Download the Best Full Audiobooks in History, European

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Title: A Family of Islands

Author: Alec Waugh

Narrator: Alex Hyde-White

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-30-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

What Columbus started in 1492 was finished in 1898, when the red and gold flag was lowered at Havana to mark the end of four centuries of Spanish dominance in the Caribbean. For two and a half centuries after the Pope divided the world between Spain and Portugal, the navies of Britain, France, Spain, and occasionally the Netherlands fought in the Caribbean. Most of the islands changed hands at least once. Europe discovered the delights of coffee, tea and cocoa; sugar boomed; fortunes were made and lost; the slave trade flourished. But after the Napoleonic Wars prosperity receded, the conscience of the world awoke and slavery was abolished, ending the halcyon days of European colonialism in the Indies.

A Family of Islands is full of fabulous people: Drake; Hawkins; Raleigh; Philip II of Spain; Elizabeth I; Henry Morgan, the pirate who was later knighted and made governor of Jamaica; Haiti's tragic trio: Toussaint L'Ouverture, Dessalines, and Henri Christophe. It is full of stories about witch doctors and obeah spells and the unspeakable abominations of the slave trade. With a sure sense of the exciting, Alec Waugh has written a perceptive and entertaining account of the history and humanity of a vivid part of the world where life can be as tranquil as a sunbeam or as tumultuous as a hurricane.

Alec Waugh (1898-1981) was a British novelist born in London and educated at Sherborne Public School, Dorset. Waughs first novel, The Loom of Youth (1917), is a semi-autobiographical account of public-school life that caused some controversy at the time and led to his expulsion. Waugh was the only boy ever to be expelled from The Old Shirburnian Society.

Despite setting this record, Waugh went on to become the successful author of over 50 works, and lived in many exotic places throughout his life which later became the settings for some of his texts. He was also a noted wine connoisseur and campaigned to make the cocktail party a regular feature of 1920s social life.

Members Reviews:

Entertaining and educational

I love the Caribbean, I always have since first visiting there at a young age. I found this book to be very well written, very entertaining and historically comprehensive. The idea of looking at all the Islands in relation to each other is very insightful and logical. Written from the English point of view, it tells the story of the Caribbean from the moment Columbus arrived, what happened throughout the centuries and why. I'm sure you will enjoy this book and learn a lot too.

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Title: History of Russia from the Earliest Times, Vol. 29 [Russian Edition]

Author: Sergey Solovyov

Narrator: Leontina Brotskaya

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-17-13

Publisher: IDDK

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Znamenityj trud velikogo russkogo istorika Sergeja Mihajlovicha Solov'eva (1820-1879) javljaetsja krupnejshim dostizheniem russkoj istoricheskoj nauki XIX v. S. M. Solov'ev pervyj sredi ravnyh v plejade blestjashhih russkih istorikov, v kotoruju vhodjat N. Karamzin, V. Kljuchevskij, N. Kostomarov, A. Presnjakov, T. Granovskij, S. Platonov i mnogie drugie. Dvadcat' devjatyj tom ohvatyvaet period carstvovanija Imperatricy Ekateriny II Alekseevny. 1773 - 1775 gg.

Please note: this audiobook is in Russian .

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Title: History of Russia from the Earliest Times, Vol. 28 [Russian Edition]

Author: Sergey Solovyov

Narrator: Leontina Brotskaya

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-09-13

Publisher: IDDK

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Znamenityj trud velikogo russkogo istorika Sergeja Mihajlovicha Solov'eva (1820-1879) javljaetsja krupnejshim dostizheniem russkoj istoricheskoj nauki XIX v. S. M. Solov'ev - pervyj sredi ravnyh v plejade blestjashhih russkih istorikov, v kotoruju vhodjat N. Karamzin, V. Kljuchevskij, N. Kostomarov, A. Presnjakov, T. Granovskij, S. Platonov i mnogie drugie. Dvadcat' vos'moj tom ohvatyvaet period carstvovanija Imperatricy Ekateriny II Alekseevny. 1768 - 1772 gg.

Please note: this audiobook is in Russian.

