Download Popular Titles Audiobooks in History, 20th Century

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Title: Victory at Peleliu: The 81st Infantry Division's Pacific Campaign

Author: John Peter DeCioccio, Bobby C. Blair

Narrator: Grant D. Showalter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-15-17

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

When the 1st Marine Division began its invasion of Peleliu in September 1944, the operation in the South Pacific was to take but four days. In fact, capturing this small coral island in the Palaus with its strategic airstrip took two months and involved some of the bloodiest fighting of the Second World War in the Pacific. Rather than the easy conquest they were led to expect, the Marines who landed on Peleliu faced a war of attrition from the island's Japanese defenders, who had dug tunnels and fortified the island's rugged terrain. When the Marines' advance stalled after a week of heavy casualties, the "Wildcats" of the 81st Infantry Division were called in, at first as support. Eventually, the 1st Marines Division was evacuated and the 81st Infantry secured the island.

Now Bobby C. Blair and John Peter DeCioccio tell the story of this campaign through the eyes of the 81st Infantry to offer a revised assessment. Previous accounts of the battle have focused on the 1st Marines, all but ignoring the 81st Infantry Division's contributions. Victory at Peleliu demonstrates that without the army's help, the marines could not have succeeded on Peleliu.

Blair and DeCioccio have mined the 81st Division's unit records and interviewed scores of veteran participants. The new data they offer challenges the orthodox view that the 81st Infantry merely mopped up an already broken enemy. Allowing their interviewees to tell much of the story, the authors also give a human face to a brutal battle.

The book is published by University of Oklahoma Press.

Members Reviews:

A Little Justice

I love the USMC but they brag way to much. Maybe their need to over inflate their accomplishments was rooted in a political necessity to avoid budget cuts or even total dissolution but historically it is misleading. The Marines did not win the Pacific theatre of war in WW2 alone. Unfortunately that's what the majority of books and movies portrays. It is about time inter service rivalry is put aside and a more balanced view showing the Army, Army Air Corps, and Navy helped the Marines - just a little. After that miscarriage of history is cleared up maybe we can start working on non US forces contributions to the Pacific war.

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Title: They Should Stay There

Subtitle: The Story of Mexican Migration and Repatriation During the Great Depression

Author: Fernando Saul Alanis Enciso, Russ Davidson, Mark Overmyer-Velazquez

Narrator: Rudy Sanda

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-11-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

While Mexicans were hopeful for economic reform following the Mexican revolution, by the 1930s, large numbers of Mexican nationals had already moved north and were living in the United States in one of the 20th century's most massive movements of migratory workers. Fernando Saúl Alanis Enciso provides an illuminating backstory that demonstrates how fluid and controversial the immigration and labor situation between Mexico and the United States was in the 20th century and continues to be in the 21st.

When the Great Depression took hold, the United States stepped up its enforcement of immigration laws and forced more than 350,000 Mexicans, including their US-born children, to return to their home country. While the Mexican government was fearful of the resulting economic implications, President Lázaro Cárdenas fostered the repatriation effort for mostly symbolic reasons relating to domestic politics. In clarifying the repatriation episode through the larger history of Mexican domestic and foreign policy, Alanis connects the dots between the aftermath of the Mexican revolution and the relentless political tumult surrounding today's borderlands immigration issues.

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Title: Nixon's Back Channel to Moscow

Subtitle: Confidential Diplomacy and Detente (Studies In Conflict Diplomacy Peace)

Author: Richard A. Moss

Narrator: Richard Peterson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-05-17

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

Most Americans consider détente, the reduction of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, to be among the Nixon administration's most significant foreign policy successes. The diplomatic back channel that national security advisor Henry Kissinger established with Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin, became the most important method of achieving this thaw in the Cold War. Kissinger praised back channels for preventing leaks, streamlining communications, and circumventing what he perceived to be the US State Department's unresponsive and self-interested bureaucracy. Nixon and Kissinger's methods however, were widely criticized by State Department officials left out of the loop, and by an American press and public weary of executive branch prevarication and secrecy.

