• World War One: History in an Hour

  • By: Rupert Colley
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 1 hr and 22 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (527 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
World War One: History in an Hour  By  cover art

World War One: History in an Hour

By: Rupert Colley
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.06

Buy for $13.06

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

History for busy people. Listen to a concise history of World War One in just one hour. World War One brought with it the world’s first experience of Total War, involving all of the world’s great powers, polarized between the Triple Entente, led by Britain, France and Russia, and the Central Powers, dominated by Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary. Around nine million men lost their lives in a conflict that introduced the horrors of trench warfare, machine guns, and toxic gas attacks.

World War One: History In an Hour gives you a clear overview of the road to war, the major turning points and battles, and the key leaders involved, as well as the lasting impact the Great War had on almost every country in the world. World War One: History In an Hour is essential listening for all history lovers.

©2012 Rupert Colley (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"If the past is a foreign country, History in an Hour is like a high-class tour operator, offering delightfully enjoyable short breaks in the rich and diverse continent of our shared past" (Dominic Sandbrook)
"The practice of History is ever-evolving, and the History In An Hour idea brings it back up to date for the digital age." (Andrew Roberts, Bookseller)
"This is genius." (MacWorld.com)

What listeners say about World War One: History in an Hour

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    312
  • 4 Stars
    150
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    309
  • 4 Stars
    100
  • 3 Stars
    38
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    277
  • 4 Stars
    120
  • 3 Stars
    45
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    7

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Concise review

This provides a good overview of the major events of WWI.

Obviously, one can not go into detail in an hour when covering such an important and well documented chapter of world history. The author does a good job of progressing from event to event without editorializing or engaging in "what if?" questions.

It is a nice refresher of the major players and events from the war to end all wars.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good introduction or refresher

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It is an hour well spent brushing up on the basic timelines of WW1. There are a few interesting back stories of the main events and it covers it well. It would be a good introduction to the story of the Great War and is well told.
However it is not meant to be a thorough book - it brushes over most of the main points. I have a bookshelf of WW1 books and this skims the surface but it is worth a read especially if you don't know much about the war.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Archduke Franz Ferdinand???!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

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

Great Entry Into the Topic

Would you listen to World War One: History in an Hour again? Why?

I would. As a teacher of history, this is a great refresher AND I learned something new about the topic. It is logically put together and easy to listen to.

What other book might you compare World War One: History in an Hour to and why?

Both "Stalin" and "The Russian Revolution" by this author were really good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

need to listen several times for it to sink in!

I appreciate this tutorial as summary of the history I ignored while in school. Checking facts and commentary has assured that there is much I missed and need to know.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

As advertized, got no complaints

it was exactly as it said, short and to the point. truly it is shocking to hear how these events unfolded.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

perfect overview

everything you need to know to understand the events of world war one and its history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

history buff

I needed a brief yet thorough understanding of World war one and that's what I received. In the process of listening to it again and decide which details I'd like to research further. Great jumping off point.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good summation

Short and concise summary. It is a good review of the main elements and events

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Interesting

This book was a nice, short, quick history lesson. I needed to brush up on my WW1 knowledge and this definitely helped!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

good overall view

Provided interesting and useful details. would like the writer to do the same with other moments in our history, and everything end highlight people that made a difference, good or bad.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!