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20th Century

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Charles Fred Smith
Charles Fred Smith Plano, Texas Member Since 2006
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1
  • The Storm of Steel

    "World War I from a German Viewpoint"

    Overall
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    Junger's excellent diary of four years' war is put down in highly descriptive prose. He never looses sight of the beauties of nature in a time of horror. The comparison with the descriptions of the same tragedy by Graves and Sassoon will not escape the reader. Junger's unflinching love and support of the Motherland shows through until the end. It is easy to compare the values of the three writers under similar conditions. Junger was in constant combat for four years and served in most of the major battles of the Western Front. He was wounded seven times and received the "Pour le Merit" (Blue Max) for his service. The only fault I found with this great book is that he makes it somewhat difficult to relate his descriptions of war in a limited area to the overall engagement. This is the view from the trench as he watched it unfold and is a classic work of military literature.

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    The Storm of Steel

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 46 mins)
    • By Ernst Jünger
    • Narrated By Charlton Griffin
    Overall
    (89)
    Performance
    (53)
    Story
    (52)

    This classic war memoir, first published in 1920, is based on the author's extensive diaries describing hard combat experienced on the Western Front during World War I. It has been greatly admired by people as diverse as Bertolt Brecht and Andre Gide, and from every part of the political spectrum. Hypnotic, thrilling, and magnificent, The Storm of Steel is perhaps the most fascinating description of modern warfare ever written.

    Charles Fred Smith says: "World War I from a German Viewpoint"
  • Winston's War: Churchill, 1940-1945

    "A Definitive History of Winston's War"

    Overall
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    Story

    This excellent work by historian Sir Max Hastings gives a much more balanced approach to British involvment in World War II than does Winston Churchill's series covering the same period. Hastings obviously considers Winston the great leader he was but he also brings out some of "the warts". Churchill's mistakes in judgement were numerous but not well defined in his work. Hastings shows a number of Churchill's bad ideas for exactly what they were.

    This is an excellent book to read after the "Second World War" series by Churchill which is also presented on Audible. (Except the last volume which has to come from Audible UK). I highly recommend this book for both its educational and entertainment value. Anything by Hastings is usually very good.

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    Winston's War: Churchill, 1940-1945

    • UNABRIDGED (25 hrs and 4 mins)
    • By Max Hastings
    • Narrated By Robin Sachs
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    Overall
    (47)
    Performance
    (23)
    Story
    (26)

    A vivid and incisive portrait of Winston Churchill during wartime from acclaimed historian Max Hastings, Winston's War captures the full range of Churchills endlessly fascinating character. At once brilliant and infuriating, self-important and courageous, Hastings' Churchill comes brashly to life as never before.

    Charles Fred Smith says: "A Definitive History of Winston's War"
  • This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History

    "Korean War Classic - The Good, the ..."

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This book, originally published in 1963 ,is THE classic by which other Korean War histories may be measured. The author was a battalion commander in Korea and had the connections to get outstanding personal interest stories of his living contemporaries. He provides an unbiased telling of a story that Americans may want to forget but he makes a clear differentiation between the American military of 1945 and that of 1950. He deals with problems of funding neglect by Congress and training shortfalls by leadership of the American military after World War II. Fehrenbach deals with the campaigns as one who has been there. His insight into the politics of coalition warfare is excellent. If you want to read ONE book about Korea, this is it. It has detail, insight and intrigue which were all a part of the time.

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    This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History

    • UNABRIDGED (24 hrs and 26 mins)
    • By T. R. Fehrenbach
    • Narrated By Kevin Foley
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (137)
    Performance
    (93)
    Story
    (94)

    This Kind of War is a monumental study of the conflict that began in June 1950. Successive generations of U.S. military officers have considered this book an indispensable part of their education. T. R. Fehrenbach's narrative brings to life the harrowing and bloody battles that were fought up and down the Korean Peninsula.

    Charles Fred Smith says: "Korean War Classic - The Good, the Bad, the Ugly"
  1. The Storm of Steel
  2. Winston's War: Churchill,...
  3. This Kind of War: The Cla...
    4. .

A Peek at Tad's Bookshelf

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Tad
Philadelphia, PA, United States 5 REVIEWS / 22 ratings 283 Followers / Following 0
 
Tad's greatest hits:

Michael
Michael Walnut Creek, CA, United States 07-18-08 Member Since 2002

I focus on fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, science, history, politics and read a lot. I try to review everything I read.

