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Masters of the Air
- America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 25 hrs and 15 mins
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Masters of the Air
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Apollo
- Written by: Charles Murray, Catherine Bly Cox
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story5 out of 5 stars 11
Apollo is the behind-the-scenes story of an epic achievement. Based on exhaustive research that included many exclusive interviews, Apollo tells how America went from a standing start to a landing on the moon at a speed that now seems impossible. It describes the unprecedented engineering challenges that had to be overcome to create the mammoth Saturn V and the facilities to launch it. It takes you into the tragedy of the fire on Apollo 1, the first descent to the lunar surface, and the rescue of Apollo 13.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it
- By Sean on 2023-02-12
Written by: Charles Murray, and others
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The Rising Sun
- The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
- Written by: John Toland
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 41 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."
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5 out of 5 stars
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very well done
- By Frank on 2022-06-10
Written by: John Toland
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Fighter Pilot
- The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds
- Written by: Robin Olds, Christina Olds, Ed Rasimus
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 17 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 51
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Story5 out of 5 stars 50
A larger-than-life hero with a towering personality, Robin Olds was a graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army. In World War II, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—a double ace with twelve aerial victories. But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing!
- By Susan on 2021-04-01
Written by: Robin Olds, and others
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Six Days of War
- June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
- Written by: Michael B. Oren
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
In Israel and the West, it is called the Six Day War. In the Arab world, it is known as the June War or, simply, as "the Setback". Never has a conflict so short, unforeseen, and largely unwanted by both sides so transformed the world. The Yom Kippur War, the war in Lebanon, the Camp David accords, the controversy over Jerusalem and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the intifada, and the rise of Palestinian terror are all part of the outcome of those six days.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good non-partisan narrative
- By Wade Robertson on 2023-04-29
Written by: Michael B. Oren
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The Battle of Britain
- Written by: James Holland
- Narrated by: Al Murray
- Length: 23 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940. He was right. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union. The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A great reading by Al Murray!
- By Stefano on 2021-05-23
Written by: James Holland
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Helmet for My Pillow
- From Parris Island to the Pacific: A Young Marine's Stirring Account of Combat in World War II
- Written by: Robert Leckie
- Narrated by: James Badge Dale, Tom Hanks (introduction)
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 230
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 197
The celebrated 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific, winner of eight Emmy Awards, was based on two classic books about the War in the Pacific, Helmet for My Pillow and With The Old Breed. Audible Studios, in partnership with Playtone, the production company co-owned by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and creator of the award-winning HBO series Band of Brothers, John Adams, and The Pacific, as well as the HBO movie Game Change, has created new recordings of these memoirs, narrated by the stars of the miniseries.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Too much flowery speech
- By Robert Hoskins on 2023-02-09
Written by: Robert Leckie
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Apollo
- Written by: Charles Murray, Catherine Bly Cox
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 11
Apollo is the behind-the-scenes story of an epic achievement. Based on exhaustive research that included many exclusive interviews, Apollo tells how America went from a standing start to a landing on the moon at a speed that now seems impossible. It describes the unprecedented engineering challenges that had to be overcome to create the mammoth Saturn V and the facilities to launch it. It takes you into the tragedy of the fire on Apollo 1, the first descent to the lunar surface, and the rescue of Apollo 13.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it
- By Sean on 2023-02-12
Written by: Charles Murray, and others
-
The Rising Sun
- The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
- Written by: John Toland
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 41 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."
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5 out of 5 stars
-
very well done
- By Frank on 2022-06-10
Written by: John Toland
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Fighter Pilot
- The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds
- Written by: Robin Olds, Christina Olds, Ed Rasimus
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 17 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 50
A larger-than-life hero with a towering personality, Robin Olds was a graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army. In World War II, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—a double ace with twelve aerial victories. But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing!
- By Susan on 2021-04-01
Written by: Robin Olds, and others
-
Six Days of War
- June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
- Written by: Michael B. Oren
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
In Israel and the West, it is called the Six Day War. In the Arab world, it is known as the June War or, simply, as "the Setback". Never has a conflict so short, unforeseen, and largely unwanted by both sides so transformed the world. The Yom Kippur War, the war in Lebanon, the Camp David accords, the controversy over Jerusalem and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the intifada, and the rise of Palestinian terror are all part of the outcome of those six days.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Good non-partisan narrative
- By Wade Robertson on 2023-04-29
Written by: Michael B. Oren
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The Battle of Britain
- Written by: James Holland
- Narrated by: Al Murray
- Length: 23 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940. He was right. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union. The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great reading by Al Murray!
