Download Popular Titles Audiobooks in History, 20th Century

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Title: A Dark and Bloody Ground: The Hurtgen Forest and the Roer River Dams, 1944-1945

Author: Edward G. Miller

Narrator: Peter Hassinger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-16-16

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

A victorious American army, having driven through Belgium almost unopposed, ran head-on into German soldiers on their own home ground, in some of the most rugged country in western Germany - and at the beginning of the worst fall and winter weather in decades.

In late 1944, American forces advanced into the hilly, heavily wooded Hürtgen Forest southeast of Aachen, Germany. For weeks, without a clear-cut reason for attacking through the forest, US commanders nevertheless ordered units of as many as seven divisions into the woods to be chewed up by German infantry and artillery. Many companies suffered huge numbers of casualties.

The Battle of the Bulge interrupted the Hürtgen Forest battles but did not end them. The Bulge provided a hiatus for the wartorn countryside around the forest and the Roer River dams. Then, beginning in January 1945, American forces resumed their offensive and were finally able to break through after one of the bloodiest and, for the US Army, most disastrous campaigns of World War II.

The book examines uncertainty of command at the army, corps, and division levels and emphasizes the confusion and fear of ground combat at the level of company and battalion - "where they do the dying." Its gripping description of the battle is based on government records and a rich selection of first-person accounts.

Forrest C. Pogue Award, presented by the Eisenhower Center for American Studies. The book is published by Texas A&M University Press.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a thorough, interesting study, which every student of World War II operations in northwest Europe should read." (

Army History) "This educational and informative book is worth reading by anyone wanting to know more about the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest." (

The Journal of America's Military Past)

Members Reviews:

Gripping story of a little known corner of WW2.

This is a very well researched and laid out narrative of the US Army's advance through the Hurtgen Forest, on their way to capture the Roer River Dams, which were vitally improtant to securing the region.Unfortunately, The Army didnt realize how important these dams were, and instead concentrated on taking the towns and crossroads, which kept the Army bogged down until the winter, which was bitterly cold that year, and actually ended up costing the lives of a lot of soldiers that ddint have to die. It covers the personalities of the commanders, with little personal notes of regular soldiers interspersed throughout. Peter Hassinger does an excellent job narrating, keeping a serious tone while not letting it become dry and boring. Any history buff should be interested in this book.

I was given a free copy of this book by the narrator in exchange for an honest review through Audiobook Boom.

The Hidden Truth of the Hurtgen Campaign

What made the experience of listening to A Dark and Bloody Ground: The Hurtgen Forest and the Roer River Dams, 1944-1945 the most enjoyable?

A few weeks ago I visited the area and found a museum on the battle. Until last year, I never heard of this battle. On my trip during Thanksgiving, I met many Americans that never heard of this battle. Only locals and a host at the Netherlands US Military Cemetery knew of the true history.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The character that brought this book to life was not in the book.

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Title: Striving for Air Superiority

Subtitle: The Tactical Air Command in Vietnam

Author: Craig C. Hannah

Narrator: John Chester

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-06-16

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

In the 1960s, the US Air Force lacked both the equipment and properly trained pilots to assure air superiority because the Tactical Air Command (TAC) had become little more than a handmaiden to the Strategic Air Command (SAC). TAC focused primarily on the interdiction of enemy bombers and virtually ignored its other responsibilities, such as providing close support of ground troops with conventional weapons and the interdiction of enemy fighters over the battlefield. Its aircraft were designed to fly at supersonic speeds and shoot long-range, radar-guided missiles at large, lumbering bombers and not to engage in dog fights with highly maneuverable MiGs. Its premier fighter, the F-4 Phantom, lacked an internal cannon that was so crucial to the accomplishment of TAC's mission, and its pilot training programs were ill-suited for the air war over Southeast Asia. The arrival of surface-to-air-missiles in North Vietnam in 1965 also found the Air Force with neither the tactics nor the weapons needed to neutralize that threat. Hannah explains how TAC struggled through the war in Vietnam to emerge in the 1970s as the best-equipped and best-trained tactical air force in the world. He side-steps politics and inter-service rivalries to focus on the nuts and bolts of tactical air power. The result is a factual, informative account of how an air force loses its way and finds its mission again.

