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Title: France 1940

Subtitle: Defending the Republic

Author: Philip Nord

Narrator: Sean Runnette

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-05-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

In this revisionist account of France's crushing defeat in 1940, Philip Nord argues that the nation's downfall has long been misunderstood. Nord assesses France's diplomatic and military preparations for war with Germany, its conduct of the war once the fighting began, and the political consequences of defeat on the battlefield. Ultimately, he finds that the longstanding view that France's collapse was due to military unpreparedness and a decadent national character is unsupported by fact.

Nord reveals that the Third Republic was no worse prepared and its military failings no less dramatic than those of the United States and other Allies in the early years of the war. What was unique in France was the betrayal by military and political elites who abandoned the Republic and supported the reprehensible Vichy takeover. Why then have historians and politicians ever since interpreted the defeat as a judgment on the nation as a whole? Why has the focus been on the failings of the Third Republic and not on elite betrayal? The author examines these questions in a fascinating conclusion.

Critic Reviews:

"A well thought-out and well-presented book on a thorny problem of European history." (Robert Gildea, author of Marianne in Chains)

Members Reviews:

A much needed revision to oversimplified, partisan historiography

Nord's prose is worthy of congratulation alone. Were it not also for his piercing analysis, one could end the review here. For the sake of the interested reader, it's my pleasure to add that Nord handles the Laval administration and the Reynaud ministry with a balanced, nuanced deconstructive hammer. He demystifies and clarifies how exactly Paris fell in 1940. Gently and respectfully pushing back against Bloch's decline-ist narrative, Nord paints a picture of ruthless fascists taking advantage of a faltering Third Republic.

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Title: The Sinking of the Lusitania: The Most Controversial Submarine Attack of World War I

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Joseph Chialastri

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-14-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

In 1906 the RMS Lusitania was at the forefront of transatlantic shipping. Briefly the largest ship in the world, the designers and engineers who built the Lusitania aimed for her to represent the height of luxury for passengers while also being the harbinger of a new technological age, replete with revolutionary engines that would allow the gigantic ship to move at speeds that would have been considered impossible just years earlier. Indeed the highly competitive industry would spur the development of bigger and better ocean liners in the coming years, the most famous being the Titanic.

The Lusitania and the Titanic would become the two most famous ships of the early 20th century for tragic reasons, but the circumstances could not have been more different. While the Titanic is still notorious for being the world's best ocean liner at the time of its collision with an iceberg in 1912, the Lusitania's role as a popular ocean liner has been almost completely obscured by the nature of its sinking by a German U-boat in 1915. The Germans aimed to disrupt trade by the Allied forces, but they did not have the naval forces capable of seizing merchant ships and detaining them. Furthermore the Germans rightly suspected that the British and Americans were using passenger liners and merchant ships to smuggle weaponry across the Atlantic, but since their sole edge in the Atlantic was their fleet of submarines, the Germans had no way of confirming their suspicions short of sinking a ship and seeing if a detonation onboard suggested the presence of munitions and gunpowder.

Members Reviews:

Not worth it

This was more like a short magazine article. Not worth 15 dollars. I would not recommend

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Title: Decisive Moments in History: D-Day & Operation Overlord

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Scott Clem

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 04-13-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Includes a bibliography for further reading.

"The invasion of Europe was planned by a small group of driving, determined, devoted and occasionally furious men."

In the 19th century, the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle famously wrote, "The history of the world is but the biography of great men", popularizing the "great man" theory that the course of history is shaped by a select few heroic individuals. While historians and others continue to debate the accuracy of the "great man" theory of history, there is no question that the course of history is permanently altered by decisive moments in time, where a different result would have produced drastically different outcomes.

During World War II, the free world literally hung in the balance, with the Axis and Allies engaging in warfare on an unprecedented scale. Although Hitler's Nazi Germany had overrun much of the European continent by 1940, the Allies began to reverse the momentum in 1942. By the end of 1943, with Allied forces firmly established in Italy and the Soviets on the verge of turning the tide in Russia, the British and Americans began to plot the invasion that would liberate Europe from the Nazis.

In the first half of 1944, the Americans and British commenced a massive buildup of men and resources in the United Kingdom while Allied Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower and military brass planned the details of an enormous and complex amphibious invasion of Europe. Though the Allies used misinformation to try deceiving the Germans, the most obvious place for an invasion was just across the narrow English Channel, and the Germans had built coastal fortifications throughout France to protect against just such an invasion.

Members Reviews:

lost interest quick

I got this for free back in the summer. Just got around to looking at it.

Inconsistent and unusual formatting makes it hard to read along with a number of writing mistakes I noticed in the first dozen pages or so. There also appear to be chunks of text just missing here and there.

It is a short book, probably way too short to do any justice to the topic so when the formatting and writing errors started to get to me, I just quit on the book, earning it one star.

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Title: The Wreck of the HMS Birkenhead: The History of the British Royal Navy's Most Notorious 19th Century Shipwreck

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: Phillip J. Mather

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-13-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

"In memory of Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Seton, Ensign Alex. C. Russell, and forty-eight N.C.O.s and men of the 74th Highlanders who were drowned at the wreck of HMS Birkenhead on the 26th February 1852, off Point Danger, Cape of Good Hope, after all the women and children on board had been safely landed in the ship's boats." (The inscription on a memorial in St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland)

"To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about, Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout; But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew, An' they done it, the Jollies - 'Er Majesty's Jollies - soldier an' sailor too! Their work was done when it 'adn't begun; they was younger nor me an' you; Their choice it was plain between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mopped by the screw, So they stood an' was still to the Birken'ead drill, soldier an' sailor too" (Rudyard Kipling, "Soldier an' Sailor Too")

In an emergency it is a common practice to attempt to evacuate women and children first, not simply because they're the most vulnerable but because it's an established code of honor that has been passed down through generations. This is especially the case in situations where there aren't enough resources to rescue everyone, and this concept has been made famous by disasters such as the sinking of the Titanic, which didn't have enough lifeboats onboard for everyone.

Although the "women and children first" rule might seem like a common practice that has been observed for centuries, it was actually popularized by the 1852 shipwreck of the Royal Navy troopship HMS Birkenhead.

Members Reviews:

Interesting.

If you could sum up The Wreck of the HMS Birkenhead: The History of the British Royal Navy's Most Notorious 19th Century Shipwreck in three words, what would they be?

A tragic loss.

Any additional comments?

I found this audiobook both interesting and very sad because of the loss of so many of the 74th Highlanders lives with this shipwreck. It was also very interesting to read that the 'women and children' first rule was popularised because of the 1852 HMS Birkenhead's shipwreck.

Women and Children First!

This volume explains the origin of the phrase, Women and children first and exemplifies the British knack of turning a disaster into a celebration. Goof information, well narrated

Interesting History

Another interesting bit of world history. The narrator once again brings what could be dry material to vivid life!

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Title: Unforgotten Hero

Subtitle: Remembering a Fighter Pilot's Life, War and Ultimate Sacrifice

Author: Jim Escalle

Narrator: William Dougan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-08-15

Publisher: Jim Escalle

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Unforgotten Hero tells the captivating life story of Second Lieutenant Jimmy L. Escalle, a US Air Force fighter pilot who became missing in action during the Korean War.

Growing up in a small farming town in California's San Joaquin Valley during the 1930s and 1940s, Jim was a devoted son, a caring older brother, a talented athlete, and a young man of moral character who always put others first. He started high school as the Second World War was at its peak, and graduated during a time of transition within America and around the world. He had always wanted to fly airplanes someday, and with the introduction of jet propulsion during his high school years, he dreamed of becoming a jet pilot.

Called to serve his country after the Korean War began, his dream became a reality when he joined the Air Force and eventually got the opportunity to fly the F-86 Sabre, regarded as the most advanced jet fighter of its time. Soon after arriving in Korea he went on his first missions, which were MiG Alley sweeps. However, since Jim was assigned to a fighter-bomber squadron, the majority of his combat missions were air-to-ground. These were the most dangerous missions.