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Title: History of Russia from the Earliest Times, Vol. 27 [Russian Edition]

Author: Sergey Solovyov

Narrator: Leontina Brotskaya

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-09-13

Publisher: IDDK

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Znamenityj trud velikogo russkogo istorika Sergeja Mihajlovicha Solov'eva (1820-1879) javljaetsja krupnejshim dostizheniem russkoj istoricheskoj nauki XIX v. S. M. Solov'ev pervyj sredi ravnyh v plejade blestjashhih russkih istorikov, v kotoruju vhodjat N. Karamzin, V. Kljuchevskij, N. Kostomarov, A. Presnjakov, T. Granovskij, S. Platonov i mnogie drugie. Dvadcat' sed'moj tom ohvatyvaet period carstvovanija Imperatricy Ekateriny II Alekseevny. 1766 - 1768 gg.

Please note: This audiobook is in Russian.

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Title: Walking Home

Subtitle: Travels with a Troubadour on the Pennine Way

Author: Simon Armitage

Narrator: Simon Armitage

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-04-13

Publisher: Canongate Faber

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

In summer 2010 Simon Armitage decided to walk the Pennine Way. The challenging 256-mile route is usually approached from south to north, from Edale in the Peak District to Kirk Yetholm, the other side of the Scottish border. He resolved to tackle it the other way round: through beautiful and bleak terrain, across lonely fells and into the howling wind, he would be walking home, towards the Yorkshire village where he was born.

Travelling as a "modern troubadour" without a penny in his pocket, he stopped along the way to give poetry readings in village halls, churches, pubs, and living rooms. His audiences varied from the passionate to the indifferent, and his readings were accompanied by the clacking of pool balls, the drumming of rain and the bleating of sheep.

Walking Home describes this extraordinary, yet ordinary, journey. It's a story about Britain's remote and overlooked interior - the wildness of its landscape and the generosity of the locals who sustained him on his way. It's about facing emotional and physical challenges, and sometimes overcoming them. It's nature writing, but with people at heart. Contemplative, moving, and droll, it is a unique narrative from one of our most beloved writers.

Members Reviews:

A relaxing and enjoyable read

Simon Armitage, who narrates his own book, has a very relaxing voice which makes this an enjoyable read. His narrative about walking the Pennine way - using no money except that which he earns from readings of poetry along the way - is charming and interesting. He includes a couple of his poems later in the book which are magical.

A poet in his element

Would you listen to Walking Home again? Why?

Yes I would. It takes a while to get used to Simons voice as it is a little whiny. But it works well with words he uses that have a rhythmn and almost rhyme you would expect from a poet.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Walking Home?

Towards the end he wonders if he can ever do another live performance again as he has done so many during the walk. You get a real feeling for the dedication he has to his work, his craft and art and how much it can take out of him.

Have you listened to any of Simon Armitages other performances? How does this one compare?

I have seen him on TV documentaries and he lacks a bit of passion as a presenter. But as an audiobook narrator he works much better.

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

No it is good to follow his journey in episodes as the walk was punctuated by his performances. A few days of his journey at a time is best.

Any additional comments?

A good insight into the pennine way and the character of a fine poet and social commentator.

Poetic and comedic. Real down to earth adventure.

Enjoyed this little big adventure with my favourite modern day poet tremendously. I don't agree with other reviews about his lack of excitement. I found him to be full of humour with a strong balance between enthusiasm and the reality of the task at hand. His manner is not unusual for a Yorkshireman, takes one to know one I suppose! (Lancashire to be honest). I am familiar with some of the areas he travelled through and found it added to my enjoyment.

I will certainly listen again.

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Title: Hedge Britannia

Subtitle: A Curious History of a British Obsession

Author: Hugh Barker

Narrator: Eric Brooks

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

This is the story of how British hedgerows contribute to our national identity and our wildlife. Over the centuries we have proved ourselves to be a nation of hedge growers, marking boundaries or trimming them into fantastical creations. From formal garden features to emphatically rustic barriers, Hugh explores our hedges in all their diversity.

Hedge Britannia offers a witty insight into the history of hedges and the way they relate to our culture as well as our landscape. Hugh travels the breadth of Britain meeting fellow enthusiasts who range from horticultural experts to the Brixton man who lovingly cultivated a whale-shaped hedge and ran into trouble with the local council. There are case studies about hedges of particular note, like the towering Meikleour beech hedge, the castellated hedge and spectacular topiary at Levens Hall and the bamboozling hedge maze at Chatsworth (where Hugh got predictably and happily lost).