The book is published by Texas A&M University Press.

Members Reviews:

To break the milk bottle, or to kill the cow?

"Striving for Air Superiority: The Tactical Air Command in Vietnam," by Craig C. Hannah, explores the evolution of Air Force equipment, philosophy, training, and tactics. Although the focus of the book is on the Vietnam War, the scope of Hannah's research is far greater, and ultimately stretches from World War II to the Gulf War. Hannah's core thesis is that after World War II, Air Force planners were too preoccupied with the specter of a nuclear air war with the Soviet Union, and their subsequent neglect of old-fashioned aerial combat essentials left their aviators unprepared for the deadly threats they faced over the skies of Vietnam. Hannah shows how the Air Force worked to correct this mistake.

The book is rich in technical details about many topics: the surface-to-air missile threat, wing design, the role of interceptor aircraft, visibility considerations in aircraft design, the "ripple fire" concept, chaff (a countermeasure against enemy radar), the usefulness of "dissimilar air combat training," and more. Hannah covers many different aircraft, including models used both by the U.S. and by enemy forces, and also looks at various weapon systems. He also discusses the difference between tactical and strategic air power--the former concerned with "breaking the milk bottle" and the latter geared toward "killing the cow," according to a metaphor attributed to General Jimmy Doolittle. The book is extremely dense with proper names and other data; it even includes several data tables and aviation-related mathematical equations. Hannah wisely balances out the hard science and numbers with many quotes by pilots.

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Title: Pivotal Tuesdays

Subtitle: Four Elections That Shaped the Twentieth Century

Author: Margaret O'Mara

Narrator: James Killavey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-04-16

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

No matter how frustrated or disinterested voters might be about politics and government, every four years, on the first Tuesday in November, the attention of the nation - and the world - focuses on the candidates, the contest, and the issues. The partisan election process has been a way for a messy, jumbled, raucous nation to come together as a slightly-more-perfect union.

Pivotal Tuesdays looks back at four pivotal presidential elections of the past 100 years to show how they shaped the 20th century. During the rowdy, four-way race in 1912 between Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Eugene Debs, and Woodrow Wilson, the candidates grappled with the tremendous changes of industrial capitalism and how best to respond to them. In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt's promises to give Americans a "New Deal" to combat the Great Depression helped him beat the beleaguered incumbent, Herbert Hoover. The dramatic and tragic campaign of 1968 that saw the election of Richard Nixon reflected an America divided by race, region, and war and set in motion political dynamics that persisted into the book's final story - the three-way race that led to Bill Clinton's 1992 victory.

Exploring the personalities, critical moments, and surprises of these races, Margaret O'Mara shows how and why candidates won or lost and examines the effects these campaigns had on the presidencies that followed.

The book is published by University of Pennsylvania Press.

Critic Reviews:

"A completely captivating read.... Just a delicious book, written by an authoritative historian and brilliant narrator." (Anne Kornblut,

Washington Post)

"

Pivotal Tuesdays is a substantial achievement-a trenchant, balanced explication of the major shifts in twentieth-century presidential politics-and a ripping good read-clear, wry, beautifully written." (Bruce Schulman, Boston University)

Members Reviews:

Important book...especially this year.

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

Yes. Shows how important it is to vote. And the ins and outs of the campaigns were fascinating.

What about James Killaveys performance did you like?

Nice voice. Good pacing. Intelligent reading.

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

Quite a few, actually.

Any additional comments?

This quote about the print copy was what got me looking for the audio:

"Four presidents are on the cover of this book, but the elections in between are covered quite thoroughly as well. It's honestly kind of shocking to realize how many times the majority has voted for a certain candidate only because the other option was so unfavorable. As I'm writing this review, the general 2016 election hasn't yet started, and Clinton and Trump are to be the two candidates. As I read this book, I couldn't help but make similarities between this election and others in history, even though this election year already seems so strange."