- By Stefano on 2021-05-23
Written by: James Holland
-
Helmet for My Pillow
- From Parris Island to the Pacific: A Young Marine's Stirring Account of Combat in World War II
- Written by: Robert Leckie
- Narrated by: James Badge Dale, Tom Hanks (introduction)
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 230
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 197
The celebrated 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific, winner of eight Emmy Awards, was based on two classic books about the War in the Pacific, Helmet for My Pillow and With The Old Breed. Audible Studios, in partnership with Playtone, the production company co-owned by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and creator of the award-winning HBO series Band of Brothers, John Adams, and The Pacific, as well as the HBO movie Game Change, has created new recordings of these memoirs, narrated by the stars of the miniseries.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Too much flowery speech
- By Robert Hoskins on 2023-02-09
Written by: Robert Leckie
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Operation Pedestal
- The Fleet that Battled to Malta 1942
- Written by: Max Hastings
- Narrated by: Max Hastings, John Hopkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
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Story5 out of 5 stars 5
In August 1942, beleaguered Malta was within weeks of surrender to the Axis, because its 300,000 people could no longer be fed. Churchill made a personal decision that at all costs, the ‘island fortress’ must be saved. The largest fleet the Royal Navy committed to any operation of the western war was assembled to escort 14 fast merchantmen across a thousand of miles of sea defended by 600 German and Italian aircraft. This is the saga Max Hastings unfolds in his first full-length narrative of the Royal Navy, which he believes was the most successful of Britain’s wartime services.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Classic Hastings
- By Tyler Campbell on 2021-05-30
Written by: Max Hastings
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The German Aces Speak
- World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders
- Written by: Anne-Marie Lewis, Jon Guttman, Brigadier General Robin Olds USAF - Ret., and others
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 26
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 26
Few perspectives epitomize the sheer drama and sacrifice of combat more perfectly than those of the fighter pilots of World War II. As romanticized as any soldier in history, the World War II fighter pilot was viewed as larger than life: a dashing soul waging war amongst the clouds. In the 65-plus years since the Allied victory, stories of these pilots' heroics have never been in short supply. But what about their adversaries - the highly skilled German aviators who pushed the Allies to the very brink of defeat?
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Collection of Accounts From Great Aces
- By Andrew Mendes on 2021-09-15
Written by: Anne-Marie Lewis, and others
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Thunder Below!
- The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II
- Written by: Eugene B. Fluckey
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 119
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 106
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Story5 out of 5 stars 105
Under the leadership of her fearless skipper, Captain Gene Fluckey, the Barb sank the greatest tonnage of any American sub in World War II. At the same time, the Barb did far more than merely sink ships-she changed forever the way submarines stalk and kill their prey.
This is a gripping adventure chock-full of "you-are-there" moments. Fluckey has drawn on logs, reports, letters, interviews, and a recently discovered illegal diary kept by one of his torpedomen.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great book. Detailed but great story.
- By Alex on 2020-06-28
Written by: Eugene B. Fluckey
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Tank Action
- An Armoured Troop Commander's War 1944-45
- Written by: Captain David Render, Stuart Tootal
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 46
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 40
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Story5 out of 5 stars 40
In 1944, David Render was a 19-year-old second lieutenant fresh from Sandhurst when he was sent to France. Joining the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry five days after the D-Day landings, the combat-hardened men he was sent to command did not expect him to last long. However, in the following weeks of ferocious fighting in which more than 90 per cent of his fellow tank commanders became casualties, his ability to emerge unscathed from countless combat engagements earned him the nickname of the 'Inevitable Mr Render'.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great story and great narrator!