Both pithy and informative, this is The Cloudspotter's Guide meets Flora Britannica.

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Title: A Brief History of the Wars of the Roses

Subtitle: Brief Histories

Author: Desmond Seward

Narrator: Mark Elstob

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-07-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

A classic account of the bloody rivalry between the dynasties of York and Lancaster for the throne of England. During the 15th century England was split in a bloody conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster over who should claim the crown. The civil wars consumed the whole nation in a series of battles that eventually saw the Tudor dynasty take power.

In A Brief History of the Wars of the Roses, Desmond Seward tells the story of this complex and dangerous period of history through the lives of five men and women who experienced the conflict firsthand. In a gripping narrative the personal trials of the principal characters interweave with the major events and personalities of one of the most significant turning points in British history.

Desmond Seward was born in Paris and educated at St Catherine's College, Cambridge. He is the author of numerous studies and biographies.

Critic Reviews:

"A brilliant study of the period. Rich in historical detail, yet passionately written, the smell of battle seems to linger on the page." (Yorkshire Post)

"It is hard to imagine a historian more in command of his subject.... The result is history as compelling as any novel." (Independent)

"This is a splendidly and vividly written book." (Evening Standard)

Members Reviews:

good book ruined

great book ruined by narrator's irritating use of irritating voices

buy the paper back instead

Almost unintelligable as an audio book

If this book wasnt for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

If you sit down with this and a family tree of the British monarchy of the period you might have a chance of grasping it but if like me you like to walk around pruning roses and listening it's just too complicated to grasp. I suspect the hard copy book is quite interesting as it might be easier to flick back and see the family tree and refer to earlier incidents with the same cast of characters. I was inspired to 'read' the book by the White Queen on TV which I also found hard to follow because we watched it spaced over a long period of time.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Hard copy of the family tree and a note pad to write some sort of diagram of what's going on!

How could the performance have been better?

It was a bit flat in the way it was narrated almost suggesting the narrator didn't get it either. I am reminded of a great review of a book that I read which basically said a great narrator can turn a poor book into a good one; this one didn't really give a great contribution.

You didnt love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not for me

Any additional comments?

None

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Title: Shadow in the Sun (Dramatised)

Author: Kate O'Mara, Michael Cochrane

Narrator: Kate O'Mara, Patricia Shakesby, Giles Watling

Format: Original Recording

Length: 1 hr and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-14-13

Publisher: Fantom Films

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

Two very different women, the much married Mary Queen of Scots and the Virgin Queen of England had one fundamental thing in common, one thing that would change the course of history: Each believed in her God given right to sit on the throne of England. The lives - and deaths - of these royal cousins were bound together in a tangled web of bloodlines, courtly intrigue, and political manoeuvring.

This dramatisation is based on historical documents, letters, reported speech and contemporaneous accounts. A vivid and compelling realisation of one of the most notorious events in history, this is the true account of the events leading to the execution of Mary Stuart.

It is a thrilling play about two women who are fighting for their lives, admits Kate, It is a very potent and powerful story.

Joining film and television actress Kate OMara (who plays Mary Queen of Scots) is Patricia Shakesby as Elizabeth I. Patricia is best known for playing Polly Urquhart in Howards Way together with roles in Coronation Street, Sapphire and Steel, and Brighton Rock. The audio also stars Giles Watling and Michael Cochrane.

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Title: Thomas Becket

Subtitle: Warrior, Priest, Rebel, Victim: A 900-Year-Old Story Retold

Author: John Guy

Narrator: Roy McMillan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-07-12

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

John Guy, one of our most acclaimed and successful historians, brings a colossal figure of British history vividly to life in this unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Thomas Becket. Read by Roy McMillan. Behind the legend, there was a man. In 1120 the wife of a Norman drapers merchant gave birth to a baby boy in Londons bustling Cheapside. Despite his sickly constitution, middle-class background and unremarkable abilities, he rose within the space of thirty-five years to become the most powerful man in the kingdom, second only to Henry II himself. At his height, he led seven hundred knights into battle, brokered peace between nations, held the ear of the Pope and brought one of the strongest rulers in Christendom to his knees. And within three years of his bloody assassination, he was a saint whose cult had spread the length and breadth of Europe, and a legend who remains as controversial and compelling today as he was during his life.

