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  • 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
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (220 ratings)
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The Red Prince cover art

The Red Prince

By: Helen Carr
Narrated by: Helen Carr
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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
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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What listeners say about The Red Prince

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The sniffing narrator

Whilst there is a wealth of in formation in here I've stopped listening midway in chapter 2. The narration is the worst I've ever heard, sucking air into her lungs mid sentence, and the constant sniffing, somebody get her an handkerchief so she can blow her nose. History totally ruined by rotten narration.

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9 people found this helpful

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

Excellent

This is an excellent and informative history of John of Gaunt. The writer’s easy style encourages you in and it is clearly well researched.

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4 people found this helpful

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

A fine book

Some of these reviews are awful. The author narrates the book herself and she obviously knows what she’s talking about. Her delivery is quite comfortably professional sounding enough not to spoil the honest cosy charm of the author speaking her own words directly to you. There is also inevitably extra quite literal authority in her delivery.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Comprehensive History for the General Reader

Well written and comprehensive biography of a fascinating character. Gaunt was a hugely important figure in the 14th century as well as an ancestor to the most well known figures of 15th century England, Spain and Portugal.
The author clearly narrates an engaging story that presents the key events of Gaunt’s life and their significance.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Interesting subject - Boring dull delivery

Hard to stay engaged because the narration is not engaging. she sounds like a college major reading her thesis out to the examination board.

History needs to be delivered with passion and colour. Major characters and events need to stand out. She reads off each character and battle with the same indifferent tone so that everything just merges into a dull series of events.

Authors including many historians are not always the ideal narrator.
Writing and reading aloud are two distinctly separate skills. The latter is a performance art, closer to acting.

I wish authors would realise this.
They all seem to think they're Stephen Fry.

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1 person found this helpful

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

A Lancastrian nicer than a Lannister

It is always really nice to have the author voice their creation and Helen has a lovely audio presence easy on the ear and British in accent ( because this is British history albeit probably spoken with a French accent at Court). She brings the society of the day to life with detail that is well received by the listener. This sort of thing connects today with 600 years ago and demonstrates that we are just the same as our forefathers and mother's. Perhaps more educated perhaps not.

While I was aware of "plot spoilers", the extra detail, when it came, was with the reaction " I did not know that" which made the journey through the life of a fascinating character all the more enjoyable. Thanks Helen.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Brilliant book!

Loved every minute. Will listen to it again and again. Highly recommended. Very informative.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Brilliant

Absolutely loved listening to this book, we have to buy the hard copy now

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1 person found this helpful

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

outstanding

An amazing, a new perspective of English history, superbly researched and enthralling throughout. thoroughly enjoyed

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1 person found this helpful

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

Fleshed out the character of John of Gaunt

Detailed but held my attention. Fascinating story bought to life by historical detail . Couldn’t stop listening!

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