Captivating...and chilling

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

To many friends. Election coming up and this book could make a difference. Just listen to the sample to see what I mean.

What did you like best about this story?

Made history come alive.

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Title: The Death of Trotsky

Author: Cecelia Holland

Narrator: Bronson Pinchot

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-04-16

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

The summer of 1940 found 60-year-old firebrand Leon Trotsky living in exile in Coyoacan, Mexico, still agitating with his pen and raging against the death he felt certain Stalin was bound to deliver - any day now. In The Death of Trotsky, Cecelia Holland brings this fated and fatal day to life, from its quotidian beginnings to its dramatic close. Between Trotsky's waking and his final rest, she probes the outer-workings and inner thoughts of those who were with him till the end, illuminating a man who exited life as he lived it: defiantly.

Cecelia Holland, author of more than 30 books and articles, lives in northern California with her family.

Members Reviews:

Nice Llittle History

Told me basally what I wanted to know; who Trotsky was as a person and as a revolutionary. It explained his relationship to Lenin and the Russian revolution as well as his relationship with Stalin.

This is a nice and compact biography of Trotsky and a brief history of a complex era.

The death of Trotsky is the deal.

I originally thought this little single was only worth one star.

As I was typing my review I realized this piece did deliver on its title. A fairly intimate window on the ultimate intimate experience.

Spoiler alert. Trotsky dies in the end.

Short and Quick

I guess I was hoping for more embellishment. It was definitely to the point. This read more like a Cliff's Notes version of a great story.

Complete

This is a nice addition to one's library as it fills in some of the gaps in Leon Trotsky's history left by popular culture. Cecilia Holland writes a concise and authoritative piece..

A good read

This is a good and quick read. A stark reminder of the long reach of one of the 20th Century's most evil tyrants.

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Title: Living in the Land of Death

Subtitle: The Choctaw Nation, 1830-1860

Author: Donna L. Akers

Narrator: Sally Martin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-20-16

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

With the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Choctaw people began their journey over the Trail of Tears from their homelands in Mississippi to the new lands of the Choctaw Nation. Suffering a death rate of nearly 20 percent due to exposure, disease, mismanagement, and fraud, they limped into Indian Territory, or, as they knew it, the Land of the Dead (the route taken by the souls of Choctaw people after death on their way to the Choctaw afterlife). Their first few years in the new nation affirmed their name for the land, as hundreds more died from whooping cough, floods, starvation, cholera, and smallpox.

Living in the Land of Death depicts the story of Choctaw survival, and the evolution of the Choctaw people in their new environment. Culturally, over time, their adaptation was one of homesteads and agriculture, eventually making them self-sufficient in the rich new lands of Indian territory. Along the Red River and other major waterways, several Choctaw families of mixed heritage built plantations, and imported large crews of slave labor to work cotton fields. They developed a sub-economy based on interaction with the world market. However, the vast majority of Choctaws continued with their traditional subsistence economy that was easily adapted to their new environment.

The immigrant Choctaws did not, however, move into land that was vacant. The U.S. government, through many questionable and some outright corrupt extralegal maneuvers, chose to believe it had gained title through negotiations with some of the peoples whose homelands and hunting grounds formed Indian Territory. Many of these indigenous peoples reacted furiously to the incursion of the Choctaws onto their rightful lands. They threatened and attacked the Choctaws and other immigrant Indian Nations for years.

Critic Reviews:

"With graceful writing, Akers beautifully seamlessly incorporates Choctaw language and worldview into her analysis and announces herself as an important new indigenous voice in historical scholarship." (Journal of Indigenous Nations Studies)

"Akers, a member of the Choctaw Nation, clearly posits that she is providing an "insider's" perspective and intends to show that Choctaw culture survived the juggernaut of assimiliation She achieved her objective in a commendable fashion a balanced and readable account." (Journal of the West)

Members Reviews:

A proud people more honest than the government

Apparent thesis documenting the beliefs and history of a people who populated the North American SouthEast until forced to leave by government bigots. I used to think that Jefferson was somewhat honorable, "All men are created equal" and all that. However, it seems that he was no better than any other crook, and ordered his agents to cheat these and other indigenous peoples out of their rightful properties.