The story of Thomas Becket is the story of an enigma, as well as of one of the most tumultuous periods in English history. Drawing on a vast array of contemporary records, personal letters and first-hand accounts, John Guy has reconstructed a psychologically compelling, stunningly nuanced and utterly convincing account of this most remarkable man, the dramatic times in which he lived and the pivotal role he played in his nations history.

Members Reviews:

Illuminating and shocking

My previous knowledge of Becket's life and death was based on the film, Becket, starring Peter O'Toole and RIchard Burton. I now realize that the film art-brushed out Henry II's tyrannical behaviour, mendacity and cruelty to any who tried to impede his wishes. The book gives a detailed account of the deteriorating relationship between Henry and Becket from bosom buddies to arch enemies with a wealth of information about this turbulent period in European history in the 12th Century. There's a dizzying amount of historical detail that warrants a visit to Wikipedia to remind one of the the genealogy of the main players as one skips from the English to French Court with detours to the Vatican and other European nobilty.

Frankly I couldn't keep track of all the many characters and the intrigues and double-dealing by monarchs, barons and clergy, including Popes (and there were more than one at any one time owing to a schism in the Catholic Church). However, the lively writing and engaging narration kept me listening. Even if you can't remember all the sub-plots and characters the gist of the story comes over clearly and what a story it is. Christian benevolence was lost under an avalanche of political intriguing, self-agrandissement, bribery and war-mongering from all quarters.

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Title: The Fishing Fleet

Subtitle: Husband-Hunting in the Raj

Author: Anne de Courcy

Narrator: Greta Scacchi

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-12

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: History, European

Publisher's Summary:

From the late 19th century, when the Raj was at its height, many of Britain's best and brightest young men went out to India to work as administrators, soldiers, and businessmen. With the advent of steam travel and the opening of the Suez Canal, countless young women, suffering at the lack of eligible men in Britain, followed in their wake. This amorphous band was composed of daughters returning after their English education, girls invited to stay with married sisters or friends, and yet others whose declared or undeclared goal was simply to find a husband.

They were known as the Fishing Fleet, and this book is their story, hitherto untold. For these young women, often away from home for the first time, one thing they could be sure of was a rollicking good time. By the early 20th century, a hectic social scene was in place, with dances, parties, amateur theatricals, picnics, tennis tournaments, cinemas, gymkhanas with perhaps a tiger shoot and a glittering dinner at a raja's palace thrown in. And, with men outnumbering women by roughly four to one, romances were conducted at alarming speed and marriages were frequent.

But after the honeymoon life often changed dramatically: Whisked off to a remote outpost with few other Europeans for company and where constant vigilance was required to guard against disease, they found it a far cry from the social whirlwind of their first arrival.

Anne de Courcy's sparkling narrative is enriched by a wealth of first-hand sources - unpublished memoirs, letters and diaries rescued from attics - which bring this forgotten era vividly to life.

Read by Greta Scacchi.

Members Reviews:

too much of a very good thing

This is an excellent and interesting social history of the Raj, and so comprehensive it seems to cover every aspect of life for this privileged sub-section of English society. There are interesting quotes from letters and interviews to illustrate the various points, so it is full of life and colour and human experience. The book is true to its title, the focus stays on the Fishing Fleet women, with enough context to bring their experiences to life, but it seems strange that a book set in India has so little to say about the millions of Indians who were forced to make way and bow and scrape to the English who thought themselves superior to Indians in every way and lost no opportunity to enforce the English version of hierarchy. Indian people are there on the periphery, mostly as servants, but we learn little about the conditions of their lives when they were not waiting on their employers. My only serious criticism is that the book was just too long, despite the fact that everything in it is interesting. Perhaps there were too many family stories and anecdotes - they all started to sound the same after a while, and a lot of the preoccupations of these women who typically had no role other than wife and mother are pretty boring - balls, dinners, what to wear, and whether they would succeed in getting a good catch or be 'returned empty'. It's hard to criticise such a well-written book, but the fact is I found it too interesting to abandon but not interesting enough to make me keen to get back to it - contradictory sentiments, I know, but that's the way it was for me. Anne de Courcy's writing is excellent, as always. There is no better reader than Greta Scacchi and she is the perfect choice for this book.