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6
  • Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA

    "Flawed but Important"

    37 of 38 helpful votes

    This book should be read by anyone interested in the history of the CIA. I have rated this five stars, but this is not the perfect book, just a must read. The author clearly focuses only upon the failures of the CIA and glosses over any successes. Nevertheless, there is substantial value is focusing on failures (of course there is also value is focusing on successes, but that would be a different book). This book also does not seem to go out of its way to suggest tangible changes to improve the CIA.

    The material is somewhat dry, and there is some jumping around. The narration is quite good, which helps keep the book interesting. This is not the best book about the CIA, but it is an indispensable viewpoint for anyone who wants to understand the agency.

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    Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA

    • UNABRIDGED (21 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Tim Weiner
    • Narrated By Stefan Rudnicki
    Overall
    (1764)
    Performance
    (398)
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    (393)

    This is the book the CIA does not want you to read. For the last 60 years, the CIA has maintained a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, never disclosing its blunders to the American public. It spun its own truth to the nation while reality lay buried in classified archives. Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Tim Weiner offers a stunning indictment of the CIA, a deeply flawed organization that has never deserved America's confidence.

    Michael says: "Flawed but Important"

What's Trending in 20th Century:

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  • 4.8 (77 ratings)
    The Hiding Place
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    • Corrie ten Boom , John Sherrill , Elizabeth Sherrill

    The Hiding Place

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 14 mins)
    • By Corrie ten Boom, John Sherrill, Elizabeth Sherrill
    • Narrated By Wanda McCaddon
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    At one time, Corrie ten Boom would have laughed at the idea that she had a story to tell. For the first 50 years of her life, nothing out of the ordinary ever happened to her. She was a spinster watchmaker living contentedly with her sister and their elderly father in the tiny house over their shop in Haarlem. Their uneventful days, as regulated as their own watches, revolved around their abiding love for one another. But with the Nazi invasion and occupation of Holland, everything changed....

    Sandra says: "The Hiding Place"
  • 4.8 (54 ratings)
    Man of the Family: Little Britches #2
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    • Ralph Moody

    Man of the Family: Little Britches #2

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    • By Ralph Moody
    • Narrated By Cameron Beierle
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    At age 11, Ralph becomes man of the family and an entrepreneur. He continues his horse riding and cattle driving, and the Moody's start a cooking business.

    Sam says: "Quality family time"
  • 4.5 (2441 ratings)
    The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
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    The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
    UNABRIDGED
    • William L. Shirer

    The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany

    • UNABRIDGED (57 hrs and 13 mins)
    • By William L. Shirer
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
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    (1564)
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    Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the 20th century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.

    Jonnie says: "Held my interest for 57 hours and 13 minutes"
  • 4.3 (1504 ratings)
    Columbine
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    Columbine
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    • Dave Cullen

    Columbine

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    Over the course of this gripping narrative, Dave Cullen approaches his subjects with unrivaled care and insight. What emerges are shattering portraits of the killers, the victims, and the community that suffered one of the greatest - and most socially and historically important - shooting tragedies of the 20th century.

    Book reader says: "Truth and heartache"
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  • 4.4 (1313 ratings)
    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
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    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
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    • Bill O'Reilly , Martin Dugard

    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
    • Narrated By Bill O'Reilly
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    More than a million listeners have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the can't-stop-listening work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

    JerryL says: "Good book..."
  • 4.3 (1154 ratings)
    Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich
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    • Eric Metaxas

    Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich

    • UNABRIDGED (22 hrs and 31 mins)
    • By Eric Metaxas
    • Narrated By Malcolm Hillgartner
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    A definitive, deeply moving narrative, Bonhoeffer is a story of moral courage in the face of the monstrous evil that was Nazism. After discovering the fire of true faith in a Harlem church, Bonhoeffer returned to Germany and became one of the first to speak out against Hitler. As a double agent, he joined the plot to assassinate the Führer and was hanged in Flossenbürg concentration camp at age thirty-nine. Since his death, Bonhoeffer has grown to be one of the most fascinating, complex figures of the twentieth century.

    Alan says: "Very Moving"
  • 4.5 (1088 ratings)
    Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
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    • Alfred Lansing

    Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Alfred Lansing
    • Narrated By Simon Prebble
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    In August of 1914, the British ship Endurance set sail for the South Atlantic. In October, 1915, still half a continent away from its intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in the ice. For five months, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men, drifting on ice packs, were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world.