Richard A. Moss's penetrating study documents and analyzes US-Soviet back channels from Nixon's inauguration, through what has widely been heralded as the apex of détente, the May 1972 Moscow Summit. He traces the evolution of confidential-channel diplomacy and examines major flashpoints, including the 1970 crisis over Cienfuegos, Cuba, the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT), US dealings with China, deescalating tensions in Berlin, and the Vietnam War. Moss argues that while the back channels improved US-Soviet relations in the short term, the Nixon-Kissinger methods provided a poor foundation for lasting policy.

The audiobook is published by The University Press of Kentucky.

Critic Reviews:

"Will become an instant classic. ...It is a must listen to understand the era." (Luke Nichter, author of Richard Nixon and Europe: The Reshaping of the Postwar Atlantic World)

"This narrative is often quite gripping, with wonderfully revealing quotations from the key actors." (Jeremi Suri, author of Liberty's Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama)

Members Reviews:

Best book on the subject by a serious scholar who ...

Best book on the subject by a serious scholar who has spent years studying and analyzing the Nixon tapes. Very timely.

Moss does a fantastic job in this page-turner

I was lucky enough to get this book when it first came out and couldn't put in down. Dr. Moss does a fantastic job in this page-turner, offering historical context and in-depth detail. As someone whose family migrated from Ukraine a few years after Nixon's presidency, this era has always interested me. An excellent addition to any high school honors history or college class.

A must-read book for anyone interested in American history, government, or public policy

Well-written in an engaging style, Moss crafts a meticulously-researched text about Nixon's use of private channels that complemented and advanced the U.S.'s public diplomatic efforts during his presidency. Excerpts and photos provide rich, and often surprising, details that enhance the reading experience. This timely book peels back the curtain to give the reader an in-depth view into the nuances that shaped international relations during the Nixon era and provides a framework with which to understand current global events.

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Title: The Detroit Riot of 1967

Subtitle: Great Lakes Books Series

Author: Hubert G Locke

Narrator: Kirk Winkler

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-05-17

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

During the last days of July, 1967, Detroit experienced a week of devastating urban collapse - one of the worst civil disorders in twentieth-century America. Forty-three people were killed, over $50 million in property was destroyed, and the city itself was left in a state of panic and confusion, the scars of which are still present today.

Now for the first time in audiobook, and with a new reflective essay that examines the events a half-century later, The Detroit Riot of 1967, (originally published in 1969), is the story of that terrible experience as told from the perspective of Hubert G. Locke, then administrative aide to Detroit's police commissioner. The audiobook covers the week between the riot's outbreak and the aftermath thereof. An hour-by-hour account is given of the looting, arson, and sniping, as well as the problems faced by the police, National Guard, and federal troops who struggled to restore order. Locke goes on to address the situation as outlined by the courts, and the response of the community - including the media, social and religious agencies, and civic and political leadership. Finally, Locke looks at the attempt of white leadership to forge a new alliance with a rising, militant black population.

Critic Reviews:

"A must listen for every generation of social scientists and urban policy makers. Locke was there and wrote brilliantly about the worst riot of the twentieth century and its aftermath." (George Kelling, professor emeritus of Northeastern University and Rutgers University)

"By listening to Hubert Locke's

The Detroit Riots of 1967, we guard ourselves against the dangers George Santayana saw in not remembering the past - we are condemned to repeat it." (Judge Avern Cohn, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan)

Members Reviews:

a good book. historical mainly from the authorities views

a good book. historical mainly from the authorities views. explained steps taken to stop the riots but would have liked to heard from the rioters as to why, who set it up and if they felt it made any difference in their lives.

Five Stars

perfect

A rare perspective on a momentous event

Written right after the riots from the POV of an African-American insider (who worked for the police commissioner) this book gives you an important perspective on how law enforcement (well, maybe not the average bigoted white cop on the street) viewed the events of the riots. Hubert Locke is thoughtful and occasionally critical, though he does defend most of Mayor Cavanaugh's administration and the police department for most of their decisions and actions. His is a rare perspective as a black man who also is "The Man." Definitely recommended.

A good starting point into understanding modern racism, especially in the context of police brutality towards Black Americans.

I was satisfied with this book refreshing my memory and widely expanding what little I knew about the 1967 rioting. The first half of the book (roughly) is a chronological summary of the incoming police calls. The second half of the book has essays about what was really behind the rioting.

It is a good companion for "The Algiers Hotel Incident," in which the author highly recommends reading the autobiography of Malcolm X. So, I did set aside the Algiers Hotel incident book to read the autobiography of Malcolm X.