- By Ben Wierenga on 2022-09-02
Written by: Captain David Render, and others
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I Escaped from Auschwitz
- The Shocking True Story of the World War II Hero Who Escaped the Nazis and Helped Save Over 200,000 Jews
- Written by: Rudolf Vrba, Alan Bestic, Sir Martin Gilbert - foreword, and others
- Narrated by: Steven Jay Cohen
- Length: 17 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 7
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 7
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Story5 out of 5 stars 7
April 7, 1944 - This date marks the successful escape of two Slovak prisoners from one of the most heavily-guarded and notorious concentration camps of Nazi Germany. The escapees, Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler, fled over 100 miles to be the first to give the graphic and detailed descriptions of the atrocities of Auschwitz. Originally published in the early 1960s, I Escaped from Auschwitz is the striking autobiography of none other than Rudolf Vrba himself. Vrba details his life leading up to, during, and after his escape from his 21-month internment in Auschwitz.
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5 out of 5 stars
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First hand reports
- By Roberta W on 2023-02-12
Written by: Rudolf Vrba, and others
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Juno Beach
- Canada's D-Day Victory: June 6, 1944
- Written by: Mark Zuehlke
- Narrated by: Steve Kehela
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 82
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Story5 out of 5 stars 81
On June 6, 1944, the greatest armada in history stood off Normandy and the largest amphibious invasion ever began as 107,000 men aboard 6,000 ships pressed toward the coast. Among them were 14,500 Canadians, who were to land on a five-mile-long stretch of rocky ledges fronted by a dangerously exposed beach. Drawing on personal diaries as well as military records, Juno Beach: Canada's D-Day Victory, June 6, 1944 dramatically depicts Canada's pivotal contribution to the critical Allied battle of World War II.
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3 out of 5 stars
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A Disappointment
- By John McElwain on 2019-05-16
Written by: Mark Zuehlke
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Modern Times
- The World from the Twenties to the Nineties
- Written by: Paul Johnson
- Narrated by: Nadia May
- Length: 37 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 5
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
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Story5 out of 5 stars 4
Beginning with May 29, 1919, when photographs of the solar eclipse confirmed the truth of Einstein's theory of relativity, Johnson goes on to describe Freudianism, the establishment of the first Marxist state, the chaos of "Old Europe", the Arcadian 20s, and the new forces in China and Japan. Also discussed are Karl Marx, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Roosevelt, Gandhi, Castro, Kennedy, Nixon, the '29 crash, the Great Depression, Roosevelt's New Deal, and the massive conflict of World War II.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Magnificent book, weak reader
- By James on 2023-05-10
Written by: Paul Johnson
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Our Oriental Heritage
- The Story of Civilization, Volume 1
- Written by: Will Durant
- Narrated by: Robin Field
- Length: 50 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
The first volume of Will Durant's Pulitzer Prize-winning series, Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization, Volume I chronicles the early history of Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Came here from a Elon Musk's recommendation
- By dursim on 2020-08-12
Written by: Will Durant
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Lords of Finance
- The Bankers Who Broke the World
- Written by: Liaquat Ahamed
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 54
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
It is commonly believed that the Great Depression that began in 1929 resulted from a confluence of events beyond any one person's or government's control. In fact, as Liaquat Ahamed reveals, it was the decisions made by a small number of central bankers that were the primary cause of the economic meltdown, the effects of which set the stage for World War II and reverberated for decades.
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2 out of 5 stars
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audiobk didnt get my attention in timely fashion
- By Sean on 2022-10-18
Written by: Liaquat Ahamed
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American Caesar
- Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964
- Written by: William Manchester
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 31 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
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Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Virtually all Americans above a certain age hold strong opinions about Douglas MacArthur. They either worship him or despise him. Now, in this superb book, one of our most outstanding writers, after a meticulous three-year examination of the record, presents his startling insights about the man. The narrative is gripping, because the general's life was fascinating. It is moving, because he was a man of vision. It ends, finally, in tragedy, because his character, though majestic, was tragically flawed.
Written by: William Manchester
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Race of Aces
- WWII's Elite Airmen and the Epic Battle to Become the Master of the Sky
- Written by: John R. Bruning
- Narrated by: Brian Troxell
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 25
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 23
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Story5 out of 5 stars 23
In 1942, America's deadliest fighter pilot, or "ace of aces" - the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker - offered a bottle of bourbon to the first US fighter pilot to break his record of 26 enemy planes shot down. Seizing on the challenge to motivate his men, General George Kenney promoted what they would come to call the "race of aces" as a way of boosting the spirits of his war-weary command.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Top Notch
- By Robert G. on 2020-03-21
Written by: John R. Bruning
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The Story of World War II
- Written by: Donald L. Miller, Henry Steele Commager
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 24 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 185
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 164
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Story5 out of 5 stars 161
Drawing on previously unpublished eyewitness accounts, prizewinning historian Donald L. Miller has written what critics are calling one of the most powerful accounts of warfare ever published. Here are the horror and heroism of World War II in the words of the men who fought it, the journalists who covered it, and the civilians who were caught in its fury. Miller gives us an up-close, deeply personal view of a war that was more savagely fought - and whose outcome was in greater doubt - than one might imagine. This is the war that Americans on the home front would have read about had they had access to previously censored testimony.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Shamefully misleading title
- By DAVID on 2019-05-28
Written by: Donald L. Miller, and others
Publisher's Summary
This is the dramatic story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, this is a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden.
