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Title: The Anne Boleyn Collection

Subtitle: The Real Truth About the Tudors

Author: Claire Ridgway

Narrator: Claire Ridgway

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-09-13

Publisher: eBookIt.com

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

"The Anne Boleyn Collection" brings together the most popular articles from top Tudor website The Anne Boleyn Files. Articles which have provoked discussion and debate. Articles that people have found fascinating.

Written in Claire's easy-going style, but with an emphasis on good history and sound research, these articles are perfect reading for Tudor history lovers everywhere. Discover the real truth about the Tudors.

Members Reviews:

wonderful, better than most

I am familiar with the Anne Boleyn Files online and some of this author's work. Honestly, I trust the accuracy of what is written there, than most books, noted historian or not. The reasons for that are multiple, but basically information is far more vetted there than anywhere else, and they have more to prove. The BLOGS are enjoyable, I wished for more actually, my only complaint was there was a little redundancy. I was hesitant about the audio because I was uncertain how the author would do--she did better than MOST. You won't regret this one.

Off with her head.

I enjoyed this book, which was well written and narrated by Clair Ridgway. Lots of facts proven or disproven or where the facts are hazy it's left to the listener/reader to make up their own mind. An enjoyable book which I would recommend.

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Title: William Shakespeare: History in an Hour

Author: Sinead Fitzgibbon

Narrator: Jonathan Keeble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-13

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour.

In a writing career that spanned over twenty years during the explosion of poetic and theatrical creativity of late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods, William Shakespeare produced a body of work that has become the bedrock of human thought, literature and language in English.

His poetry and plays have endured for almost 450 years, such is their universal appeal and understanding of the human condition. And yet Shakespeare wrote almost nothing of himself.

Who was this socially ambitious wordsmith who had neither pedigree nor university education? What was his family life like? How did he work?

Shakespeare: History in an Hour is the essential guide to the life of Shakespeare, his relationships, colleagues and his breathtaking works.

From the Elizabethan world to which he was born, to the theorists and critics that continue to debate him to this day, this is the story of the most revered writer of all time.

Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour

Critic Reviews:

"If the past is a foreign country, History in an Hour is like a high-class tour operator, offering delightfully enjoyable short breaks in the rich and diverse continent of our shared past." (Dominic Sandbrook)

"The practice of History is ever-evolving, and the History In an Hour idea brings it back up to date for the digital age. Colley writes in an attractively readable style, and manages to convey the huge story that is WWII in a logical and accessible manner" (Andrew Roberts, Bookseller)

"This is genius" (MacWorld.com)

Members Reviews:

well reserached

love this book nice little read with facts that may surptize you as it did me

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Title: Finding Merlin

Author: Adam Ardrey

Narrator: Mike Rogers

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Merlin: the very name evokes intriguing images - magician, wise man, prophet, adviser to Arthur, counsellor of Camelot. The legend is famous but not the truth: that Merlin was a historical figure, a Briton, who hailed not from England or Wales, as traditional wisdom would have it, but from Scotland.

Adam Ardrey brings back to life Merlin's role in the cataclysmic battles between reason and religion of sixth-century Britain; battles which Merlin would ultimately lose. From the time of his death up until the present day, historical records relating to Merlin have been altered, his true provenance and importance obscured and his name changed to mean 'Madman'. The same fate awaited Merlin's twin sister, Languoreth, as intelligent and powerful as her brother but, as a woman, a greater threat to the power of church and state. Languoreth's existence was all but obliterated and her story lost - until now.

Finding Merlin uncovers new evidence and re-examines the old. The places where Merlin was born, lived, died and was buried are identified, as well as the people surrounding him - his nemesis Mungo and his friend the hero Arthur. In this impressively well-researched and accessibly written book, Merlin walks from the pages of legend into history.

Critic Reviews:

"A brilliant piece of detective work... enthralling (Scots Magazine)

"Ardrey delivers a bombshell... fascinating stuff" (Los Angeles Times)

"An intriguing book" (The Bookseller)

Members Reviews:

Unfulfilled wish.

This book lost me almost from the first chapter, but I was able to pick the thread in the beginning, the at best I found it convoluted with the topic jumping all over the place. The best thing about the book was Mike Rodgers narration, the only thing that kept me listening, which was calm and flowing. This book was not really my cup of tea.

One of the best researched pieces of historical

Actually theres some proof that merlin lived and not a idiot or jester fool or a wizard but head of the old religion that Catholics wanted to erase the history.