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Title: Winston Churchill

Subtitle: A Captivating Guide to the Life of Winston Churchill

Author: Captivating History

Narrator: Sean Daily

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-08-17

Publisher: Captivating History

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

Explore how Churchill went from schoolboy failure to wartime hero.

As a British politician who was well known for serving twice as prime minister for the United Kingdom, and as an infamous war organizer, leader Winston S. Churchill filled his long life with achievements and recognition, plotted throughout every modern history book. Most famously, he led Great Britain into victory over Nazi Germany during World War II in his first run as prime minister, and played an essential role in negotiating peace once the war reached an unsteady end. Commonly, his name is associated as one of the "Big Three", alongside United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin. In unity, the three men helped lead the world to a resolution from the violence and terror that reigned in World War II.

Any general biography of Winston S. Churchill will provide an overview of his greatest achievements, but Churchill had other goals and desires that are often ignored and forgotten. What were they? Churchill had a family - a childhood and children of his own - and a political career that began at a young age. He spoke with and entertained some of the biggest names in the world, within both the political and social realms. How did he interact with Franklin D. Roosevelt? With Mahatma Gandhi? Beneath the accolades and accomplishments lies one important question: Who was Winston S. Churchill out of the spotlight? What were his struggles and personal goals? Was he an average man in some ways? The following audiobook is an outline of Winston S. Churchill's life that not only gives a brief overview of his best-known feats, but also provides a glimpse into who he was as a person.

Members Reviews:

Had A Great Time With It

Any additional comments?

There have been so many biographies of Churchill but this is one of the best. This author is such a good writer and, though obviously an enthusiast of Churchill, he endures describing impartially on the whole.

It's Not Controversial

Any additional comments?

This wonderful book illustrates why, in my opinion, Winston Churchill was the most influential individual of the 20th century. His leadership during WWII was crucial in the survival of western democracies.

Awesomely Described

Any additional comments?

Apparently not interesting enough for the average reader, but for biography devotees or those interested in Churchill, this is a recommended book.

Can't Stop Listening

Any additional comments?

I couldn't stop listening to this book. Most enlightening about a fascinating man.

Outstanding

Any additional comments?

This is an outstanding one-volume study by the famous author of an enormous multi-volume biography of Churchill. It's describing of its subject's life, adventures, and times is highly reliable the author wears his great learning lightly.

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Title: The Traitors

Subtitle: A True Story of Blood, Betrayal and Deceit

Author: Josh Ireland

Narrator: Gareth Armstrong

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-20-17

Publisher: John Murray

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

Playboy. Fascist. Strongman. Thief. Traitors.

September 1939. For years now Britain has been rudderless, divided and grievously unequal. Successive governments have floundered as they struggled to cope with economic misery at home and machinations abroad. Many of the country's citizens are seduced by fascism; others are simply left alienated by leaders who seem unwilling or unable to take the decisive action that is so desperately needed.

When war breaks out, the imperiled nation achieves the unity and purpose that has eluded it for more than a decade. It is a time of heroism and sacrifice in which many thousands of soldiers and civilians give their lives. But some Britons choose a different path, renegades who will fight for the Third Reich until its gruesome collapse in 1945. The Traitors tells the stories of four such men: the chaotic, tragic John Amery; the idealistic but hate-filled William Joyce; the cynical, murderous conman Harold Cole; and Eric Pleasants, an iron-willed pacifist and bodybuilder who wants no part in this war.

Drawing on recently declassified MI6 files, as well as diaries, letters and memoirs, The Traitors is a book about disordered lives in turbulent times; idealism twisted out of shape; of torn consciences and abandoned loyalties; of murder, deceit, temptation and loss. It shows how a man might come to desert his country's cause and the tragic consequences that treachery brings in its wake.

Critic Reviews:

"An epic tale of love, dishonour, bravery, cowardice, betrayal and high-treason. Beautifully written. A stunning debut." (Damien Lewis)

Members Reviews:

Fascinating

This book deftly tells the stories of a number of British men who betrayed their country in World War 2, and who went to work for the Germans in a number of capacities. While I knew about some of the better-known among them such as the fascists Lord Haw Haw and John Amery (son of one of Winston Churchill's cabinet members), I did not know about others in this infamous group. It is a fascinating narrative, and I most highly recommend it.

