• The Birth of Britain

  • A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume I
  • By: Sir Winston Churchill
  • Narrated by: Christian Rodska
  • Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,320 ratings)

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The Birth of Britain  By  cover art

The Birth of Britain

By: Sir Winston Churchill
Narrated by: Christian Rodska
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Publisher's summary

The English-speaking peoples comprise perhaps the greatest number of human beings sharing a common language in the world today. These people also share a common heritage. For his four-volume work, Sir Winston Churchill took as his subject these great elements in world history. Volume 1 commences in 55 BC, when Julius Caesar famously "turned his gaze upon Britain" and concludes with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
©2014 Audible, Inc. (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Birth of Britain

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Birth of Britain

Winston Churchill's seminal work crackles right along through centuries of British depravity and triumphs, just enough detail and on you go (although one might wish to hear a bit more of the condition of the non-noble common man). Churchill spices his research with a generous serving of opinion in a way that only one who has "been there" can do. While it was launched decades ago it remains a very contemporary history.

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35 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Historical Detail and Accuracy

Winston Churchill takes a period of history for which most are simply unaware and breaks it down into manageable sections, and while packed with details, his presentation is more like reading a story rather listening to a history lesson. Christian Rodska is simply wonderful to listen to and makes this great volume of information a very easy listen. The only downside I can think of is that listening to 16 hours of audio twice is a lot to handle, but believe me, you will want to, it really is that good.

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32 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent History

I passed exams in History at school, how I don't know. I found it boring to the max.

A couple of years ago, I started to read the fabulously bitchy history of England by Baron Macaulay for Librivox audio. It was an absolute hoot, which made me realise that history can be interesting and fun.

The more I read, the more I realise how good *this* work of Winston Churchills really is. David Hume's is probably the more complete, but this definitely puts meat on dry bones. The late Winston was an opinionated old scoot, and without doubt, definitely a snob. He unquestionably considered the aristocracy, of which he was a member, rather better than yer average citizen.

Strangely enough, while that does come through, it doesn't annoy.

I particularly enjoyed his take on the middle ages, where it had the definite ring of veracity.

Every history of Britain suffers from lack of detail from Caesars time through about AD800 or so. The documents are patchy, and mostly compiled from monks drawing the history of their church, rather than the times. Churchill runs through this time lightly, offering his opinion as best as can be gained from the documents available, and better than most, Hume included.

Very well read, very well written and consistently interesting. A surprise and a constant delight.




brendan

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A Complicated Glimpse into Churchill's Mind

Churchill's writing is good and the history is engaging. If you are a fan of the Lion of England, this history provides some insight into how he thought. But, you will probably need a pen & paper to keep up with all the names and places. I am somewhat familiar with both and I still found myself rewinding repeatedly.

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Britain becomes a nation

Churchill wrote an interesting history and made several hundred years of English kings and wars and castle intrigue cogent and arresting. I look forward to the subsequent volumes.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Traditional Historical Writing at its Best

This is not a modern academic work of history, it's something more. From time to time it lacks the precision that we have come to expect of books on history written by academic historians, the careful balancing different points of view, and objective commentary. This work is Sir Winston at his best, with all his quirks and ideals. He offers unabashed praise of the English Speaking Peoples, their laws, their customs, their history, and their values and; in this world of politically correct 'objective' academic works, it seems a breath of fresh air. It was written by a son of the English aristocracy who makes no apologies for his views, his ancestors, or his past. And, yet, don't think that it's a politically incorrect or biased work, it's not, he's simply indifferent to these concerns. This indifference grants him the ability to comment freely on the events of history and this commentary is where the book really shines. Churchill makes connections between events throughout history that help tie together a thousand years of our past and help to explain events that might otherwise seem unrelated or inexplicable. Some of these connections are the type that modern historians would require an entire book to justify, Churchill simply asserts them, you are free to form your own opinion about their value or veracity. More than relaying history, Churchill explains history and this fact will likely ensure that this work is read for centuries to come.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Lots of info but thoroughly enjoyable

I agree with another reviewer that the many names, places, events and battles are hard to keep track of and I had to rewind often to keep up. Eventually I decided to just go with the flow and only rewound when really necessary. Once I gave up having to have all the details, I realized I was still retaining the general sense and direction of the events and still very much enjoying it. I like hearing Churchill???s take on things ??? especially when he remarks on how these historical events are similar to events in his time, which is powerful in light of what he lived through. I also really liked the narrator who sounded very Churchillian to me. Always clear, never hard to understand and had a pleasant pace and flow to his reading. I???m getting the second volume now and look forward to hearing about Elizabeth I.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

English History From a Master

There is a reason Winston Churchill could always be sure that his finances could be refilled by his writing. This is English history in great detail that feels like a wonderful story.

Churchill had a great feel for this history of his country and people, and this (the first of his 4 volume History of the English Speaking Peoples) gets the story rolling quickly. The story does go back into pre-Roman Britain, but it really gets rolling with his detailed look at all the kings and battles that put England together out of a rolling cast of Vikings, Saxons, Scots, Picts, and all the various brigands that tried to control this island.

The detail of the history is good, but what really brings this to a higher level of history is Churchill's insight into what the actions of different people or groups meant to the overall history of England and its culture.

Its interesting to note that this book was actually researched and started before WW I, but he went back to it after this cataclysm and brought out a classic of history.

I can't wait for the other 3 volumes to appear.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Magnificant Historian

I don't know a better writer than Winston Churchill. It is like sitting in the room with a great story teller. My only regret about this book is that it covers too much ground too quickly. Having read a substantial amount about English history I still have difficulty keeping the Kings and Queens straight. Keeping this in mind this is a book that I shall read (listen to) several times.I cannot recommend the read more highly.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • CS
  • 12-09-21

The Chapters Are Not Lined Up With The Audiobook

I loved the audiobook. The narrator is great, but the only downside is that the chapters do not line up with the audiobook, which is upsetting. This also makes it very easy to lose where you are in the book if you have it (I did). Otherwise I would recommend this audiobook.

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5 people found this helpful