Fighting at 25,000 feet in thin, freezing air no warriors had encountered before, bomber crews battled new kinds of assaults on body and mind. Air combat was deadly but intermittent: periods of inactivity and anxiety were followed by short bursts of fire and fear. Unlike infantrymen, bomber boys slept on clean sheets, drank beer in local pubs, and danced to the music of Glenn Miller’s Air Force Band. But they had a much greater chance of dying than ground soldiers. In 1943 an American bomber crewman stood only a one-in-five chance of surviving his tour of duty. The Eighth Air Force lost more men in the war than the US Marine Corps.
The bomber crews were an elite group of warriors. Actor Jimmy Stewart was a bomber boy, as was “King of Hollywood” Clark Gable. The air war was filmed by Oscar-winning director William Wyler and covered by reporters like Andy Rooney and Walter Cronkite, all of whom flew combat missions with the men. The Anglo-American bombing campaign against Nazi Germany was the longest military campaign of World War II, a war within a war. Until Allied soldiers crossed into Germany in the final months of the war, it was the only battle fought inside the German homeland.
Strategic bombing did not win the war, but the war could not have been won without it. American airpower destroyed the rail facilities and oil refineries that supplied the German war machine. The bombing campaign was a shared enterprise: The British bombed at night while American bombers attacked by day - a technique that British commanders thought was suicidal.
Drawn from interviews, oral histories, and American, British, German, and other archives, this is an authoritative, deeply moving account of the world’s first and only bomber war.
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What listeners say about Masters of the Air
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- daniel
- 2019-07-29
Fantastic
Incredible detailed visual history. There is so much covered here from so many angles. I couldn't stop listening.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-05-02
Excellent book!!
To any and all history buffs out there. This is a great book to listen too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Olaf
- 2012-01-05
Facts and Emotions Masterfully Combined
A book about war does not have to be either military history or record of human experiences but can be a combination of both if skillfully written for the knowledge and heart sections. This book is a very good example for this. It would not be the right book for somebody beginning to learn about World War II but if good overall knowledge of the war is given, the book provides deep insights into this very special theater of war in Europe. Even though I have read many, many books about the war I have found quite a bit of facts which were completely new to me. The individual histories of the fliers going through this ordeal are told with great tact, respect and without nationalism - just as it has to be. Highly recommended.
26 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 2012-02-19
An excellent, comprehensive history
Where does Masters of the Air rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Among those books dedicated to telling the story of the European air war, and notably that based in England, this is one of the best. It is comprehensive, well written, well narrated, and it artfully and engagingly stitches together strategy, personal stories, and tactical events. The mix of German and British and American story lines is superb.
What other book might you compare Masters of the Air to and why?
The telling of the personal stories reminds me of Ambrose's talent for doing so. James Hornfischer's
21 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- David
- 2013-04-25
Omelet with everything
The thing you should probably know before using a credit on this book is that the title is a bit misleading. While substantial portions of this very long survey of the Allied air war against Germany are devoted to telling the stories of individuals and the missions they flew (and even of their experiences as POW's), Miller's dominant objective seems to be the parsing of the air campaign from every possible viewpoint: economic, strategic, moral, political, social, strategic and tactical. Also, it is principally the story of the 8th Air Force operating out of England, so while it's treatment of that unit is comprehensive, it has little to say about other U.S. bomber commands in the European theatre.
Miller writes clearly and the book is read very competently, but I found my interest sagging as the narrative followed a kind of oscillating formula: detailing political maneuverings, analyzing matters of strategy, describing the planning and execution of a particular operation, and then zooming in for closeups of the action as it affected individual units and crews. Then the process would begin all over again with the next phase of the campaign.