Forgotten History

Very interesting story. I knew a bit about William Joyce but not much about some of the other notorious British Fascist. Interesting book about some forgotten figures in history. Gareth Armstrong did a excellent job of narration.

Reading ok makes the best of a weak book

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Fewer cliches and more understanding

Really its invective

If the author has such a low opinion of the characters -why write about them?

Maybe they are very limited people, with little to recommend them but they must have had some complexity.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Gareth Armstrong?

Perhaps

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Traitors?

Tell the author to do some research or choose a topic he approved of.

We know the characters are limited and lack for the most part authenticity - but why??

Inglorious b**s

Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) is still remembered by the first postwar generation by his infamous "Gairmany calling" introduction to his black propaganda radio broadcasts. John Amery's father & brother seem to have left memories which no longer include the shabby career of their treacherous relative. I'd never heard of Eric Pleasants, probably the least malignant of the quartet.

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Title: Once Upon a Time in War

Subtitle: The 99th Division in World War II

Author: Robert E. Humphrey

Narrator: Frank Graham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-17

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

For the soldier on the front lines of World War II, a lifetime of terror and suffering could be crammed into a few horrific hours of combat. This was especially true for members of the 99th Infantry Division who repelled the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge and engaged in some of the most dramatic, hard-fought actions of the war.

Once Upon a Time in War presents a stirring view of combat from the perspective of the common soldier. Author Robert E. Humphrey personally retraced the path of the 99th through Belgium and Germany and conducted extensive interviews with more than 300 surviving veterans.

When Humphrey discovered that many 99ers had gone to their graves without telling their stories, he set about to honor their service and coax recollections from survivors. The memories recounted here, many of them painful and long repressed, are remarkable for their clarity. These narratives, seamlessly woven to create a collective biography, offer a gritty reenactment of World War II from the enlisted man's point of view.

Although focused on a single division, Once Upon a Time in War captures the experiences of all American GIs who fought in Europe. For listeners captivated by Band of Brothers, this book offers an often tragic, sometimes heartwarming, but always compelling listen.

The book is published by University of Oklahoma Press.

Critic Reviews:

"An absorbing social history of the common soldiers of the Checkerboard Division. Genuine and credible-a captivating story told mainly in the words of the GIs themselves." (Peter R. Mansoor, author of

The GI Offensive in Europe: The Triumph of American Infantry Divisions, 1941-1945)

"A rich portrait of the American citizen soldier in war." (

Journal of Military History)

Members Reviews:

Important story; amatuer narration.

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Social or local historians; perhaps family members of former 99th veterans.

What didnt you like about Frank Grahams performance?

His cadence was up and down constantly; not smooth. Consistently mispronounced military words, such as "corps", pronouncing it "corpse", like a dead body.

Narrator???

What made the experience of listening to Once Upon a Time in War the most enjoyable?

It was hard to enjoy this book because of the narrator. I'm reluctant to criticize someone who apparently does this for a living, but Mr. Graham's delivery was like a phrase-by-phrase staccato in many places and he seemed to ignore breaks between sentences. I felt like I was was being rushed through the book to the point where it was hard to follow what went on.

What did you like best about this story?

The soldiers who fought in this war and in this battle were brave men, and their courage is demonstrated in the narrative.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

See above.

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

No.

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Title: Fields of Battle

Subtitle: Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl, and the Boys Who Went to War

Author: Brian Curtis

Narrator: Roger Wayne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-14-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 1942 Rose Bowl was moved from Pasadena to Durham, North Carolina, out of fear of Japanese attacks on the West Coast. It remains the only Rose Bowl game to ever be played outside of Pasadena. Duke University, led by legendary coach Wallace Wade Sr., faced off against underdog Oregon State College, with both teams preparing for a grueling fight on the football field while their thoughts wandered to the battlefields they would soon be on.

As the players and coaches prepared for the game, America was preparing for war. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to discuss the Allied strategy in Europe, a discussion that would change the lives of the boys and men on the field in Durham. Finally, on New Year's Day 1942, under dark gray skies and occasional rain, the two teams clashed on the gridiron in front of a crowd of 56,000, playing one of the most unforgettable games in history. Shortly afterward, many of the players and coaches entered the military and would quickly become brothers on the battlefield. Scattered around the globe, the lives of Rose Bowl participants would intersect in surprising ways as they served in Iwo Jima and Normandy, Guadalcanal, and the Battle of the Bulge.

