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Four Princes
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I could listen to this guy read the phone book.
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- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Catherine de Medici's father-in-law, King Francis of France, was the perfect Renaissance knight, the movement's exemplar and its Gallic interpreter. An aesthete, diplomat par excellence, and contemporary of Machiavelli, Francis was the founder of modern France, whose sheer force of will and personality molded his kingdom into the first European superpower. Arguably the man who introduced the Renaissance to France, Francis was also the prototype Frenchman - a national identity was modeled on his character.
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With the papacy embattled in recent years, it is essential to have the perspective of one of the world's most accomplished historians. In Absolute Monarchs, John Julius Norwich captures nearly 2,000 years of inspiration and devotion, intrigue and scandal. The men (and maybe one woman) who have held this position of infallible power over millions have ranged from heroes to rogues, admirably wise to utterly decadent.
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-
A relentless succession of very old men
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Sicily
- An Island at the Crossroads of History
- By: John Julius Norwich
- Narrated by: Michael Healy
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- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"Sicily," said Goethe, "is the key to everything." It is the largest island in the Mediterranean, the stepping-stone between Europe and Africa, the link between the Latin West and the Greek East. Sicily's strategic location has tempted Roman emperors, French princes, and Spanish kings. The subsequent struggles to conquer and keep it have played crucial roles in the rise and fall of the world's most powerful dynasties.
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-
DISAPPOINTING
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At the approach of the first millennium, the Christians of Europe did not seem likely candidates for future greatness. They saw no future beyond the widely anticipated Second Coming of Christ. But when the world did not end, the peoples of Western Europe suddenly found themselves with no choice but to begin the heroic task of building a Jerusalem on Earth. In The Forge of Christendom, Tom Holland masterfully describes this remarkable new age, a time of caliphs and Viking sea kings, the spread of castles, and the invention of knighthood.
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The White King
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Less than 40 years after England's golden age under Elizabeth I, the country was at war with itself. Split between loyalty to the Crown or to Parliament, war raged on English soil. Its casualties were immense. At the head of the disintegrating kingdom was King Charles I. In this vivid portrait - informed by previously unseen manuscripts, including royal correspondence between the king and his queen - Leanda de Lisle depicts a man who was principled and brave but fatally blinkered.
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The Royal Art of Poison
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The story of poison is the story of power. For centuries, royal families have feared the gut-roiling, vomit-inducing agony of a little something added to their food or wine by an enemy. To avoid poison, they depended on tasters, unicorn horns, and antidotes tested on condemned prisoners. Servants licked the royal family's spoons, tried on their underpants, and tested their chamber pots. Ironically, royals terrified of poison were unknowingly poisoning themselves daily with their cosmetics, medications, and filthy living conditions.
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The startling truth behind one of the most notorious dynasties in history is revealed in a remarkable new account by the acclaimed author of The Tudors and A World Undone. Sweeping aside the gossip, slander, and distortion that have shrouded the Borgias for centuries, G. J. Meyer offers an unprecedented portrait of the infamous Renaissance family and their storied milieu.
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Marvelous !
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Shakespeare's Kings
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- By: John Julius Norwich
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William Shakespeare may have been the greatest playwright in the English language, but how does he measure up as a historian? In this brilliant comparison between the events and characters in Shakespeare's history plays and the actual events that inspired them, acclaimed historian John Julius Norwich examines the nine works that together amount to an epic masterpiece on England's most fascinating period.
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The program demands an optional headline
- By Jessica on 04-04-15
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Henry V
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- Unabridged
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This insightful look at the life of Henry V and the Battle of Agincourt casts new light on a period in history often held up as legend. A great English hero, Henry V was lionized by Shakespeare and revered by his countrymen for his religious commitment, his sense of justice, and his military victories. Here, noted historian and biographer Ian Mortimer takes a look at the man behind the legend and offers a clear, historically accurate, and realistic representation of a ruler who was all too human.