That said, I certainly know a GREAT deal more about the air war in Europe than I did when I began the book. At times Miller also succeeds in powerfully communicating the emotional landscape of the struggle. While the flyers periodically take a back seat to the generals and the politicians, there is enough here to engrave their exploits in every reader's mind. And the questions he raises about the choices the U.S. and England made in regard to "civilian" vs. "military" targets are unsettling and painfully timely in today's world. I guess I just think all of it would have been more effective if it were not presented in a single omelet which was trying to use up all the tasty things in the fridge in one dish.
19 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert
- 2012-08-06
Heros
Where does Masters of the Air rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
My father only answered my direct questions about the war. He was a belly gunner on a B-17. This book answeres many unasked questions. This is by far the most detailed account of why dad's hands shook every day after the war.
18 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew Scott McClanahan
- 2012-11-07
The Mighty Eighth story is told in full
What did you love best about Masters of the Air?
This is a long book with many details. There are so many stories. If just one book about the Mighty Eighth is bought, this is definitely the one.
What other book might you compare Masters of the Air to and why?
The Wild Blue
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
A Sacrifice for Their Country Beyond Imagination
Any additional comments?
There is one sentence in this book that made a great impression on me:
"Mass education made the 8th Air Force."
Our nation's public education system before the war created so many quality Air Corp officers, America completely overwhelmed the Luftwaffe.
The air battles over Europe defy comprehension. This book expands that impression an order of magnitude.
I will listen to it again.
12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dan Greene
- 2012-07-29
Excellent: The classic bomber campaign of the 8th
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes - great stories, good insight into the phases of the bomber campaign.
Any additional comments?
Thoroughly enjoyed the detailed look at the bomber campaign.Explores the details of the B-17s mainly and the roller coaster ride they had from 1942 to 1945. Details include targeting strategies, crew experience, Luftwaffe strategies and coverage of the Fw-190 vs B-17 war plus lots of other details and little known facets of the bomber experience. A must read for someone wanting a good understanding of the European Air War in WW2.
11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lee
- 2013-07-28
An Excellent Story
What made the experience of listening to Masters of the Air the most enjoyable?
I thought the book did a wonderful job mixing the stories of the men in the planes with the political and strategic parts of the book. This made for a well rounded story which really gave the listener a full picture of the war.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Masters of the Air?
The descriptions of what took place inside the planes in the skies over Europe are absolutely riveting.
What does Robertson Dean bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I thought that the narrator did a wonderful job. Often times the narrators for history books can be dry and, to be frank, rather dull. Mr. Dean did a magnificent job. The book flows very well and so it really felt like I was listening to someone describe the events rather than reading from a book.
9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard LeBlanc
- 2012-10-01
From Start to Finish in Europe
This is a great day to day complete story of the air war in Europe. A chronicle of the behind the scenes politics and maneuverings. The double strategies the Allies fought, The crews life and death struggle, that broke some, and tested all.
London and the fly boys. A good description of the British thoughts of the American fly boys, and the Americans experiences with the British people.
A great book that puts you in the ERA along with all the peoples involved. Even the enemies.
I listened night after night. Happily, it's a long book. I highly recommend "MASTERS of the AIR" to WW ll buffs or anyone who like to read books of life in the 1940's.
9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Noel
- 2012-11-02
One of the best war books I have listened to.
Where does Masters of the Air rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
As a 2nd world war narrative it rates as among the best
What was one of the most memorable moments of Masters of the Air?
The real story about how the airmen and their doctors dealt with the chaos of their experiences going from sitting around to being in the air with the enemy guns and planes attacking them
Which scene was your favorite?
the story about the 32 year old airman who was a rough diamond but was able to put the fire out in the plan, rescue his mate and also still keep shooting the guns
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Endurance, strength and falability make the man
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- James P
- 2012-08-19
A little more than expected.
Narrated by Robertson Dean, he did great justice to the story bringing his usual expert retelling of aerial combat to life.This book did just one thing I hadn't expected, and that is to really tell me more about what the bombing of Germany was like from the ground and how much I really never learned about Switzerland (so called neutral) and other countries. A fine read, excellent detail, great narration. So much so that I'm now delving into more historical detail of where the war got started and how it really came to an end. Enjoy!
8 people found this helpful