In Korea, more pilots had been killed or listed as MIA due to being shot down by ground fire rather than enemy aircraft. For Jim, this fact was realized only five weeks before the armistice was signed. He paid the ultimate price for freedom when he disappeared while on a combat mission over North Korea and was never seen or heard from again.

Members Reviews:

A USAF F-86 PILOT VETERAN REMEMBERS AN AMERICAN HERO

THIS BOOK IS WELL WRITTEN , FLOWS NICELY. AND WELL ORGANIZED SO IT UNFOLDS IN AN ORDERLY FASHION. IT IS

VERY WELL RESEARCHED AND DOCUMENTED WITH GOOD FOOTNOTES. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE KOREAN CONFLICT

ALONE IS WORTH READING, MANY DETAILS I HAD FORGOTTEN WERE BROUGHT BACK VIVIDLY. THE BUILDUP OF THE

TWO BROTHERS' CHARACTERS WAS REALLY ALL-AMERICAN AND REFLECTS THE GOLDEN ERA OF THE 50'S, AGAIN, WITH MANY GREAT DETAILS OF GROWING UP IN THAT TIME PERIOD CAREFULLY DOCUMENTED. THE HISTORY OF EACH

PRESIDENT'S CONTRIBUTION WAS INTERTWINED NICELY WITH THE STORYLINE TO SHOW THEIR IMPACT.

THEN THE ACTUAL FULFILLMENT OF A BOYHOOD DREAM OF FLYING FOR THE USAF AS A COMBAT READY FIGHTER

PILOT WAS DESCRIBED ACCURATELY THROUGH ALL THE STAGES OF PROGRESSION TO WINNING THEIR WINGS. I KNOW BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THE SAME TRAINING WITH THE SAME DREAMS. THE AUTHOR MUST HAVE DONE

HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF PERSONAL INTERVIEWS TO PRESENT SUCH CAREFUL AND ACCURATE A TRANSCRIPT. AND A

WONDERFUL MENTAL REVIEW FOR ME IN RECALLING DETAILS LOST OVER 60 YEARS AGO. I DON'T READ AS MUCH AS

I USED TO MAINLY BECAUSE IT'S SO HARD TO FIND GOOD WRITING ON INTERESTING SUBJECTS. THIS BOOK IS AN

EXCEPTION. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN AND I'VE RE- READ MANY PARTS ALREADY, AND THE BOOK IS NOT FOR LOAN.

I TELL MY FRIENDS, BUY THIS ONE, YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID. DANIEL B. THOM, FIRST LT. USAF. F-86'S.

Outstanding!

There have been numerous books about fighter pilots during the Korean War, all of which have been exceptional accounts, but what I liked most about Unforgotten Hero, was how we got to know Second Lieutenant Jimmy L.

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Title: Company of Heroes

Subtitle: A Forgotten Medal of Honor and Bravo Companys War in Vietnam

Author: Eric Poole

Narrator: Chris Henry Coffey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-15

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

In his two decades as a reporter, author Eric Poole racked up more than 30 regional and national awards while interviewing presidents and other luminaries. Here Poole recounts the experiences of a band of US soldiers in Vietnam, including the heroics of Leslie Sabo, Jr., who died saving his comrades and finally received his Medal of Honor some 42 years after his act of breathtaking courage.

Members Reviews:

The story of America told through courage and sacrifice

This is a book about the best America had to offer during the Vietnam War. While some were wearing beads, many more answered their countryâs call and wore dog tags instead. Some of those, a few, really about a third, went to Vietnam and fought. Leslie Sabo was one of those and this is the story of how he won the Medal of Honor and was promptly forgotten.

For what ever reason, Leslie Saboâs Medal of Honor paperwork was lost and then forgotten by the Army, but not by his brothers in arms. They remembered, and they found a way to get Leslieâs family the medal he had earned at the cost of his life. This is that story well told by Eric Poole.

We were in the same unit in different years so I never met Leslie Sabo. I left Vietnam two years before he arrived. However, I recognize him. Leslie Sabo was a grunt, an infantryman at home in that dangerous place called battle. It is hard for the protected to understand, but only after you make you peace with idea that you could be killed can you really be an infantryman. Leslie had that peace and Poole conveys that truth very well.

The book is a photograph in time. It is about Leslie Sabo, about some of the men that served with him, and most of all about a time in America that is long gone now. It is well written, well researched and well worth the time to read.

Having said that, the book could have used one more trip to the editor. There are a few jarring mistakes, calling an M-60 machine gun a 60 caliber, or an M-16 rifle an M-1. However, these are really typos, the substance of the book is strong. I recommend it.

Good read.

On the plus side this is a well written true account of ordinary men doing extraordinary things in combat as our men and women have done since we have been a country. While this is a book about one particular hero it also tells the stories of several young men from small towns all across America that come together to form an effective fighting force. If you want to know how ground units operated in Vietnam read this book.

Cons: The author makes several technical mistakes and obviously never served himself. The M-60 machine gun and the guns on the Huey helicopters were 7.62 which is .30 caliber. He repeatedly refers to the M-60 as .60 caliber and 60mm. He states that JFK and LBJ couldn't pull out of Vietnam due to political pressure. Although it was denied for decades by everybody involved a copy of the orders issued by JFK shortly before his death surfaced calling for troop withdrawals to begin by Christmas '63 and be completed during '64. LBJ countermanded those orders as his first act as president. The NVA/Viet Cong always attacked during Tet, just not to the extent they did in '68.

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Title: The Sinking of PT-109

Subtitle: The History of the Controversial Incident That Made John F. Kennedy a War Hero

Author: Charles River Editors

Narrator: R. Keith Miles

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-31-15

Publisher: Charles River Editors

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

"There's nothing in the book about a situation like this. A lot of you have families, and some of you have children. What do you want to do? I have nothing to lose." (John F. Kennedy after the collision with a Japanese destroyer)

On the night of August 1, 1943, and in the early morning hours of the next day, one of America's many patrol torpedo boats in the Pacific, PT-109, with her crew of 12 men, was performing its usual role in the Pacific Islands: a night patrol of the Blackett Strait in search of enemy convoys transporting large numbers of Japanese troops to Southern Guadalcanal and other strategic locations. However, on this dark, moonless night, PT-109, with its engines idling to avoid creating wake, was severed in two by a collision with a Japanese destroyer, the Amagiri. With only seconds to respond after sighting the destroyer, the crew was unable to get the boat out of the Japanese destroyer's path, and it's unclear whether the Japanese destroyer even knew the other boat was there. While the destroyer suffered minimal damage, two crew members on PT-109 were instantly killed, and the other 10 who initially survived would have to struggle for their lives. In many ways what happened following the collision is remembered better than the actual sinking, in part because the survivors' tale was so harrowing, and their survival was marked by their own bravery. Though the role and effectiveness of PT boats continues to be a topic of debate, the crew's survival is a story of undisputed valor and providence. Of course the story's association with a future president never hurts, and like so much of John F. Kennedy's life, the PT-109 incident is controversial.

Members Reviews:

Provided some facts that I had not read before

This book provided a synopsis of President John F Kennedyâs pre-military and military career. The book named the prestigious high schools that the future president attended and described his college career. In my prior readings about the president I did not realize that his back injury occurred before he joined the military. Also I did not realize that he was pretty sickly through his high school and college career. I also didnât realize that the Army turned him down when he attempted to volunteer; nevertheless, months later he was accepted into the Navy. The rest of the book describes his experiences while saving several of his crew members after the sinking of PT 109. Iâm curious has to whether his PT boat was the only one rammed by an enemyâs ship? I like the book well enough and I will give it a four.

so that was good. However

The book was interesting and had a number of details that were new to me, so that was good. However, the book was far shorter in overall length than I expected and the amount of text devoted to the patrol, the wreck, and the surviving effort was less than I had hoped.