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Accessible, grounded, enjoyable
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Heart of Europe
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- Unabridged
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The Holy Roman Empire lasted 1,000 years, far longer than ancient Rome. Yet this formidable dominion never inspired the awe of its predecessor. Voltaire quipped that it was neither holy, Roman, nor an empire. Yet as Peter H. Wilson shows, the Holy Roman Empire tells a millennial story of Europe better than the histories of individual nation-states.
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Mixed feelings on this one.
- By Ambrose Seymour on 09-19-17
Publisher's Summary
John Julius Norwich - whom the Wall Street Journal called "the very model of a popular historian" - has crafted a big, bold tapestry of the early 16th century, when Europe and the Middle East were overshadowed by a quartet of legendary rulers, all born within a 10-year period:
Francis I of France, the personification of the Renaissance, who became a highly influential patron of the arts and education.
Henry VIII, who was not expected to inherit the throne but embraced the role with gusto, broke with the Roman Catholic Church, and appointed himself head of the Church of England.
Charles V, the most powerful and industrious man at the time, was unanimously elected Holy Roman Emperor.
Suleiman the Magnificent stood apart as a Muslim, and brought the Ottoman Empire to its apogee of political, military, and economic power.
Against the vibrant background of the Renaissance, these four men laid the foundations for modern Europe and the Middle East, as they collectively impacted the culture, religion, and politics of their respective domains.
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- Paula
- 02-05-18
For the most part, very informative.
Since everything else in this book seemed so well researched, I was very disappointed when the author claimed that Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, had 6 fingers on one of her hands. Any historian worth their salt knows that she certainly did NOT. This was a myth spread around by Catholic propagandists after her death.
Otherwise, I thought that this was a great book.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
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- Katie
- 05-30-17
Really great
Fantastic story! Fascinating period of history and to have the interconnections of the major players of this era is fabulous. Norwich asway does a fabulous job. Had a few moment when the pronunciation by the author annoyed me but easily overlooked.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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- Tcat
- 01-12-19
A good place to start
This book is a good intro to the period. Prior to reading I knew quite a lot about Henry VIII a little about Francis I and nothing about Suliman and Charles V. This book gave me a good surface level understanding of the latter 3. It encourgaed me to learn more about them.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Daniel Taylor
- 04-28-18
A great history thereof few issues of particular note.
I’ll begin this review by stating that Four Princes is a solid work, definitely enhanced by the audiobook format; One might’ve grown bored or lacked for time if the work wasn’t in such an easily accessible form, or brilliantly narrated by Julian Elfer. The man has a sort of British sound to him, not overbearing or causing a rift in what could feasibly he understood by an American listener, and personally, it lent a sense of erudite credibility to it all in my ears as I went about my business listening to this thing. However, one should note that Suleiman most assuredly isn’t covered as heavily as the other three namesakes thereof this work. He’s still given plenty of time, but his history is much more general than the absurd depth the book gives Henry VII. Brilliant aside from that, certainly worth a listening to if you require the information therein.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Avid Bookreader
- 08-21-17
Excellent Historic Analysis Written into Stories
Where does Four Princes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I really enjoyed this book. Excellent stories and historic analysis wrapped in humor and important, interesting insights. I love John Julius Norwich's ability to take dry history and turn it into fascinating stories. You will be captivated by the book and the narrator is excellent. I'm looking forward to listening to one of Norwich's other great books, A Short History of Byzantium, to appear in Audible, narrated by Julian Elfer. Elfer is an excellent narrator, with a British accent, and excellent command of French and other European languages.
What did you like best about this story?
John Julius Norwich weaves together the stories, personalities, and historic impacts of four Kings from the early 1500's. His brilliance conveying historic events and highlighting historic significance with energy, color, and humor, is captivating.
Which scene was your favorite?
Norwich's description of Suleiman the Magnificant's invasion of the Knights of St. John on Malta is amazing. Norwich does an excellent job explaining the terrain and St. John fortifications, and the Ottoman's efforts to capture the island. He explains, so well, the reason that Suleiman the Magnificant's chose to attack the island.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Brilliance and Ineptitude in the Early 1500's.
Any additional comments?
I listened to another book, "The Medichi" before this book, just by chance. "The Medichi" was a great background for this book.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful