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Exterminate/Regenerate

The Story of Doctor Who

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Exterminate/Regenerate

By: John Higgs
Narrated by: John Higgs
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Summary

 'Captures much of the warmth, wit and worthiness of this thoroughly British institution' THE TIMES

'Crammed with fascinating nuggets' INDEPENDENT, Biography of the Month

'Absolutely wonderful. The book I've been waiting to read since I was ten years old' JEREMY DYSON

With its unique ability to evolve and adapt more radically than any other fiction, Doctor Who has acted as a mirror to more than six decades of social, technological and cultural change. In the first biography of this central fixture of the British imagination, John Higgs invites us into the Doctor's TARDIS on a journey to discover how ideas emerge and survive despite the odds, how failed monks and war heroes created one of the most successful TV shows in history and why this wonderful wandering time traveller means so much to so many.

'A TARDIS of a book . . . the whole space-time continuum is inside' FRANK COTTRELL BOYCE

'Wonderful! You don't need to be a Whovian to delight at John Higgs's journey through Doctor Who, but you may well be one by the end of the book' ROBIN INCE©2025 John Higgs Entertainment & Performing Arts Europe Film & TV Great Britain History & Criticism Fiction
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Critic reviews

Rich with trivia . . . Higgs is an engaging, entertaining guide. Exterminate/Regenerate captures much of the warmth, wit and worthiness of this thoroughly British institution
Crammed with fascinating nuggets . . . Surprisingly candid . . . Exterminate/Regenerate is a cracking read
Engrossing . . . anyone interested in television or cultural history will find it fascinating (Neil Armstrong)
Higgs does a meticulous job . . . The sort of capsule study that uses this genuinely odd and enduring show as a means to probe the travails of TV land and British society itself over the past 60 years (Travis Elborough)
A cultural history of one of the most enduring creations of the 1960s . . . Unmissable
A TARDIS of a book. On the outside it's about a TV show, but open it up and you're plunged into the space-time continuum. John Higgs is your man for seeing eternity in a grain of sand (FRANK COTTRELL-BOYCE)
Absolutely wonderful. The book I've been waiting to read since I was ten years old. Full of surprising and piercing insights, and fascinating meditations on the nature of mystery. The first thing I've come across that absolutely nails the extraordinary nature of the cultural phenomenon that is Doctor Who. Like its subject, it's about so much more than it appears to be (JEREMY DYSON)
With his usual mix of cultural savvy and sharp philosophical insight, John Higgs frees Doctor Who from the rubber tendrils of fandom to reveal an unkillable British myth which millions of us helped create together (JOEL MORRIS)
Full of interesting tidbits and perfect for the Doctor Who fan in your life (JENNY COLGAN)
Epic, pacey and blisteringly insightful. Higgs is a masterful guide to one of the weirdest elements in British pop culture. This is an adventure in time and space which manages to be thrilling, laugh-out-loud funny and oddly melancholic, often on a single page. He gives us the full authoritative story of Doctor Who. And along the way, we learn a great deal about modern Britain, our weird relationship with change, and the haunted corridors of our own childhood (IAN DUNT)
Wonderful! You do not need to be a Whovian to delight at John Higgs's journey through Doctor Who, but you may well be one by the end of the book (ROBIN INCE)
One of the greatest books on a cultural phenomenon ever written . . . I found myself giggling and chortling throughout, heard myself make little gasps of recognition and at certain points, there were even tears. It is brilliantly insightful [and] absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in pop culture and modern storytelling. Read this book (NICK ABADZIS)
Astute . . . there are engaging new theories to share and fascinating connections to trace. A fitting biography
All stars
Most relevant
The best book I’ve listened to in ages. Fascinating stories and very informative - you will love it if you’re a fan, you will probably love it if you’re not. I was captured from the start.

Recommended, even if you’re not a Who fan

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And this one is no different . Well researched and very detailed , I’m sure there’s something in there that even a die hard fan may not know . It covers all aspects of Who and is great book for someone that only recently got in to Doctor Who. He’s also great to listen to which does not happen with all audiobooks . I would highly recommend. Very interesting as yesterday , Ncutis reign as the Doctor ended , giving this review a time stamp . The future eh . Who knows ….

John Higgs books are always good !

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The best nonfiction audiobooks are generally read by their authors, but John is the absolute master of bringing his deeply researched, charmingly psycho-sociological take on the oddness and wonder of our nation, it's artists and scoundrels to vivid and fascinating life. Splendid stuff, as always. Highly recommended, even if you don't particularly like the subject matter, it offers a genuine and considered insight into the environment that created Dr Who, in all their many guises.

John Higgs is a fantastic aural companion

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I have little interest in Dr Who beyond loving the Pertwee era as a child and yet, as usual, John Higgs makes it all fascinating.

The longevity of the character is an extraordinary tale complete with ups, downs, heroes, villains, and cliff hangers.

I highly recommend this wonderful exploration into the world of the shapeshifting Doctor

Higgs does it again

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This audiobook is a fantastic overview of Doctor Who, perfect for both new fans and longtime Whovians. The book is extremely well-researched and full of fascinating details; even die-hard fans will find something new. I have to say that I found out a lot more than I knew and I am one of those die-hard fans

It covers all aspects of the series and offers wonderful behind-the-scenes stories, with plenty of quotes from people involved in the show’s creation over its 60-year history.

John Higgs narrates with clarity and warmth, making the experience enjoyable from start to finish. His calm delivery suits the material well, and the book balances both on-screen adventures and off-screen developments in an easy-to-follow way, despite the often complex subject matter.

With Ncuti Gatwa’s time as the Doctor just ending, and I will miss him, this review is especially timely. If John Higgs ever releases an even more in-depth follow-up, I’d be eager to listen. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Doctor Who or TV history in general!

Who Knows?????

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