The Second World War: Triumph and Tragedy

By: Sir Winston Churchill

Narrated by: Christian Rodska

Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

This volume of Churchill's history ofWorld Ward 2 recounts the dramatic months as the war drew to a close - the normandy landings, the liberation of western Europe, the bombing of hiroshima and Nagaski, and the surrender of Germany and Japan.

©1990 The Estate of Winston Churchill (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Unvarnished Churchill

Christian Rodska at his best. In other words: great. Churchill giving facts as he saw them, and he saw them as they were, and are. Definitely a good read.

Churchill can write!

Definitely great to hear it from someone who was there. Churchill was a professional writer and historian and it shows in the quality of the work. Excellently narrated. If you like WW2 history you will love this.

History or diary?

Overall the series was marvelous. It was informative and placed WW2 in a context that is often missing from other accounts. But by book 3 & 4 the books recount more of Mr. Churchill’s experience than what happened in the war. Very little is shared about the Pacific theater and nothing is mentioned about the horrors of German concentration camps. I recommend the books but with this caveat.

Wonderful

This narrative of Churchills recollections from his memory,diary, and other resources of WWII a bit like being there myself even though I was born in 1954. The details of how and why decisions were made good and bad, are intriguing and entertaining. We’ll done!

Outstanding!

What did you love best about The Second World War: Triumph and Tragedy?

The historical, behind-the-scenes events revealed in this book helped me better understand the motivations behind the principle characters and nations.

What about Christian Rodska’s performance did you like?

His voice was stable, and expressive of controlled resolve and emotion which I found believable in replicating Winston Churchill. I was easily "absorbed" into the story as it was read and never felt like someone was just reading a story to me - I felt as if I were there, experiencing the saga as it unfolded.

Any additional comments?

The story and the delivery were outstanding. Kudos!

interesting and enjoyable

having read the original 6 volume unabridged version I found this abridged audio version enjoyable. An insight into the events that shaped the modern world from an active participant. Well read by Rodska, the feel that the author is speaking to you, without any over dramatization.

Fitting end to a great series

Where does Triumph and Tragedy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top of the History category.

What other book might you compare Triumph and Tragedy to and why?

It was written to be a comprehensive of Churchill's perspective of the war so the series is best appreciated as a whole piece.

What does Christian Rodska bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He sounds so much like Winston Churchill,from what few voice recordings we Americans are familiar with, it seems as if he were telling the story himself.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I would not take this as the definative history of WWII, any more than another from perhaps, a US or USSR memoir. I do value it's perspective taken from Churchill's own personal diaries and what official papers could be revealed at the time, so it gives a very personal view of the war. Luckily, we can all appreicate Churchill's fine memory, sense of humor and a distinctive prose style .

Missing something

Almost 60 hours total telling the story about World War II and not one word about the Holocaust. Nothing.

Great insight

Really enjoyed this complete series. Reader was perfect for Winston Churchill. Great detail provided by someone who was there every step of the way. This is one I'll go back to for sure kept me up a few evenings set the timer, reset the timer. Great Britain of course was a great force in WW II. Winston was essential. It was sad to hear him wine about his push up Italy to the Poe Valley. He was just wrong about that and he felt it was just a political decision. I however, agree that his WWI Dardanelles would have worked had he had better support and not have been delayed at the first attempt.

Good book, but I got more than I expected.

What did you like best about this story?

I expected the book to be told from the British perspective, and it was. I was a bit surprised by Churchill's somewhat defensive posture throughout the narrative as on several occasions he emphasized the load that Great Britain assumed in the war was somewhat out of proportion as compared to the US. But I thought the detail that he supplied around the interface with Stalin was fascinating. It seems clear that Churchill, himself managed the relationship with the USSR from the time that Germany began their thrust to the East to the end of the conflict.

The book also provided unknown (to me) details about the relationship between the US and Great Britain during the years prior to the US being directly involved in the war.

Which character – as performed by Christian Rodska – was your favorite?

There were times that I could hear Churchill's voice as Rodska provided his narriative.