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  • The Second World War

  • By: Antony Beevor
  • Narrated by: Sean Barrett
  • Length: 39 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (2,150 ratings)
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The Second World War cover art

The Second World War

By: Antony Beevor
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Summary

A magisterial, single volume history of the greatest conflict the world has ever known, by our foremost military historian.

The Second World War began in August 1939 on the edge of Manchuria and ended there exactly six years later with the Soviet invasion of northern China. The war in Europe appeared completely divorced from the war in the Pacific and China, and yet events on opposite sides of the world had profound effects.

Using the most up to date scholarship and research, Beevor assembles the whole picture in a gripping narrative that extends from the North Atlantic to the South Pacific and from the snowbound steppe to the North African Desert.

Although filling the broadest canvas on a heroic scale, Beevor's The Second World War never loses sight of the fate of the ordinary soldiers and civilians whose lives were crushed by the titanic forces unleashed in this, the most terrible war in history.

Read by Sean Barrett.

©2012 Antony Beevor (P)2012 Orion Publishing Group
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Second World War

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Book on the Second World War!

I have always wanted to read a book which gives a clear and accurate view of the second world for. This is that book. This never glamourises the War and it plays down the propaganda and the myths. In fact on reading this book i feel that no nation comes out with credit - just some were more guilty then others.

The book delves deep into the detail and it pulls no punches. this isn't a boys adventure tale. Its War and the worst of it.

Its so fascinating to see what strange and evil alliances the War bought together and I have never ever realised that some of the German allies were so close to the Uk. How the British had to fight the French after their surrender to Germany in some instances and how there was several nations who changed sides during the War - not just Italy.

The book delves into the reasons and the start of the War and Britain does not fare well. The brits were slow to start and let several nations down with their lack of support. France - then a super army never delivered and surprisingly fell to the Germany quickly and Italy panders to Germany without engaging in the War. America has to be cajoled into the War and it costs the Brits substantially to get them to join. Facts I never knew.

Its a big book an at times hard to follow - well at the start at least. But its well worth reading on. i just couldn't wait to get back into the book.

This book will be seen as THE BOOK ON THE SECOND WORLD WAR - I am sure of that.

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44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Concise, Interesting and Entertaining

Beevor interweaves the stuff of war history - major campaigns, sea battles, the outcome of strategic decisions and the personalities involved, with the often gory detail of human suffering on a grand scale and post-event analysis which poses some interesting what-if scenarios. Humour occasionally lightens the mood - with the British General Staff and Il Duce's army bearing the brunt. Barrett's narration is excellent and he copes well with German, Russian and Japanese names and ranks. An often enlightening read which should be on the school curriculum, and read by all, lest we forget.

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

An excellent and gripping listen

Having greatly enjoyed this author's previous work, which dealt in fine detail with some of the great set piece battles of the Second World War, I was intrigued to see how he would cope with the broad canvas of the entire war. The book (both part one and two) proved to be an excellent and gripping listen. One of the great strengths of Mr Beevor's previous books was the fine detail showing the individual's experience of history. I was pleased that despite that despite the vast sweep of the subject matter, he still finds room for this fine detail.
Well read by Sean Barrett.

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10 people found this helpful

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

Makes only a caricature of Churchill

This book is very well narrated. Kudos to Sean Barrett, whose reading of it is without flaw.

As for the content, be warned, it is, in places, gruesomely detailed, holding back none of the horrific detail of the events that happened. For anyone who listens with small children present, the material is not suitable for them, and neither is it suitable for anyone who would be disturbed by hearing graphic descriptions of some of the most heinous acts that men can inflict upon other men, women and children. No atrocity is taboo in this book, though it is written in about as matter of fact a way as it is possible to relay such terrible events.

However, when it comes to representations of the Allied political and military leaders, and particularly Sir Winston Churchill, the book approaches lampooning them. One almost gets the impression that Churchill was little better than a bumbling buffoon, and some of the more prominent allied Generals little better. Also, the author seems to think he knows how the individual leaders felt and thought about each other without giving actual documentary evidence for the assertions and assumptions he makes. I have no idea why the author felt he had to represent these leaders in this way, as he does not do this with the Nazi leaders, but for this reason alone, I would strongly recommend anyone who is interested in this subject take the descriptions of the interactions between the leaders with a large pinch of salt and read other historical accounts which give a much more objective and realistic account of the interaction between the allies.

All in all, if you can stomach some of the contents and listening to the denigration of men who put their hearts, souls and lives into serving their countries, the book does give a comprehensive account of the various conflicts that came together to become what we now call the Second World War.

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8 people found this helpful

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

Come for the story, stay for the voice

Overall: very good
It took a while to get used to the voice and I ended up appreciating each pronounciation -- especially the German and Russian bits.
On to part two...

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7 people found this helpful

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

don't read the Bible read this! what are we?

you need reminding sometimes and this book did it for me . just how unbelievably cruel and evil people are. humanity is not the force for good that it should be. thank you Antony bevoor.

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5 people found this helpful

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

Inhumane Madness

Would you consider the audio edition of The Second World War, Part One: The Phoney War to Stalingrad to be better than the print version?

I would say about equal but it is good to have both as the written book can be easier used as reference especially to remind th unbelievable numbers of poor soles who died for no purpose or reason

What did you like best about this story?

The reminder of history and the madness of War

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The short story of the young Korean boy caught up in three wars

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Nor really possible for me

Any additional comments?

Excellent and outstanding

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4 people found this helpful

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

An Absolute must for anyone interested in WW2

This has to be the seminal work on the subject, it does not glorify but seeks to inform. The way campaigns are interlinked and the consequences of outcomes is cleverly put and there are plenty of shock revelations, put simply I knew nothing, now, I want to know more. The author gains the trust of the reader and the integrity of the media sourced underpins the horrific drawn out process of loss of life. Lessons that must be learned from, the humanity or lack thereof is staggering and the butchers bill is high. This could never be a work of fiction it's just too awful but in the book is reported faithfully and with respect. I will listen to it again and try to remember more as I feel a debt to those who gave there lives and those who just had their lives taken. In short it is a brilliant work.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Just the right level of detail

This book provided a brilliantly informative outline of the first half of the WW2. It had enough detail in it to give a good picture of what went on, where and with who. But wasn't so detailed that it became boring and lost the plot (Churchill's autobiography did this).

If you are looking to start learning about WW2 then this is the book for you. I would also recommend the 'Rise and fall of the 3rd Reich'. It will be equally suitable for someone who knows a fair bit but wants to fill in the gaps.

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3 people found this helpful

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

DWISOTT

This, together with its second volume, are exactly what you would expect from Anthony Beevor - a comprehensive, well researched and thorough account of a monumental event. Sean Barratt reads it beautifully, and it is well written, but I thought it is probably both too long and too short - it can drag in places (the build up to Operation Torch for instance) and too short to cover the whole WW2 in sufficient detail (the book acknowledges this.) Having said that, and having a better knowledge of the war since I first listened to this, I'll probably give it another go.

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2 people found this helpful