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Title: The Great Speeches of World War II

Author: SpeechWorks

Narrator: full cast

Format: Original Recording

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-18-16

Publisher: SoundWorks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

From the deployment of US military forces in Europe and the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the surrender of Germany and Japan in 1945, the voices of history makers were heard around the world. This collection contains original remarks and speeches from FDR, Churchill, Truman, MacArthur, Ike, Chamberlain, General Patton, and others.

Members Reviews:

Great to listen to these in a first hand manner

It would have been nice to know the date, location and speakers name before each one. The name of the speakers are obvious for most. Otherwise the was excellent to listen to!

Great collection, but, not perfect

Would you consider the audio edition of The Great Speeches of World War II to be better than the print version?

I would.

Who was your favorite character and why?

FDR and Winston, of course, due to both being excellent speakers.

What about full casts performance did you like?

Most of them were quite good, with great audio quality.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I can't think of one at the moment.

Any additional comments?

A must-have for history buffs, though I'm not sure why they ended it with MacArthur's speech during the Korean war, and no speeches from other leaders, Stalin, and so on.

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Title: Major V.P. Marran - Medic with Patton's Third Army

Author: V. P. Marran

Narrator: Elihu Blotnick, Kathryn Delappe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-12-16

Publisher: firefallmedia

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

A bold memoir of medical experience and improvisational command in WWII. Major Marran's narrative of the war details the way he and the healers around him used their creative resourcefulness to repair broken lives, bodies, and careers, in worst circumstances, by improvising surgical setups, new to the field. As a member of the Third Army, led by General George S. Patton, Major Marran applied his medical skills at the Battle of the Bulge, Normandy, Buchenwald, starvation camps for downed British pilots and in meeting the Russians west of Prague.

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Title: Kidnap in Crete

Subtitle: The True Story of the Abduction of a Nazi General

Author: Rick Stroud

Narrator: Michael Maloney

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-17-15

Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

This is the story of how a small SOE unit led by Patrick Leigh Fermor kidnapped a German general on the Nazi-occupied island of Crete in 1944.

For 32 days, they were chased across the mountains as they headed for the coast and a rendezvous with a Royal Navy launch waiting to spirit the general to Cairo. Rick Stroud, whose Phantom Army of Alamein won plaudits for its meticulous research and its lightness of touch in the telling, brings these same gifts to bear in this new project. From the adrenaline rush of the kidnapping to the help provided by the Cretan partisans and people, he explains the overall context of Crete's role in World War II and reveals the devastating consequences of this mission for them all. There have been other accounts, but Kidnap in Crete is the first book to draw on all the sources, notably those in Crete as well as SOE files and the accounts, letters, and private papers of its operatives in London and Edinburgh.

Members Reviews:

Great historical account!

A little known story from WWII told very well and narrated with expertise. The story is thrilling and showcases how a resistance movement builds and executes the kidnapping of a German General. Well researched, very well written and excellent narration by Michael Maloney who handled tough pronunciations with relative ease.

Gripping true story from WWII

This is a true story of Crete during the Nazi occupation, a real Boys Own adventure with larger-than-life characters and an impossibly daring kidnap plot. It had me on the edge of my seat more than once. The setting is stark the harsh Nazi occupation which saw the Cretan population dealing with shortages of food and supplies, death of loved ones fighting or spying for the Resistance, and brutal disproportionate reprisals for each Resistance success. Credit for the plot and its execution goes to a handful of British officers, their team of determined guerrilla fighters (andartes) who formed the kidnap team, and the many Cretans who hid, fed, and helped them along the way and kept the operation secret for the many weeks that it took. Despite the numerous heroes in the story, whether the kidnap plot itself was ultimately heroic or simply foolhardy remains a matter for debate. Aside from the element of adventure and excitement, this story stands as a testament to the Cretan Resistance a story which may make many question what they would do if their country were taken over by a cruel occupying army. Rick Stroud took a plot, a cast, and an occupation, and put them together in a gripping tale. Michael Maloneys narration cannot be faulted, he captures the mood so well its almost like being there during the most action-packed and dangerous episodes a wonderful performance. Have a look at a map of Crete before you start, or have one handy - it helps to see where everything happened and how far the kidnap group travelled.