There was a very obvious and unfortunate error that apparently escaped the editors: early in the book there was a picture of two PT boats cruising in front of a larger ship. Your caption said "two PT boats alongside the destroyer USS Hornet". The ship shown is clearly the Hornet and has its aircraft on the deck and distinctive "island" very visible.

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Title: Unforgettable Vietnam War

Subtitle: The American War in Vietnam - War in the Jungle

Author: Scott S. F. Meaker

Narrator: Derrick E. Hardin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-26-15

Publisher: Scott S. F. Meaker

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

This is a short Vietnam war book.

The Vietnam War was fought like a war and it ended with both sides believing that they won. But it was not a war that started with a formal declaration of war.

The number of struggles for power that are part of the fabric of Vietnam is almost overwhelming.

The battles were short and intense and fought in the jungles and rice paddies. Much of the war involved guerilla attacks.

Members Reviews:

shallow analysis

this is a very shallow analysis of the Vietnam war but the mispronunciations are criminal.

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Title: The Forgotten Women Heroes

Subtitle: Second World War Untold Stories: The Women Heroes in the Extraordinary World War Two

Author: Scott S. F. Meaker

Narrator: Glenn Koster, Jr.

Format: Unabridged

Length: 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-24-15

Publisher: Scott S. F. Meaker

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

This is a short collection of untold stories about the women heroes in the extraordinary World War Two.

These women have been footnotes in history, and at least one of them was a model for women in James Bond books and movies. The women, however, have remained in the shadows of the stories of the Second World War. These women fade into history even though their actions were crucial in changing the outcome of the war.

This book is an effort to remember these forgotten women and remove the shrouds from the memory of these amazing and courageous women.

Scott's other books:

Members Reviews:

Needs longer title.

What made the experience of listening to The Forgotten Women Heroes the most enjoyable?

Learning more history!

What other book might you compare The Forgotten Women Heroes to and why?

I've not read any others like it - yet.

What three words best describe Glenn Koster, Jr.s performance?

Makes it novelized.

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

Not off the top of my head (belated review).

Any additional comments?

They are interesting stories of fascinating women, but there's something off about the telling. Can't put a finger on it, but it felt a little too novelized, maybe?

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Title: The Forgotten Heroes

Subtitle: Untold Stories of the Extraordinary World War II: Courage, Survival, Resistance and Rescue Mission

Author: Scott S. F. Meaker

Narrator: Glenn Koster Jr.

Format: Unabridged

Length: 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-24-15

Publisher: Scott S. F. Meaker

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

This is a short collection of Untold Stories of the Extraordinary World War II: Courage, Survival, Resistance and Rescue Mission.

As a point of reference for understanding the enormity of the impact of the war, there were more than 16 million Americans who served in World War II. There were 60 other countries also involved in the war. Many of the heroes were not recognized in their lifetimes. Some ended in lessened circumstances, or torture and death, because of their efforts to save lives during the agonies of war.

Millions died, but millions were saved by actions of people caught in a war that seemed like it would never end.

Some of their stories are captured here.

Members Reviews:

Exceptional Stories Of Heroism and Courage!!

This book is a collection of accounts of ordinary people from all over the world who performed incredible acts of bravery during World War Two. This was an exceptional and inspiring read about people I will never forget! There are important lessons to learn, most importantly that everyone can make a difference in the fight against evil and oppression!! Everyone should read this little book!!!

Fairly good read but sketchy

Love the subject matter but this book actually covers a very small cross section of the heroes. Very little detail or depth.

Less than what I'd expect from a high school history report

I was highly disappointed. As a military history buff, I was really looking forward to reading this book. The "stories" weren't much more than a paragraph or two, which were a mediocre summary at best. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

Real basic

I think my kids could have written this "book" just as well. Don't waste your money buying it! Buy a real WwII work.

war stories

I wasnot very impressed with this book.I had to force myself to read it and wouldnot by tyhis author again.