The Korean War
by Andrew Mulholland
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Bringing together the military mights of the Soviet Union, China, North Korea, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United Nations States, the Korean War raged for three years from 1950 to 1953. Not only the result of a carving of Korean territories following the Pacific conflicts of the Second World War, it was also a battle of ideologies as General MacArthur's American military forces occupied the southern half and Stalin's Soviet forced supported the northern half. Initiated by infantry movements and air raids, the region gradually became mired in a static trench war by July 1951, and would continue to cost both sides in both morale and human lives. The Korean War: History in an Hour is the concise story to one of the most bitter and enduring conflicts of the post-war era.
World War Two
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. World War Two was one of the most devastating conflicts the world has ever seen. Between 1939 and 1945 almost every country in the world was affected by the war in some way. World War Two: History in an Hour neatly covers all the major facts and events giving you a clear and straightforward overview of the politics involved, the violence that ensued and how it changed the world in unimaginable ways. World War Two: History in an Hour is engagingly written and accessible for all history lovers. Fully updated and revised.
The Queen
by Sinead Fitzgibbon
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Elizabeth II is the longest lived and, after Queen Victoria, second longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. From her coronation in 1953 to her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Queen Elizabeth II has stood on the world stage as the figurehead for Britain. The Queen: History in an Hour tells the story of the Queen Elizabeth II's life and long reign, her royal duties, service during the Second World War, public perception and the transformation of the British Empire into the Commonwealth of Nations under her rule. In the Diamond Jubilee year this is essential reading for Royalists and Republicans alike.
The Cold War
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. From the end of World War Two to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the world lived within the shadow of the Cold War. Russia and America eyed each other with suspicion and hostility. World War Two was too recent to be forgotten and a nuclear Third World War remained a distinct possibility. Post-war Europe was being rebuilt and Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt had to find a way to work together for peace. The Cold War: History in an Hour will help you understand the dynamics of the politics of the time and how Europe and the rest of the world rebuilt themselves after World War Two.
The American Civil War
by Kat Smutz
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. The American Civil War started when eleven southern 'slave' states declared their independence from the United States of America. Abraham Lincoln's Republican government were strongly against slavery and fought to abolish it and keep the country united. The American Civil War: History in an Hour gives a concise and authoritative overview of these four years of bloody and devastating warfare to help you understand how the Civil War shaped America today and changed the history of slavery forever.
South Africa
by Anthony Holmes
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. With the passing of Nelson Mandela, 'the father of the nation', comes the end of an era, and the moment to look back on his remarkable saving, and remaking, of South Africa. After years of oppression and racial inequality, concentrated violence and apartheid, Mandela led the country to unite "for the freedom of us all" as the country's first black President. South Africa: History in an Hour gives a lively account of the formation of modern South Africa, from the first contact with seventeenth-century European sailors, through the colonial era, the Boer Wars, apartheid and the establishment of a tolerant democracy in the late twentieth century. Here is a clear and fascinating overview of the emergence of the "Rainbow Nation."
Ancient Egypt
by Anthony Holmes
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Learn about the Egyptian gods, mummification and how the Egyptians built the only wonder of the ancient world still standing - the Pyramids of Giza. Exploring the historic rise of Egyptian civilization and its continued influence on the world today, Ancient Egypt in an Hour is an excellent companion to a mysterious and enthralling period of history.
The Afghan Wars
by Kat Smutz
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Britain has invaded Afghanistan twice before in the nineteenth century. Both times tenacious Afghan fighters defended their country to humiliating British defeats. The Soviet Union also discovered what a tough enemy the Afghans are after nearly a decade of conflict from 1979 to 1989. When not fighting foreign invaders, Afghanistan was torn apart by Civil War from 1990 to 1996, resulting in victory for the Taliban. The Afghan Wars in an Hour is an excellent way to learn all about the complex wars that have been fought in Afghanistan for almost four decades. It explains who the Taliban and the Mujahedeen are, how their politics work, why Osama Bin Laden was so significant, and why it is so hard to achieve peace Afghanistan, all in just one hour.
Churchill
by Andrew Mulholland
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Sir Winston Churchill was a soldier, journalist, writer, Nobel Prize winner and, above all, a leader. Conservative then Liberal then Conservative again, his political instincts won him a sustained career at the summit of British government, while his resolve and politics of personality made him broadly regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century. With his early radicalism, bold decisions regarding the Gold Standard and Iron curtain analysis, Churchill was, for many, a highly controversial figure. For others, he was Britain's finest Prime Minister. From his career as a young army officer - serving in British India, The Sudan, and the Second Boer War, in which he won fame as a war correspondent - to his later pursuits as a historian, a writer, and an artist, Churchill: History in an Hour is the perfect guide to the colorful, long and varied life of a historic titan.
