The Red Prince

The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster

By: Helen Carr

Narrated by: Helen Carr

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Medieval history from a rising star in the field, this is a biography of one of the most important figures of the age, John of Gaunt.

John Gaunt was the son of Edward III, brother to the Black Prince, father to Henry IV, and the sire of all those Tudors. He has had pretty bad press: supposed usurper of Richard II’s crown and the focus of hatred in the Peasants’ Revolt, as they torched his home, the Savoy Palace.

Helen Carr paints a complex portrait of a man who held the levers of power on the English and European stage, passionately upheld chivalric values, pressed for the Bible to be translated into English, patronized the arts - and, if you follow Shakespeare, gave the most beautiful oration on England: “this sceptred isle...this blessed plot.”

The Red Prince is an engrossing drama of political machinations, violence, romance, plague, revolt, and tragedy played out at the cusp of a new era.

©2021 Helen Carr (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

A REALLY GREAT READ!

First, I normally HATE authors who narrate their own works unless it’s a very interesting and honest autobiography. (And even then you’d better be as good as Trevor Noah!) I’m especially hard on narrators who think they can pull off masterful performances comparable to pro narrators Simon Vance, Nadia May, Dion Graham, Wanda McCaddon, John Lee, or Simon Prebble. But Helen Carr not only delivers an in-depth historical account about Plantagenet prince John Gaunt, she narrates her well-researched book to perfection. I’m not going into a long discourse here. But if you like well read books about the history of Britain, you can’t go wrong here. ENJOY! 👍🏽

Red Prince , well read

I have not read much about John Gault and nothing by Helen Carr. I was pleased to make the acquaintance of both. I loved the historical insight and detail and the discovery of a new hustorical source.

Incitefu and Entertainingl

I've always enjoyed the History of John of Gaunt!
His family and descendants make for very Entertaining and Inciteful reading to a Yank. That happens to be an Anglo/Scotophile!
The Narration is Delightful and makes the History flow!

Excellent and entertaining work

I thought I knew a lot about this era, but this book told me that I didn’t.
Additionally, if I ever write a book, I’m going to ask Helen Carr to read the audiobook, and I will have to find a way to squeeze Eustace d'Auberchicourt into my narrative just to hear her say the name again.

wonderful history of jonh

narrator would take big loud breathes really bothered me, otherwise was a great listen.

Excellent historical reference

This is an historical reference about John of Gaunt and is meticulous. I have never read much about the subject but for anyone interested in English history I would consider this a good read. John of Gaunt is the figurative father for the War of the roses and the Tudor house. Highly recommend this book.

Author Loves Her Subject

Well read. Beautiful voice. Historically significant. My only dilemma is the author's giving John of Gaunt the benefit of a doubt in most questionable situations, which is not the way most historians handle John of Gaunt. Definitely recommended reading.

great book.

great well read interesting read good good good informative article great book like it was

Chronological historical litany

Unimaginative performance by the author whose historical perspective yielded little in the way of anything other than names, dates and places.

Entertaining, informative!

Completely loved this biography and the reading of it. Carr makes medieval history accessible to casual learners but includes enough depth to enlighten longtime English history buffs. She includes relevant European history and nobility connections without becoming bogged down in minutiae. Some fault Carr for not diving deeper but I think she found the sweet spot of detail vs story telling interest. Highly recommended.