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Great Britain's Great War
- A Sympathetic History of Our Gravest Folly
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan, Jeremy Paxman
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
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Great Britain's Great War
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Editor reviews
"Paxman is witty, incisive, acerbic and opinionated... In short, he carries the whole thing off with panache bordering on effrontery" (Sunday Times) "He writes with wit and penetration, and every page can be read with relaxed pleasure" (Spectator)
Summary
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Jeremy Paxman's Great Britain's Great War.
Read by the actor Roy McMillan, this magnificent history of the First World War tells the story of the war in one gripping narrative from the point of view of the British people. We may think we know about it, but what was life really like for the British people during the First World War? The well-known images - the pointing finger of Lord Kitchener; a Tommy buried in the mud of the Western Front; the memorial poppies of remembrance day - all reinforce the idea that it was a pointless waste of life. So why did the British fight it so willingly and how did the country endure it for so long?
Using a wealth of first-hand source material, Jeremy Paxman brings vividly to life the day-to-day experience of the British over the entire course of the war, from politicians, newspapermen, campaigners and Generals, to Tommies, factory workers, nurses, wives and children, capturing the whole mood and morale of the nation.
It reveals that life and identity in Britain were often dramatically different from our own, and show how both were utterly transformed - not always for the worst - by the enormous upheaval of the war. Rich with personalities, surprises and ironies, this lively narrative history paints a picture of courage and confusion, doubts and dilemmas, and is written with Jeremy Paxman's characteristic flair for storytelling, wry humour and pithy observation.
Jeremy Paxman is a renowned broadcaster, award-winning journalist and the bestselling author of seven works of non-fiction, including The English, The Political Animal and Empire.
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What listeners say about Great Britain's Great War
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- C. Hamilton-welsh
- 21-01-18
absolutely excellent
most of us know Paxman to be a bright but disagreeable fellow but wow what a writer. his dry and sometimes sarcastic irony and wit come through what was a totally engaging account. I thought the narrator garbled a bit at first but stick with it because he does a fabulous job of animating the book. I thought I knew most about ww1 but this enriched my understanding so much. Thank u jeremy
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- Anonymous User
- 26-10-18
A fantastic narration of WW1
A wonderful recitation of the human cost of war and its impact on a nation
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- C H B
- 21-11-18
excellent book. highly recommended
a fresh perspective on the first world war especially good analysis of the social aspects. a great way to listen/read history of that period.
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- Juliet
- 21-01-15
Brilliant, fascinating, sad
This was interesting and riveting all the way through. I learned a great deal about the war, the tactics, the realities for the soldiers. It certainly provided a different vision of the war than the one we teach.
Narration was good, nice soft voice
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- M P Collins
- 19-02-16
Different point of view
We all know the plot ... how it started, how it ended and most of the bits in between. Paxman does, however, look at things differently and has an engagingly light touch while presenting the most unpleasant moments in our national history. I enjoyed him immensely, and learned a few things into the bargain. A good read.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Ted Hawkins
- 07-05-16
Refreshing view of WWI
Well read and an excellent insight into a completely different culture. So pleased to see someone challenging the lazy journalism of the futility of war.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Alison St Pierre
- 09-10-22
Every human detail normally absent!
The book started off slowly, then gathered pace by sharing day-to-day details about the life of the soldier, the eccentric aristocrats that led so many to their fates and the infrastructure that surrounded the theatre of War. Fascinating details allow this lost generation to tell their story in an engaging and personal style. My only criticism is the slow, dry start.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Alec
- 09-05-15
Great history
I really enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down when I eventually got round to listening to it.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Michael Buzz Collins
- 19-04-16
A great insight
gave a brilliant understanding of the war and it's causes and the thoughts of all the people involved not just the landed classes
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2 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 21-08-22
Very good
Paxman does a good job bringing it all together into a coherent and engaging narrative. And, for my money, it is well narrated (just the right pace, no wild variations in volume, some emotional expressiveness but without overdoing it, no strange or irritating vocal ticks or mannerisms etc…)
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