The Medieval Anarchy
by Kaye Jones
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Nicknamed 'The Anarchy' for its unprecedented levels of chaos and disorder, the succession crisis that followed the death of King Henry I in 1135 resulted in England's first civil war. The Medieval Anarchy: History in an Hour neatly covers all the major facts and events giving you a clear and straightforward overview of the plots and violence that ensued during the nineteen-year conflict. The Medieval Anarchy: History in an Hour is engagingly written and accessible for all history lovers. This, in an hour, is the story of The Medieval Anarchy through the personalities, context, events and aftermath of England's first, and often forgotten, civil war.
The Holocaust
by Jemma J. Saunders
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. The Holocaust, in which 11 million people died, was the largest atrocity of the 20th century and perhaps the hardest to understand. Approximately 6 million Jews and 5 million others including Roma people, Poles, Russian prisoners of war, political prisoners, homosexuals, people of colour, Jehovah's Witnesses, and various other minorities were first persecuted and then murdered. How, both morally and logistically, had this came to happen? From received sentiments of anti-Semitism at the beginning of the 20th century, through the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, to the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 and finally Second World War, the victimisation of these minorities intensified beyond precedent. With the complicity of a nation hatred became policy. Under the control of sadists, bureaucrats and even ordinary soldiers, irrational acts were then enacted on an industrial scale, and with the use of concentration camps, Western Europe witnessed its most shocking treatment of humanity in modern history.
George Washington
by David B. McCoy
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. George Washington - a figure synonymous with American history. His image is known worldwide, marked on American currency, postage stamps - even a state is named after him. George Washington in an Hour explores the man beneath the symbol. This is the essential chronicle of Washington's life - his rise from middle class Virginian upbringing to America's first President, elected unanimously twice. Explore Washington's legacy - from securing Independence, to his instrumental role in writing and adopting the American constitution. George Washington in an Hour covers Washington's redefinition of greatness, relinquishing power not once but twice - at the end of Revolution and his second term in Presidency. Learn why Washington is still considered one of the most influential people in history, and how his impact shaped the world in this engaging overview of his life.
The Siege of Leningrad
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. The Siege of Leningrad was one of the longest sieges in history and it inflicted some of the worst civilian casualties of World War Two. When Hitler declared his intention to obliterate the key city of Leningrad on 22 September 1941, he could not have foreseen the grim determination of its citizens. Over the course of 900 days, the city resisted the Germans pounding at its gates. Its survival contributed to the defeat of Nazism. But the price was heavy - over 1 million died in Leningrad from German bombs and artillery, or from disease, the cold or starvation. In its suffering Leningrad became a source of symbolic national pride, of good conquering evil. The story of the siege is one of heroic resistance and stoical survival but it also one of unimaginable suffering and extreme deprivation. The Siege of Leningrad: History in an Hour is essential reading for all history lovers.
The Reformation
by Edward A. Gosselin
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. The Reformation was a long struggle of ideas between the established Catholic Church and the questioning of faith brought about by the Renaissance in Western Europe. Started by Martin Luther in 1517, religious dissidence spread across Europe throughout the sixteenth century, causing wars, migration and disunity. By 1648 Henry VIII's desire for divorce led him to break with the Catholic Church in Rome and form the Church of England. The Reformation: History in an Hour is a clear and comprehensive look at this long and complex period of religious change. It explains the major causes of the Reformation and the differences between Protestants and Catholics. It will help you understand the significance of the Reformation in European history in just one hour.
D-Day
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Midnight, Tuesday 6 June 1944: the beginning of D-Day, the operation to invade Nazi-occupied Western Europe and initiate the final phase of World War II. A vast undertaking, it involved 12,000 aircraft and an amphibious assault of almost 7,000 vessels. 160,000 troops would cross the English Channel during Operation Overlord, paving the way for more than three million allied troops to enter France by the end of August 1944. Forces from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Free French and Poland all heavily participated, alongside contingents from Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, and Norway, They capitalised on the element of surprise achieved due to bad weather and the success of Operation Bodyguard - a feat of massive deception to convince Hitler that the landings would hit Pas-de-Calais. In just over a year, the war would be won. D-Day: History in an Hour is the story of how the largest military operation in history had been planned, practised and executed.
Nazi Germany
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Listen to this bite size audiobook about Hitler's experience as a soldier during World War One, the Nazi Party's climb to power, the elimination of their political opponents and the Weimar constitution. Learn about life in Nazi Germany, for women, the family, the Jews, and the use of state control, propaganda and security. See how Hitler manipulated foreign policy to achieve his aims, and how he brought the world into war. Nazi Germany in an Hour tell you everything you need to know about Germany under Nazi rule, in just one hour.
Black History
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Encompassing everything from immigration to civil war, emancipation, slavery and migration, Black History in an Hour gives you a neat overview of this vast and fascinating subject. This is a superb introduction to the long and varied history of African Americans.
JFK
by Sinead Fitzgibbon
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, America's youngest President. But, barely one thousand days into his Presidency, he was assassinated. JFK in an Hour provides a compelling and comprehensive overview of this man credited with introducing an aspirational new approach to American politics. Learn about the Kennedy family, the cast that propelled JFK to success despite family tragedy. Discover Kennedy's talented diplomatic skills when navigating the Space Race, the nuclear missile crisis and his sympathies with the fledging civil rights movement. Learn about the man himself, the charming son, brother and husband, who maintained a charismatic public image, despite suffering from chronic illness all his life. JFK in an Hour provides key insight into why Kennedy epitomised the hopes of a new decade, and remains such an influential figure to this day.