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Title: Tudor

Author: Leanda De Lisle

Narrator: Sandra Duncan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-29-13

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

The Tudors are a national obsession; they are our most notorious family in history. But, as Leanda de Lisle shows in this gripping new history, beyond the well-worn headlines is a family still more extraordinary than the one we thought we knew.

The Tudor canon typically starts with the Battle of Bosworth, in 1485, before speeding on to Henry VIII and the Reformation. But this leaves out the familys obscure Welsh origins, the ordinary man known as Owen Tudor who would fall (literally) into a Queens lap, and later her bed. It passes by the courage of Margaret Beaufort, the pregnant 13-year-old girl who would help found the Tudor dynasty; and the childhood and painful exile of her son, the future Henry VII. It ignores the fact that the Tudors were shaped by their past - those parts they wished to remember and those they wished to forget.

By creating a full family portrait set against the background of this past, Leanda de Lisle enables us to see the Tudors in their own terms, rather than ours; and presents new perspectives and revelations on key figures and events. We see a family dominated by remarkable women doing everything possible to secure its future; understand why the Princes in the Tower were disappeared; look again at the bloodiness of Marys reign; at Elizabeths relationships with her cousins; and rediscover the true significance of previously overlooked figures.

We see the supreme importance of achieving peace and stability in a violent and uncertain world, and of protecting and securing the bloodline. Tudor tells a family story like no other, and brings it once more to vivid life.

Members Reviews:

Beyond the (Tudor) famous five

This is a book for Tudor buffs and novices alike. Even if you're very familiar with the five Tudor monarchs, you will enjoy the characters who made up the extended Tudor family and who played minor or major roles in this period of history but are so seldom mentioned. I enjoyed re-hearing the familiar stories and some I had never heard before. Leanda de Lisle is an excellent writer, and Sandran Duncan is just the right reader for this book.

A great companion piece to "The Wars of the Roses"

The Tudors are well trodden ground for popular historians but Leande De Lisle tackles the topic from the perspective of the Tudors as a family. That choice gives her a way into their psychology, family life and perhaps most interestingly of all the highly influential role of the women of family in building a dynasty. I wasn't sure there'd be much fresh ground to be covered but this is a welcome addition to the other audible publications dealing with the end of the medieval period and up to James the first's reign. The narration and production values are also excellent. A solid five star listen.

A good historical book.

This book is an all round good listen, I found when I started to listen it was hard to stop. The author has avoided many of the fanciful facts about this dynasty and made the text easily accessible to everyone. The narrator has used vocal inflections in the correct places and has a pleasing tone. I would recommend this title to others and hope they enjoy it as much as I have.

An interesting listen on a well loved subject

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Books based on historical eras such as this don't always make an interesting listen.

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Title: Portraits and Miniatures

Author: Roy Jenkins

Narrator: Tom Lionetti-Maguire

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-12-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In Portraits and Miniatures, Roy Jenkins brings his penetrating intelligence and elegant prose to subjects ranging from literature and political history to wine and croquet. Long experience in both Houses of Parliament and as President of the European Commission has given him unparalleled insight into political figures such as R. A. Butler, Aneurin Bevan, Konrad Adenauer, and de Gaulle. A varied selection of essays, Portraits and Miniatures is fascinating, witty, and endlessly entertaining.

Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, Jenkins (1920- 2003) served in several major posts in Harold Wilson's First Government and as Home Secretary from 1965-1967. In 1987, Jenkins was elected to succeed Harold Macmillan as Chancellor of the University of Oxford following the latter's death, a position he held until his death. Jenkins grew to political maturity during the twilight of a great age of British parliamentary democracy. As much as Churchill, though in quite a different way, Jenkins has been from the cradle a creature of the system that nurtured Palmerston and Disraeli, Gladstone, Asquith and Lloyd George.

Members Reviews:

spoiled!

Would you try another book from Roy Jenkins and/or Tom Lionetti-Maguire?

I admire this author who is well served by his other Audible books.

What did you like best about this story?

A wide variety of essay pieces drawn from personal experience.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Tom Lionetti-Maguire?

Any other British accented narrator would have done a better job than this.

Any additional comments?

This production is seriously marred by an amateurish narrating performance.

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Title: Steaming to Victory

Subtitle: How Britain's Railways Won the War

Author: Michael Williams

Narrator: Nick McArdle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-20-13

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In the seven decades since the darkest moments of the Second World War it seems every tenebrous corner of the conflict has been laid bare, prodded and examined from every perspective of military and social history. But there is a story that has hitherto been largely overlooked. It is a tale of quiet heroism, a story of ordinary people who fought, with enormous self-sacrifice, not with tanks and guns, but with elbow grease and determination. It is the story of the British railways and, above all, the extraordinary men and women who kept them running from 1939 to 1945.

Churchill himself certainly did not underestimate their importance to the wartime story when, in 1943, he praised the unwavering courage and constant resourcefulness of railwaymen of all ranks in contributing so largely towards the final victory. And what a story it is.

The railway system during the Second World War was the lifeline of the nation, replacing vulnerable road transport and merchant shipping. The railways mobilised troops, transported munitions, evacuated children from cities and kept vital food supplies moving where other forms of transport failed. Railwaymen and women performed outstanding acts of heroism. Nearly 400 workers were killed at their posts and another 2,400 injured in the line of duty. Another 3,500 railwaymen and women died in action. The trains themselves played just as vital a role. The famous Flying Scotsman train delivered its passengers to safety after being pounded by German bombers and strafed with gunfire from the air. There were astonishing feats of engineering restoring tracks within hours and bridges and viaducts within days. Trains transported millions to and from work each day and sheltered them on underground platforms at night, a refuge from the bombs above. Without the railways, there would have been no Dunkirk evacuation and no D-Day.

Michael Williams, author of the celebrated book On the Slow Train, has written an important and timely book using original research and over a hundred new personal interviews. This is their story.

Critic Reviews:

As gripping as a fictional thriller It is the human tales of evacuees, locomotive cleaners, crews, porters and ticket collectors that make this such an enthralling read Michael Williams has written this book in an easy reading graphic style bringing to life the heroics and anecdotes of those he interviewed. His journalistic style makes this a compelling read (Sunday Express)

Members Reviews:

Chuffed To Bits!

I was a bit unsure about this book and listened to the sample a couple of times before finally taking the plunge and having a listen to it. It far and away exceeded by expectation and did a fantastic job of keeping my interest levels high throughout the book.

The narrator did an excellent job in bringing the stories and information to life without it becoming at all boring and monotoned. I would recommend most highly to anyone with an interest in either British steam railways or military history who are looking for something a bit different that will provided an extremely rewarding!

Great book

I found this book very easy to listen to.

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Title: The Dancing Goddesses

Author: Elizabeth Wayland Barber

Narrator: Julia Farhat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-21-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

A fascinating exploration of an ancient system of beliefs and its links to the evolution of dance.

From southern Greece to northern Russia, people have long believed in female spirits, bringers of fertility, who spend their nights and days dancing in the fields and forests. So appealing were these spirit-maidens that they also took up residence in 19th-century Romantic literature. Archaeologist and linguist by profession, folk dancer by avocation, Elizabeth Wayland Barber has sleuthed through ethnographic lore and archaeological reports of east and southeast Europe, translating enchanting folktales about these "dancing goddesses" as well as eyewitness accounts of traditional rituals - texts that offer new perspectives on dance in agrarian society. She then traces these goddesses and their dances back through the Romans and Greeks to the first farmers of Europe. Along the way, she locates the origins of many customs, including coloring Easter eggs and throwing rice at the bride. The result is a detective story like no other and a joyful reminder of the human need to dance.

Members Reviews:

Great book But...

Terrible narrator. Robotic and monotonous voice. Very unfortunate but the contents of the talking book made up for it.

Difficult

What disappointed you about The Dancing Goddesses?

Barber is one of my favorite authors writing about myth, history and anthropology. But the narration is very very difficult to listen to. As much as I am fascinated by the content, I've tried to get through this and the narration just is too distracting.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Cross-cultural comparisons

What didnt you like about Julia Farhats performance?

Read without expression. It is easier to listen to "text-to-speech" than this.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Very disappointed. I'd planned to make a quilt while listening to this and will have to find a different title.

Any additional comments?

Please have someone else record Barber's book "Women's Work"

Great book! Robotic reader

the woman reading this sounds like a robot. If you can get past that, you'll enjoy a fabulous book.

Love this author's research and perspectives

Would you consider the audio edition of The Dancing Goddesses to be better than the print version?

When I don't have time to read print, I always hope there is an audible version of the book. I never dreamed there would be an audio version of one of my favorite authors who works in the fields of culture and anthropology, but I checked, and I found this one!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Elizabeth Wayland Barber's perspectives and research are always fascinating and academically-sound. I found the section on calendars to be most intriguing.

Which character as performed by Julia Farhat was your favorite?

The narrator has a great voice. At times, the intonations seem to fall into a distracting and repetitive pattern that can detract from the content (for me), but on the whole, I liked the narration.

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

Each "page" provides wonderful new subjects and relevant contexts.

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Title: England's Culture Wars

Subtitle: Puritan Reformation and It's Enemies in the Interregnum, 1649-1660

Author: Bernard Capp

Narrator: Bruce Mann

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Following the execution of the king in 1649, the new Commonwealth and then Oliver Cromwell set out to drive forward a puritan reformation of manners. They wanted to reform the church and its services, enforce the Sabbath, suppress Christmas, and spread the gospel. They sought to impose a stern moral discipline to regulate and reform sexual behaviour, drinking practices, language, dress, and leisure activities ranging from music and plays to football.

England's Culture Wars explores how far this agenda could be enforced, especially in urban communities which offered the greatest potential to build a godly civic commonwealth. How far were local magistrates and ministers willing to cooperate, and what coercive powers did the regime possess to silence or remove dissidents? How far did the reformers themselves wish to go, and how did they reconcile godly reformation with the demands of decency and civility? Music and dancing lived on, in genteel contexts, early opera replaced the plays now forbidden, and puritans themselves were often fond of hunting and hawking. Bernard Capp explores the propaganda wars waged in press and pulpit, how energetically reformation was pursued, and how much or little was achieved. Many recent historians have dismissed interregnum reformation as a failure. He demonstrates that while the reforming drive varied enormously from place to place, its impact could be powerful. The book is therefore structured in three parts: setting out the reform agenda and challenges, surveying general issues and patterns, and finally offering a number of representative case-studies. It draws on a wide range of sources, including local and central government records, judicial records, pamphlets, sermons, newspapers, diaries, letters, and memoirs; and demonstrates how court records by themselves give us only a very limited picture of what was happening on the ground.

Members Reviews:

fascinating

This is a well written book that I found both fascinating and horrifying at the same time. I personally found the narrator very fitting to the material.

This book could be used as a warning against allowing a minority in any society with extremely held views from being allowed to impose them on the whole

Enjoyed this very much

Monotonous reader

How could the performance have been better?

I thought this must be a joke. It certainly isn't Bruce Mann the professional reader narrating this. I found it impossible to continue to listen to more than a few paragraphs because of the monotony of his intonation. What's going on here?

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Title: The Gunpowder Plot: History in an Hour

Author: Sinead Fitzgibbon

Narrator: Jonathan Keeble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-25-13

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Remember, remember, the fifth of November. The gunpowder plot is a famed tale of treachery that continues to fascinate and capture the imagination four hundred years on.

The Gunpowder Plot in an Hour reveals the elaborate background to the infamous plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament and James I, the ultimate act of treason. This compelling and engaging account of one of the most famous historical events in English history follows the Catholic protagonists hatching their plan through to their inevitable, gruesome deaths.

Learn who the Catholic traitors were, what drove them to such desperate measures, and how the plot was discovered. The Gunpowder Plot in an Hour gives a concise overview of this enduring event and is a must for all history lovers. Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour

Critic Reviews:

If the past is a foreign country, History in an Hour is like a high-class tour operator, offering delightfully enjoyable short breaks in the rich and diverse continent of our shared past (Dominic Sandbrook)

The practice of History is ever-evolving, and the History In An Hour idea brings it back up to date for the digital age (Andrew Roberts, Bookseller)

This is genius (MacWorld.com)

Members Reviews:

A timely listen

A timely listen, given the recent attack on Westminster. I'm not sure if there are parallels to be drawn between the two instances but it certainly has given pause for thought.

Interesting too to get some more detailed background on Bonfire Night, which is an unavoidable part of growing up in England, especially on the other less famous plotters.

Jonathan Keeble reads well, as ever, though he does have a tendency to say the word 'Protestantism' quite oddly ('Protest-ANT-ism'), which does grate a bit given the word's frequency.

All in all though, another good value listen from this series.

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Title: 2013 AP European History AudioLearn

Subtitle: AudioLearn Test Prep Series

Author: AudioLearn History Team

Narrator: AudioLearn Voice Over Team

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-12-13

Publisher: AudioLearn

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Complete Review and Study Guide for the 2013 Advanced Placement European History Test

From studying Italian Renaissance while waiting in traffic to learning about the Russian Revolution at the gym, AudioLearn is your complete audio study guide to the European History.

Key Topics:

With its convenient format, AudioLearn fits your busy lifestyle, enabling you to study anywhere, anytime. Best of all, you'll significantly increase learning and retention with AudioLearn's proven study format: