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Fascinating Footnotes from History
- Narrated by: Ric Jerrom
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Categories: History, Military
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So so - nothing special
- By Brian on 20-05-20
Summary
Fascinating Footnotes from History details 100 of the quirkiest historical nuggets - eye-stretching stories that sound like fiction but are 100 percent fact.
There is Hiroo Onoda, the lone Japanese soldier still fighting the Second World War in 1974; Agatha Christie, who mysteriously disappeared for 11 days in 1926; and Werner Franz, a cabin boy on the Hindenburg who lived to tell the tale when it was engulfed in flames in 1937.
Peopled with a gallery of spies, rogues, cannibals, adventurers and slaves, and spanning 20 centuries and six continents, Giles Milton's impeccably researched footnotes shed light on some of the most infamous stories from history.
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What listeners say about Fascinating Footnotes from History
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- mike blacker
- 08-11-16
one of the best books I've listened to in years
a little dark in places but hands down one of the best books I've listened to in years. Well worth a credit.
6 people found this helpful
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- Mr
- 18-04-18
A bit of history, and lots of tabloid journalism.
The first story in this book is entitled "Hitler's British girlfriend", a woman who he was supposedly infatuated with and may have had a child by. By coincidence I had just finished a vast and detailed biography of Hitler by Ian Kershaw, which doesn't mention this woman at all. . . . . .
It think that's partly why I wasn't able to enjoy this as much as I thought I would. But it's also because the tone is relentlessly sensationalist, with vivid stories of Nazi crimes, cannibalism, and Papal orgies all presented in leering detail, but with little analysis or skepticism. The judgemental moral tone it takes towards the participants consequently sounds jarringly insincere.
I can't deny there are interesting and absorbing stories in here, I just recommend regarding is as a collection of stories loosely based on history rather than as a history book.
Narrator is fine.
5 people found this helpful
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- Stewart Webb
- 15-09-16
Too Many Pauses
Overall not a bad book. One, if it were in print you could dip into. Loads of short interesting historical stories. But be warned some not for the feint hearted (I used the f/f button here!). However be it the reader or in the editing there are throughout annoying gaps and silences. At first I kept checking my player but it went on the whole way through. Put up with it in the end. Would have rated it higher than for this and the icky bits.
10 people found this helpful
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- Cipolla
- 24-04-18
Hitler's secret lover- click here to see who!
This book is like reading click-bait articels: Sensational yet disappointing and boring. However, if you like light entertainment á la Discovery/History Channel, it's a good choice and it comes without commercial breaks
4 people found this helpful
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- Florence Gschwend
- 21-03-18
Entertaining
What did you like best about Fascinating Footnotes from History? What did you like least?
It's an entertaining collection of various less well-known facts of history. I was missing a narrative thread.
3 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-04-17
interesting little notes from History
Gentle listening of snippets from history. A book you can while away the time and pick up a few interesting facts. Really interesting.
3 people found this helpful
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- mark
- 12-01-17
The new Ben Macintyre?
Any additional comments?
Brilliant stories, beautifully researched and brought to life. More please Giles.
2 people found this helpful
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- philip
- 23-11-16
10/10 - Fun & Interesting
What did you like most about Fascinating Footnotes from History?
A really wonderful listen, with such a plethora of short stories that you could jump in at virtually any point in the book and have a great listen. Definitely an audiobook that you could re-listen to again & again, as there's no way you'll remember each story after one or two listens.
A really good mix of stories too - funny, sad, vile, joyous and everything in between.
Narrator is brilliant too, very engaging, humorous & does the accents really well.
2 people found this helpful
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- Whelan
- 22-11-16
Great book full of interesting facts
loved this book. easy to dip in and out of and some really fascinating stories of people who survived some crazy events, like the crashing one the hindenburg and one guy who survived both atomic bombs!
2 people found this helpful
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- Marbo
- 13-08-17
Rubbish
Inconsistent, often boring tabloid trash. Too much coverage of despots, nutters and perverts. A waste of time.
4 people found this helpful
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- Ingibjörg Kolbeins
- 25-08-16
Fascinating
A book you can listen to again & again. Some of the things I had heard before but the stories were well written and well told. A must for history buffs.
1 person found this helpful