Great Britain's Great War
A Sympathetic History of Our Gravest Folly
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Great Britain's Great War
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Narrated by:
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Roy McMillan
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Jeremy Paxman
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By:
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Jeremy Paxman
About this listen
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.
©2013 Jeremy Paxman (P)2013 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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)
What listeners say about Great Britain's Great War
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Malcolm
- 07-07-14
Paxman in a new light
Where does Great Britain's Great War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Although more of a documentary than the usual fiction I enjoy, Jeremy Paxman puts a new slant, albeit anti-war on this conflict. Definitely one to listen to again to cement all the data. In my top five audios.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Can only be the author, Kitchener and French don't deserve any credit.
Which character – as performed by Jeremy Paxman and Roy McMillan – was your favourite?
No comparison, one the author, though the introduction set the tone for the book, the other the reader, first class.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Ypres.
Any additional comments?
Many of the facts are well known and historically recorded, yet Jeremy Paxman has unearthed many lesser known facts that makes this tragic war come to life even more. There is no question that this splendid book is anti First World War, yet the depth of information leaves the listener wondering what comes next.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Bruce
- 17-02-15
PAXMAN'S TAKE ON WW1
In many respects, it's a.shame Paxman did not narrate his whole book. He performed the introduction only and I was impressed. The primary performer was OK but could've been a bit more engaging.
The story was good and was not structured like a straightforward linear history lesson.
Finally, an excellent deal from Audible.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nedelar
- 11-02-18
A Great Listen
I loved this book, narration is super and the book is fantastically interesting - brought the Great War alive and to my level.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Steve Biddick
- 11-06-19
Moving, fast-moving, illuminating .
A compellingly analytic, thorough history with the shrewd independent voice we expect from Paxman. One gets a history wrapped in cultural context, rather than blurred by post-war and more modern attitudes to WW1, Empire and duty.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- 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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