A History of Britain, Volume 1 cover art

A History of Britain, Volume 1

At the Edge of the World, 3000 BC - AD 1603

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About this listen

 To look back at the past is to understand the present. In this vivid account of over 4,000 years of British history, Simon Schama takes us on an epic journey which encompasses the very beginnings of the nation's identity, when the first settlers landed on Orkney.

From the successes and failures of the monarchy to the daily life of a Roman soldier stationed on Hadrian's Wall, Schama gives a vivid, fascinating account of the many different stories and struggles that lie behind the growth of our island nation.

Simon Schama's hugely successful BBC2 series has shown him to be one of the most original and exciting historians. Timothy West's abridged reading of the book bears further testimony to Schama's extraordinary gift for story-telling.

©2014 Audible, Inc. (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Europe Great Britain England Middle Ages Suspenseful Royalty Tudor
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Brilliantly read by Timothy West. A succinct and fast paced masterpiece. Compulsory reading for any student of English history.

Brilliant.

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I have not read the books so my comment is on this abridged audio production. Timothy West gallops through the text at a breathless pace, and without any pauses, some “chapter” space would help to put done full stops in the reading.
Schama seems to concentrate all the men involved and apart from a long piece on Anne Boleyn the women of this ancient time hardly get a mention…. Whether this is part of this abridged version or the actual book I will have to discover.

Abridgement too far?

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Hugely enjoyed the text, the story, the reading and the performance. A super learning experience.

very enjoyable journey.

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This 8-hour long audiobook is one of the best I have ever listened to. I love history, and know quite a lot about it, but this book informed me on huge amounts that I did not know. The only little niggle that I would have is that Simon Schama expects some level of history knowledge - which I have - so, if you haven't any idea about the History of Britain don't get this.

However, if you have any idea of history, and are interested in history BUY THIS NOW!

A History of Britain 4000 BC - 1603

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Very accessible account of English history, focussed on the rulers but also at various points also describing the lot of the common people.

Brilliantly written, engagingly narrated

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