great story of plucky derring do in ww2.

excellent narration. already knew story but audio really brought it to life. reckless stunt or real blow to nazi morale? sadly given the brutal german reprisals i would say it wasnt worth it.

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Title: Blood in the Argonne: The "Lost Battalion" of World War I

Subtitle: Campaigns and Commanders Series

Author: Alan D. Gaff

Narrator: Kirk Winkler

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-15

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

In this unique history of the "Lost Battalion" of World War I, Alan D. Gaff tells for the first time the story of the 77th Division from the perspective of the soldiers in the ranks.

On October 2, 1918, Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey led the 77th Division in a successful attack on German defenses in the Argonne Forest of northeastern France. His unit, comprised of men of a wide mix of ethnic backgrounds from New York City and the western states, was not a battalion nor was it ever "lost", but once a newspaper editor applied the term "lost battalion" to the episode, it stuck.

Gaff draws from new, unimpeachable sources, such as sworn testimony by soldiers who survived the ordeal, to correct the myths and legends and to reveal what really happened in the Argonne Forest during early October 1918.

Members Reviews:

Might be a good read.

The narrator's condescending, bored, uninspired performance utterly destroys any possibility of enjoying this story. The tone the narrator sets, is one of an indifferent teacher, reading a despised story, to a roomful of imbeciles. Seriously, if the narrator's internal monologue is in any way similar to his performance in this story, he'd best be put on suicide watch.

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Title: Near and Distant Neighbors

Subtitle: A New History of Soviet Intelligence

Author: Jonathan Haslam

Narrator: Shaun Grindell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-30-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: History, 20th Century

Publisher's Summary:

Previous histories have focused on the KGB, leaving military intelligence and the special service - which specialized in codes and ciphers - lurking in the shadows. Drawing on previously neglected Russian sources, Haslam reveals how both were in fact crucial to the survival of the Soviet state. This was especially true after Stalin's death in 1953, as the Cold War heated up and dedicated Communist agents the regime had relied upon - Klaus Fuchs, the Rosenbergs, Donald Maclean - were betrayed.

In the wake of these failures, Khrushchev and his successors discarded ideological recruitment in favor of blackmail and bribery. The tactical turn was so successful that we can draw only one conclusion: the West ultimately triumphed despite, not because of, the espionage war. In bringing to light the obscure inhabitants of an undercover intelligence world, Haslam offers a surprising and unprecedented portrayal of Soviet success that is not only fascinating but also essential to understanding Vladimir Putin's power today.

Critic Reviews:

"For readers of Russian history, spy history, World War II, communication, and those interested in the KGB." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

Horrendous performance, interesting material

The reader is beyond bad. There are no sentences, just clipped single words read in a machine like monotone. This makes it extremely difficult to absorb the meaning. Listen to the sammoke before purchasing.

Terrible Narrator

He uses a variety of upspeak by emphasizing words having no relationship to the meaning of the text.

Very annoying

Narration not good

You have to be very familiar with Soviet Espionage History to keep up. His insights are some what esoteric. The narration of this book is very distracting.

Good book horrible narrator

The book was good and deep considering the dearth of sources regarding the topic. However, this narrator was horrible and robotic in his delivery. Struggling to pronounce Russian names and places, choppy and didn't flow well.

Horrid monotone audio. I hate giving bad reviews. The has no chance of being worse than this audio.

Argh blah blah blad very blad bad reader can not pronounce Russian names. Ouch

Bookhas to be better