: Anne Flosnik

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-18-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 100 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Loathed by the English people, Anne was soon caught in the trap of her own ambition. When she failed to produce a much-desired male heir, her political rivals closed in, wrongfully accusing her of adultery and incest. Anne found herself imprisoned in the Tower of London, at the mercy of her husband and her enemies.

Critic Reviews:

"Plaidy excels at blending history with romance and drama." (

The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Lady in the tower. I loved it.

I enjoyed listening to this story with all the details of emotion from a six yr old being sent to a strange country after her mother dies her ship sinking and barely surviving to becoming Queen of England. Giving birth to the country's most loved Queen but she's accused and beheaded as a convinence to the King so he can be free to marry and produce an male Heir. Very good story. Very complete no holes needed to be filled.

Plaidy is the master

The master of historical romanc, that is. And I'm a sucker for anything Tudor, so what mre can I say?

A More Human Anne Boleyn

I'm a big fan of the Tudors(TV show) and was definately excited to hear this book by Jean Plaidy. I was really glad of the fact that she spent time with Anne's earliest years in the French Court. Something the show wasn't able to do. It's also a departure from The Other Boleyn Girl in that respect also. I thought that it helped to set up the rest of the book, to explain why she acted how she did towards Henry, and the politics of the Court.

Having said that I was slightly disappointed that more attention wasn't paid to certain things like Catherine's appearance at Blackfriars. I felt that part was really rushed. I also felt that she didn't really get into how she felt being a mother to Elizabeth, until the very end. In fact the years between her telling Henry she wouldn't be his mistress to their marriage seemed rushed. But maybe one year was much like another so she felt she didn't need to spend so much time with it.

I did feel that I got a good feeling for King Henry though. I felt that Plaidy made him a bit more indepth than Gregory does. I didn't hate him as I did in The Other Boleyn Girl. But I preferred TOBG to Plaidy in regards to Anne's family. George wasn't a big figure in this, and neither was Mary. I felt that they didn't exist really in the whole book.

I would highly recommend this though for a more sympathetic look into the life of Anne Boleyn. I'm glad Plaidy took a more human approach to the woman who changed the face of English history.

As for the narrator, I liked her voice some of the time. Her Spanish accent and pronunciation left much to be desired, as did her French.

One of the Best I've Heard

I've just listened to this for the second time through. Of all the books I've read or listened to in this area of history, and I've amassed a formidable pile, I think this is one of the very best. I recommend it without hesitation to anyone with a taste for stories about royalty (the star-studded celebrities of history.) The narrator's voice is so well chosen and smoothly performed, in my mind's ear she IS Anne Boleyn. And the author balanced historical detail with first-person thoughts and feelings in a way that felt nearly seamless. One always has to accept an author's take on things that can't be known for sure.

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Title: Agincourt

Author: Juliet Barker

Narrator: Elliot Cowan

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-20-07

Publisher: Hachette Audio UK

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In this landmark study of Agincourt, prize-winning author Juliet Barker draws upon a huge range of sources, published and unpublished, English and French, to give a compelling account of a battle upon which so many legends have been built. But she also looks behind the action on the field to paint a portrait of the age. A mad king, murderous dukes, scheming bishops, knightly heroes, surgeons, heralds, spies, and pirates: the story of Agincourt has them all.

©2005 Juliet Barker; (P)2007 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews:

"[A] wonderfully vivid, clear and involving book that is destined to become a classic account." (The Economist)

"A lively, stimulating account of this bloody day of battle. It is full of both serious research and entertaining gems. Barker makes the politics of the Hundred Years' War lucidly comprehensible." (The Times)

Members Reviews:

Minor reservations, but a big Yes

Where does Agincourt rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

It's a great audiobook. The author's enthusiasm and knowledge swept me up and carried me along, and I loved the whole experience.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It's a factual book; there are no "characters". But I recognised Juliet Barker's knowledge and appreciation of Henry V.

What about Elliot Cowans performance did you like?

His voice enlivens the text and makes it easy to listen to, but his pronunciation of certain words (English as well as French) is somewhat surprising. Luckily, it's also amusing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No, there was beauty in it from beginning to end.

Any additional comments?

I can't understand why nobody ran the reader's version of French names past a native (or educated) French speaker. It wouldn't have taken long; I'd have done it for free.

Narrator

I would just like to say that I found this story both stimulating and vivid. I could visual the details due the book and the excellent vocal skills of Mr Cowan. I hope that Mr Cowan will record more books as his voice contributed a great deal to the enjoyment of the novel.

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Title: Tales and Traditions of Scottish Castles

Author: Nigel Tranter

Narrator: Nigel Tranter

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-04-07

Publisher: Tell-A-Vision Television

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Alive with anecdote, this is a wonderful companion for anyone who enjoys Scotland's heritage and tales of its gaunt and shadowy ruins.

© and (P) NovelSound

Members Reviews:

Will put you to sleep!

The information in this book may be interesting and insightful really fantastic, but since the author/narrator is the most boring man on the planet and is not only difficult to understand since he does not speak clearly, he bores me to tears! I love history, but if he was my history professor I am sure I would fail for sleeping the entire lecture. In fact, that is pretty much what this book sounds like. A really really tedious lecture.

Great way to hear Tranter's voice

Great way to hear the voice of such a dynamic author. This is more of a tour guide than a story.