    Thomas says: "The best book I've had"
  • 4.3 (1079 ratings)
    The Second World War: Milestones to Disaster
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    The Second World War: Milestones to Disaster

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 42 mins)
    • By Sir Winston Churchill
    • Narrated By Christian Rodska
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    Churchill's history of the Second World War is, and will remain, the definitive work. Lucid, dramatic, remarkable for its breadth and sweep and for its sense of personal involvement, it is universally acknowledged as a magnificent reconstruction.

    John says: "Brilliant! Only Churchill could have done this."
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  • 4.3 (833 ratings)
    Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
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    Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
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    • Vincent Bugliosi , Curt Gentry

    Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders

    • UNABRIDGED (26 hrs and 33 mins)
    • By Vincent Bugliosi, Curt Gentry
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
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    Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the 20th century: the cold-blooded Tate-LaBianca murders carried out by Charles Manson and four of his followers. What motivated Manson in his seemingly mindless selection of victims, and what was his hold over the young women who obeyed his orders? Now available for the first time in unabridged audio, the gripping story of this famous and haunting crime is brought to life by acclaimed narrator Scott Brick.

    Larry says: "What a great book."
  • 4.3 (546 ratings)
    The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War
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    The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War
    ABRIDGED
    • David Halberstam

    The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War

    • ABRIDGED (13 hrs and 53 mins)
    • By David Halberstam
    • Narrated By Edward Herrmann
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    (546)
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    (113)
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    Up until now, the Korean War has been the black hole of modern American history. The Coldest Winter changes that. Halberstam gives us a masterful narrative of the political decisions and miscalculations on both sides. He charts the disastrous path that led to the massive entry of Chinese forces near the Yalu, and that caught Douglas MacArthur and his soldiers by surprise. He provides astonishingly vivid and nuanced portraits of all the major figures.

    Doug says: "Almost as good as The Best and the Brightest"
  • 4.4 (530 ratings)
    The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume I: Visions of Glory 1874-1932
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    The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume I: Visions of Glory 1874-1932

    • UNABRIDGED (41 hrs and 24 mins)
    • By William Manchester
    • Narrated By Frederick Davidson
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    Winston Churchill is perhaps the most important political figure of the 20th century. His great oratory and leadership during the Second World War were only part of his huge breadth of experience and achievement. Studying his life is a fascinating way to imbibe the history of his era and gain insight into key events that have shaped our time.

    Wolfpacker says: "Superb - Review of Both Volume I & Volume II"
  • 4.5 (481 ratings)
    The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson
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    • Robert A. Caro

    The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson

    • UNABRIDGED (32 hrs and 45 mins)
    • By Robert A. Caro
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
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    The Passage of Power follows Lyndon Johnson through both the most frustrating and the most triumphant periods of his career - 1958 to 1964. It is a time that would see him trade the extraordinary power he had created for himself as Senate Majority Leader for what became the wretched powerlessness of a Vice President in an administration that disdained and distrusted him. Yet it was, as well, the time in which the presidency, the goal he had always pursued, would be thrust upon him in the moment it took an assassin’s bullet to reach its mark.

    Michael Caten-Smith says: "From Powerful to Powerless"

Best Sellers

(More 20th Century Best Sellers) All 20th Century Best Sellers
  • Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
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    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
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    • Bill O'Reilly , Martin Dugard

    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
    • Narrated By Bill O'Reilly
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1313)
    Performance
    (1161)
    Story
    (1162)

    More than a million listeners have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the can't-stop-listening work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

    JerryL says: "Good book..."
  • The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
    Play The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
    The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
    UNABRIDGED
    • Lily Koppel

    The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 46 mins)
    • By Lily Koppel
    • Narrated By Orlagh Cassidy
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5)
    Performance
    (5)
    Story
    (5)

    As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, meeting regularly to provide support and friendship. As their celebrity rose - and as divorce and tragic death began to touch their lives - they continued to rally together, and the wives have now been friends for more than fifty years.

    Cynthia says: "Sea of Tranquility Ocean of Storms"
  • The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945
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    The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945
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    The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945

    • UNABRIDGED (32 hrs and 24 mins)
    • By Rick Atkinson
    • Narrated By L. J. Ganser
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    (18)
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    (16)
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    (17)

    It is the 20th century's unrivaled epic: At a staggering price, the United States and its allies liberated Europe and vanquished Hitler. In the first two volumes of his best-selling Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson recounted the history of how the American-led coalition fought its way from North Africa and Italy to the threshold of victory. Now he tells the most dramatic story of all - the titanic battle in Western Europe. D-Day marked the commencement of the war's final campaign, and Atkinson's astonishingly fresh account of that enormous gamble sets the pace for the masterly narrative that follows.