Critic Reviews:

"A fine sports book with a stirring extra dimension." (Kirkus)

Members Reviews:

Totally Didn't Expect to Like This Book - Great!

What made the experience of listening to Fields of Battle the most enjoyable?

My husband and I listened to this as we were driving to New Orleans to visit the WWII Museum. It was a good overview of the war, told in a very interesting way. We even found a picture of Jack Yoshihara in the museum. Jack was supposed to play in the Rose Bowl in 1942, but was not able to due to travel restrictions for Japanese Americans.

What about Roger Waynes performance did you like?

Easy to listen to.

Any additional comments?

Contained many interesting facts I was not aware of.

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Title: The Great Rescue

Subtitle: American Heroes, an Iconic Ship, and the Race to Save Europe in WWI

Author: Peter Hernon

Narrator: Stephen Hoye

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-13-17

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

Published in commemoration of the centennial of America's entry into World War I, the story of the USS Leviathan, the legendary liner turned warship that ferried US soldiers to Europe - a unique war history that offers a fresh, compelling look at this epic time.

When war broke out in Europe in August 1914, the new German luxury ocean liner SS Vaterland was interned in New York Harbor, where it remained docked for nearly three years - until the United States officially entered the fight to turn the tide of the war. Seized by authorities for the US Navy once war was declared in April 1917, the liner was renamed the USS Leviathan by President Woodrow Wilson and converted into an armed troop carrier that transported thousands of American Expeditionary Forces to the battlefields of France.

For German U-Boats hunting Allied ships in the treacherous waters of the Atlantic, no target was as prized as the Leviathan, carrying more than 10,000 Doughboys per crossing. But the Germans were not the only deadly force threatening the ship and its passengers. In 1918 a devastating influenza pandemic - the Spanish flu - spread throughout the globe, predominantly striking healthy young adults, including soldiers.

Peter Hernon tells the ship's story across multiple voyages and through the experiences of a diverse cast of participants, including the ship's captain, Henry Bryan; General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force; Congressman Royal Johnson, who voted against the war but enlisted once the resolution passed; Freddie Stowers, a young black South Carolinian whose heroism was ignored because of his race; Irvin Cobb, a star war reporter for the Saturday Evening Post; and Elizabeth Weaver, an army nurse who saw the war's horrors firsthand as well as a host of famous supporting characters, including a young Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Thoroughly researched, dramatic, and fast paced, The Great Rescue is a unique look at the Great War and the diverse lives it touched.

Members Reviews:

Could have had more about the Leviathan

This is an excellent introduction to WW1 history. Unfortunately, the book is often more about the War and less about the ship. Many of the stories told are only loosely connected to the Leviathan .The book could have been improved with more information about the ship while she was the German IMPERATOR, and also more about her post war service as a US flag passenger ship. This ship had a very rich history, in addition to its role in the war, but these facts are glossed over. A deck plan would also have helped the story. Overall a good WW1 book, but maybe less about the ship then you might think you are getting.....

Not a bad book. Certainly learned some things I did not ...

Not a bad book. Certainly learned some things I did not know. A bit redundant in some areas but overall it held my interest and expanded my knowledge of The Great War.

THE GREAT RESQUE.

AFTER PRES WILSON FINALLY AWOKE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE RUSHED TO, THE GREAT RESQUE. !!

Five Stars

Outstanding History!!!!!

A fine "biography" of a famous ship

This is a well written, informative, and entertaining "biography" of an important and historic ship. Author Peter Hernon covers each of the ship's wartime cruises, and her happy post-war duty of returning doughboys to the United States.

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Title: A Rare Recording of Howard Carter

Author: Howard Carter

Narrator: Howard Carter

Format: Original Recording

Length: 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-09-17

Publisher: Listen & Live Audio

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

In this rare recording of Howard Carter (February 22, 1857-January 8, 1941), the English archeologist and Egyptologist discusses the experience of discovering and opening the intact tomb of 18th Dynasty pharaoh Tutankamun, known as "King Tut", in November 1922.