• Winston S. Churchill: The History of the Second World War, Volume 1 - The Gathering Storm

  • By: Winston Churchill
  • Narrated by: Michael Jayston
  • Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (302 ratings)

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Winston S. Churchill: The History of the Second World War, Volume 1 - The Gathering Storm  By  cover art

Winston S. Churchill: The History of the Second World War, Volume 1 - The Gathering Storm

By: Winston Churchill
Narrated by: Michael Jayston
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Publisher's summary

In the Second World War, every bond between man and man was to perish. Crimes were committed by the Hitler regime that find no equal in scale and wickedness with any that have darkened the human record.

It was a simple policy to keep Germany disarmed after the struggle of the First World War and the Victors adequately armed in vigilance. But errors were soon made. The tragedy of America’s failure to enter the League of Nations; the weakness and lack of resolution of the democracies to confront the growing strength, reach, and ambition of the fascist dictators in Germany, Italy, and Japan; the economic turmoil that allowed these events to spark and build.

In this first volume it is all too easy to see and understand how this immense tragedy could have been avoided, how the malice of the wicked was reinforced by the weakness of the virtuous. We shall hear how the counsels of prudence and restraint became the prime agents of mortal danger in this Gathering Storm. The overview is read by Winston S Churchill, MP, and the volume narrated by Michael Jayston.

©2011 Word Of Mouth (P)2011 Copyright Group

What listeners say about Winston S. Churchill: The History of the Second World War, Volume 1 - The Gathering Storm

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IT’S ABRIDGED!!!

If you like USA Today, you’ll love this. Interested in serious reading? Don’t get this version. It’s abridged, yet for some reason description does not say it’s abridged. Absolute waste of $10, and I want my money back.

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44 people found this helpful

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Big let down

This is not only unabridged, it is heavily abridged to the point of distortion of the elements of the book’s story.

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8 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very authentic and insightful

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Well, if you like history about WWII then this is another book to listen to. It is nice to gain perspective from many sides of this most historic era. Churchill's resounding skill to keep the country "up" while dealing with the atrocities and damaging nature of the war make him seem impenetrable.

What other book might you compare Winston S. Churchill: The History of the Second World War, Volume 1 - The Gathering Storm to and why?

Right now I am reading the Grey Wolf about the route the Nazi Party was taking, and namely Hitler and his entourage, were taking amid raping everything and everyone of their right to be a human on earth and the pillaging of loot and art from anyone to satisfy the needs of the Nazis during the war. Also, the interesting aspect of what really happened to Mr. Adolf at war's end. What really happened to him and others who provoked and carried out their wild scheme.

Have you listened to any of Michael Jayston’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not yet.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

too many to think of one.

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8 people found this helpful

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ABRIDGED!!!! AVOID!

This version is very abridged; if you want the cliff notes, this is the version for you

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6 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

short and boring

the subject matter is very interesting but the way in which the story is told is very hard to listen to.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Must read to undertand WWII

Well written by someone who was most certainly in the middle of it. My dad was stationed in England during the war and he often said this one man did more to hold the evil that was Hitler in check. The history is detailed. The mistakes are noted. The battles in England that almost lost their ability to win the Battle of Britain.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Short, a little self indulgent, but solid

Having listened to many factual accounts of WWII, this was a next logical step for my listening. The first book in this 5 book series seems too short for the cost of it, and it goes without saying that the slant given is very pro-english, regardless of the attacks he makes at the preparedness of the nation and the appeasement policies of the time.

Still, already from one book I have recorded some masterful quotes and I'll end this with one. And if you can digest the fact that you will hear a decidedly biased account of events, you will still find a very good and impressive accounting of events.

-The human mind, except when guided by extraordinary genius, cannot surmount the established conclusions upon which is has been reared.

-Winston Churchill

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing how much depends on the narrator

Michael Jayston is simply the best. I actually look for audibles he narrates. He makes the stories come alive. And what a story this is!

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Abridged.

I would not have bothered had I known it was so heavily abridged. Avoid at all costs

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Required reading.

Always relevant, especially now. I’m curious why this isn’t used more broadly in college or even high school curriculum. The personal viewpoint enables the type of engagement that students crave. History is defined by decisions made real time, often with incomplete information.

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