    David says: "Well Written Overview"
  • The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
    Play The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
    The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
    UNABRIDGED
    • William L. Shirer

    The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany

    • UNABRIDGED (57 hrs and 13 mins)
    • By William L. Shirer
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
    Overall
    (2441)
    Performance
    (1564)
    Story
    (1570)

    Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the 20th century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.

    Jonnie says: "Held my interest for 57 hours and 13 minutes"
  •  
  • An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa (1942-1943): The Liberation Trilogy, Volume 1
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    An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa (1942-1943): The Liberation Trilogy, Volume 1

    • UNABRIDGED (26 hrs and 12 mins)
    • By Rick Atkinson
    • Narrated By George Guidall
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    Overall
    (19)
    Performance
    (16)
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    (16)

    The liberation of Europe and the destruction of the Third Reich is a story of courage and enduring triumph, of calamity and miscalculation. In this first volume of the Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson shows why no modern learner can understand the ultimate victory of the Allied powers without a grasp of the great drama that unfolded in North Africa in 1942 and 1943. That first year of the Allied war was a pivotal point in American history, the moment when the United States began to act like a great power.

    Terri Erwin says: "Finally unabridged!"
  • The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume 3: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965
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    The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume 3: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965

    • UNABRIDGED (53 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By William Manchester, Paul Reid
    • Narrated By Clive Chafer, Paul Reid
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (213)
    Performance
    (170)
    Story
    (169)

    Spanning the years 1940 to 1965, Defender of the Realm, the third volume of William Manchester’s The Last Lion, picks up shortly after Winston Churchill became prime minister - when his tiny island nation stood alone against the overwhelming might of Nazi Germany. The Churchill portrayed by Manchester and Reid is a man of indomitable courage, lightning-fast intellect, and an irresistible will to action.

    Mike From Mesa says: "A worthy final volume in a great biography"
  • The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
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    The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944

    • UNABRIDGED (32 hrs and 48 mins)
    • By Rick Atkinson
    • Narrated By Jonathan Davis
    Overall
    (7)
    Performance
    (6)
    Story
    (6)

    In An Army at Dawn - winner of the Pulitzer Prize - Rick Atkinson provided a dramatic and authoritative history of the Allied triumph in North Africa. Now, in The Day of Battle, he follows the American and British armies as they invade Sicily in July 1943, attack Italy two months later, and then fight their way, mile by bloody mile, north toward Rome. The Italian campaign's outcome was never certain; in fact, President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and their military advisors bitterly debated whether an invasion of the so-called soft underbelly of Europe was even wise.

  • The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
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    The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
    UNABRIDGED
    • Daniel James Brown

    The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Daniel James Brown
    • Narrated By Edward Herrmann
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    Overall
    (4)
    Performance
    (4)
    Story
    (4)

    Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.

  •  
  • The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking
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    The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking
    UNABRIDGED
    • Brendan I. Koerner

    The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Brendan I. Koerner
    • Narrated By Rob Shapiro
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    A shattered Army veteran and a mischievous party girl, Roger Holder and Cathy Kerkow commandeered Western Airlines Flight 701 as a vague protest against the war. Through a combination of savvy and dumb luck, the couple managed to flee across an ocean with a half-million dollars in ransom, a feat that made them notorious around the globe. Koerner spent four years chronicling this madcap tale, which involves a cast of characters ranging from exiled Black Panthers, to African despots, to French movie stars.

  • A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II
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    UNABRIDGED
    • Adam Makos

    A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Adam Makos
    • Narrated By Robertson Dean
    Overall
    (209)
    Performance
    (182)
    Story
    (184)

    Four days before Christmas in 1943, a badly damaged American bomber struggled to fly over wartime Germany. At its controls was a 21-year-old pilot. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. It was their first mission. Suddenly a sleek, dark shape pulled up on the bomber’s tail - a German Messerschmitt fighter. Worse, the German pilot was an ace, a man able to destroy the American bomber with the squeeze of a trigger.

    HEINO says: "Absolutely superb! FIVE stars."
  • In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
    Play In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
    In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
    UNABRIDGED
    • Erik Larson

    In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Erik Larson
    • Narrated By Stephen Hoye
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1792)
    Performance
    (1223)
    Story
    (1221)

    The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another....

    Patrick says: "compelling father-daughter story"
  • The Seamstress
    Play The Seamstress
    The Seamstress
    UNABRIDGED
    • Sara Tuvel Bernstein , Louise Loots Thornton , Marlene Bernstein Samuels

    The Seamstress

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 22 mins)
    • By Sara Tuvel Bernstein, Louise Loots Thornton, Marlene Bernstein Samuels
    • Narrated By Wanda McCaddon
    Overall
    (96)
    Performance
    (86)
    Story
    (84)

    Told with the same old-fashioned narrative power as the novels of Herman Wouk, The Seamstress is the true story of Seren (Sara) Tuvel Bernstein and her survival during wartime. This powerful eyewitness account of survival, told with power and grace, will stay with listeners for years to come.

    Karen says: "Thankfully a happy ending to the nightmare"

New Releases

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  • The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking
    Play The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking
    The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking
    UNABRIDGED
    • Brendan I. Koerner

    The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Brendan I. Koerner
    • Narrated By Rob Shapiro
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    A shattered Army veteran and a mischievous party girl, Roger Holder and Cathy Kerkow commandeered Western Airlines Flight 701 as a vague protest against the war. Through a combination of savvy and dumb luck, the couple managed to flee across an ocean with a half-million dollars in ransom, a feat that made them notorious around the globe. Koerner spent four years chronicling this madcap tale, which involves a cast of characters ranging from exiled Black Panthers, to African despots, to French movie stars.

  • Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas
    Play Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas
    Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas
    UNABRIDGED
    • Dale Carpenter

    Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Dale Carpenter
    • Narrated By Mark Whitten
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    No one could have predicted that the night of September 17, 1998, would be anything but routine in Houston, Texas. Even the call to police that a black man was "going crazy with a gun" was hardly unusual in this urban setting. Nobody could have imagined that the arrest of two men for a minor criminal offense would reverberate in American constitutional law, exposing a deep malignity in our judicial system and challenging the traditional conception of what makes a family.

  • Scarface Al and the Crime Crusaders: Chicago's Private War Against Capone
    Play Scarface Al and the Crime Crusaders: Chicago's Private War Against Capone
    Scarface Al and the Crime Crusaders: Chicago's Private War Against Capone
    UNABRIDGED
    • Dennis E. Hoffman

    Scarface Al and the Crime Crusaders: Chicago's Private War Against Capone

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 20 mins)
    • By Dennis E. Hoffman
    • Narrated By Gregg A. Rizzo
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    According to the Elliot Ness myth, which has been widely disseminated through books, television shows, and movies, Ness and the Untouchables defeated Al Capone by marshaling superior firepower. In Scarface Al and the Crime Crusaders, Dennis Hoffman presents a fresh new perspective on the downfall of Al Capone.

  • The Deserters: A Hidden History of World War II
    Play The Deserters: A Hidden History of World War II
    The Deserters: A Hidden History of World War II
    UNABRIDGED
    • Charles Glass

    The Deserters: A Hidden History of World War II

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Charles Glass
    • Narrated By Barry Press
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    A tale that redefines the ordinary soldier in the Second World War, The Deserters is a breathtaking work of historical reportage, weaving together the lives of forgotten servicemen even as it overturns the assumptions and prejudices of an era. The Deserters reveals that ordinary soldiers viewed "desertion" as a natural part of conflict, as unexpected and inexplicable as bravery. The Deserters moves beyond the false extremes of courage and cowardice to reveal the true experience of the Allied soldier.

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  • Lunch with Charlotte
    Play Lunch with Charlotte
    Lunch with Charlotte
    UNABRIDGED
    • Leon Berger

    Lunch with Charlotte

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 58 mins)
    • By Leon Berger
    • Narrated By Leon Berger
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Every Friday for the last 25 years of her life, I had lunch with Charlotte and each week she told me more of her extraordinary story. To all appearances, she was a strong and dignified survivor, with old-world courtesies, a twinkling sense of humor, and a lilting Austrian syntax. Yet deep within, she'd been scarred by a profound personal trauma.

    Finally, just before she died at the age of 91, she chose to entrust me with this profound secret, and all at once I understood how it had affected her entire adult life.

  • Hitler: A Biography
    Play Hitler: A Biography
    Hitler: A Biography
    UNABRIDGED
    • Ian Kershaw

    Hitler: A Biography

    • UNABRIDGED (45 hrs and 15 mins)
    • By Ian Kershaw
    • Narrated By Alan Robertson
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Hailed as the most compelling biography of the German dictator yet written, Ian Kershaw's Hitler brings us closer than ever before to the heart of its subject's immense darkness. From his illegitimate birth in a small Austrian village to his fiery death in a bunker under the Reich chancellery in Berlin, Adolf Hitler left a murky trail, strewn with contradictory tales and overgrown with self-created myths. One truth prevails: the sheer scale of the evils that he unleashed on the world has made him a demonic figure without equal in the 20th century.

  • The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
    Play The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
    The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
    UNABRIDGED
    • Lily Koppel

    The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 46 mins)
    • By Lily Koppel
    • Narrated By Orlagh Cassidy
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5)
    Performance
    (5)
    Story
    (5)

    As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, meeting regularly to provide support and friendship. As their celebrity rose - and as divorce and tragic death began to touch their lives - they continued to rally together, and the wives have now been friends for more than fifty years.

    Cynthia says: "Sea of Tranquility Ocean of Storms"
  • The Astronaut Wives Club
    Play The Astronaut Wives Club
    The Astronaut Wives Club
    UNABRIDGED
    • Lily Koppel

    The Astronaut Wives Club

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 45 mins)
    • By Lily Koppel
    • Narrated By Orlagh Cassidy
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    The true story of the wives behind the American Space Race, the challenges they faced in the '50s and '60s, and the 40-year friendship that bound them together. As American astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from shy military spouses to American royalty: having tea with Jackie Kennedy, attending high society galas, and being featured on the cover of Life magazine.

  •  
  • Nightmare on Iwo Jima: A Marine in Combat
    Play Nightmare on Iwo Jima: A Marine in Combat
    Nightmare on Iwo Jima: A Marine in Combat
    UNABRIDGED
    • Patrick F. Caruso

    Nightmare on Iwo Jima: A Marine in Combat

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 13 mins)
    • By Patrick F. Caruso
    • Narrated By Charles Craig
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Among them was green young Lieutenant Pat Caruso who became de facto company commander when the five officers ranking him were killed or wounded. He led his rapidly diminishing force steadily forward for the next few days, when a day's gains were measured in yards. Caruso was eventually wounded himself and was evacuated. Realizing that the heroism of his comrades would be lost by the decimation of his unit, Caruso latched onto any paper he could find and filled every blank space with his memory of the fighting.

  • The History of White People
    Play The History of White People
    The History of White People
    UNABRIDGED
    • Nell Irvin Painter

    The History of White People

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 9 mins)
    • By Nell Irvin Painter
    • Narrated By Allyson Johnson
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
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    (0)

    A mind-expanding and myth-destroying exploration of notions of white race—not merely a skin color but also a signal of power, prestige, and beauty to be withheld and granted selectively. Ever since the Enlightenment, race theory and its inevitable partner, racism, have followed a crooked road, constructed by dominant peoples to justify their domination of others. Filling a huge gap in historical literature that long focused on the non-white, eminent historian Nell Irvin Painter guides us through more than two thousand years of Western civilization, tracing not only the invention of the idea of race but also the frequent worship of “whiteness” for economic, social, scientific, and political ends.

  • The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
    Play The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
    The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
    UNABRIDGED
    • Daniel James Brown

    The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Daniel James Brown
    • Narrated By Edward Herrmann
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (4)
    Performance
    (4)
    Story
    (4)

    Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.

  • Roosevelt and the Holocaust: How FDR Saved the Jews and Brought Hope to a Nation
    Play Roosevelt and the Holocaust: How FDR Saved the Jews and Brought Hope to a Nation
    Roosevelt and the Holocaust: How FDR Saved the Jews and Brought Hope to a Nation
    UNABRIDGED
    • Robert L. Beir , Brian Josepher

    Roosevelt and the Holocaust: How FDR Saved the Jews and Brought Hope to a Nation

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 15 mins)
    • By Robert L. Beir, Brian Josepher
    • Narrated By Steven Cooper
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    There is a great debate among historians about Franklin Delano Roosevelt's actions during the Holocaust. Was FDR the hero that defeated the Germans, or did he turn a blind eye to the plight of the Jews as long as he possibly could? In Roosevelt and the Holocaust, Robert Beir analyzes specific actions and legislation to get at the truth behind Roosevelt's role in the Holocaust. Beir has a unique perspective. He is a Jew who was raised during the extreme anti-Semitism of the Great Depression. Having witnessed the fruits of the New Deal firsthand, Beir became a Roosevelt scholar.

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