1066: History in an Hour
by Kaye Jones
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. During the year 1066, England had three different kings and fought three huge battles in defence of the realm, including the bloody Battle of Hastings. The result was the Norman Conquest which defined England during the Middle Ages. 1066 in an Hour will guide you through the politics and personalities of the Norman invasion. It will help you understand why William the Conqueror was victorious and introduce you to the new king and subsequent ancestor to the Plantagenets and Tudors.
William Shakespeare
by Sinead Fitzgibbon
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. In a writing career that spanned over twenty years during the explosion of poetic and theatrical creativity of late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods, William Shakespeare produced a body of work that has become the bedrock of human thought, literature and language in English. His poetry and plays have endured for almost 450 years, such is their universal appeal and understanding of the human condition. And yet Shakespeare wrote almost nothing of himself. Who was this socially ambitious wordsmith who had neither pedigree nor university education? What was his family life like? How did he work? Shakespeare: History in an Hour is the essential guide to the life of Shakespeare, his relationships, colleagues and his breathtaking works. From the Elizabethan world to which he was born, to the theorists and critics that continue to debate him to this day, this is the story of the most revered writer of all time.
Dickens
by Kaye Jones
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Charles Dickens remains - 200 years after his birth - arguably Britain's most successful writer. Works such as Great Expectations and Oliver Twist have amused and inspired readers in all languages since their original publication in the nineteenth century, and have been adapted countless times for the stage and screen. Dickens: History in an Hour covers all the major facts and events surrounding Dickens's life; the poverty of his childhood, his experience in Warren's Blacking Factory, the evolution of his novels, his tours around America and Europe and his sometimes scandalous private life. Dickens: History in an Hour tells you everything you need to know about Charles Dickens in just one hour.
The Vietnam War
by Neil Smith
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. "War, what is it good for?" The Vietnam War: History in an Hour gives a gripping account of the most important Cold War-era conflict, fought between the United States and the Viet Cong, the Vietnam People's Army and their Communist allies. It was one of the most traumatic military conflicts America has ever been involved in - and provoked a backlash of anti-war protests at home. Here are the key events leading up to the Vietnam War, the deadly guerrilla warfare of the Viet Cong, the domestic anti-war movement and the fall of Saigon. The Vietnam War: History in an Hour is essential reading for anyone interested in post-war history.
Hitler
by Rupert Colley
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. What made a failed Austrian artist into the most reviled and destructive personality of the twentieth century? Where did the seeds of his rabid anti-Semitism lie? How did a marginalized loner become such a moving force in Germany? How could a nation have fallen for such a fanatic? What made him so determined to bring about war? Through manipulation of politicians and civilians, bullying, diplomacy, violence and lies, Hitler achieved a total and unlikely power. Covering his early life, military service in World War One and eventual rise to power, first as the leader of the Nazi party, and then head of state, Hitler: History in an Hour describes the life of a man who spent his final days inside a bunker having plunged the world into a global conflict, the bloodiest in history.
American Slavery
by Kat Smutz
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. From the first slaves arriving in Jamestown in 1619, the cotton fields in the Southern States and shipbuilding in New England, to the slaves who laid down their lives in war so that Americans could be free, American Slavery in an Hour covers the breadth of the subject without sacrificing important historical and cultural details. An important and dark time in Black - and American - history, American Slavery in an Hour will explain the key facts and give you a clear overview of this much discussed period of history, as well as its legacy in modern America.
Abraham Lincoln
by Kat Smutz
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, is an American icon. To many, he is a symbol of values, sacrifice and determination. Modern notions of nationalism, liberty, and constitution all owe their debt to Lincoln, as does the unity of the American states. And yet, in his own day, Lincoln was also reviled by many as a traitor, tarnished by his associations with the wrong kind of race and the wrong end of society. Charting his ascent from humble origins to the leader of the United during her hardest democratic and ethical conflict - the American Civil War - Lincoln: History in an Hour is a succinct guide to the life of a great and controversial modernizer.
Henry VIII
by Simon Court
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. King of England, claimant King of France, Lord - and later King - of Ireland, Supreme Head of the Church of England and, perhaps most famously, six times a husband, Henry VIII is England's most notorious monarch. Succeeding his father, Henry VII, he allied with the Holy Roman Emperor and began his many obsessive invasions of France. Meanwhile the handsome, worldly king embarked on his famous quests for a suitable wife and heir. With marriage to Anne Boleyn came the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church, Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. From his childhood to his later years and famed appetites for food, sex and validation, Henry VIII: History in an Hour describes the life of a man whose desires and determination changed England and the world.
Titanic
by Sinead Fitzgibbon
read by Jonathan Keeble
Part of the History in an Hour series
Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. The sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago in 1912, and the subsequent deaths of over 1,500 passengers, sent shock waves around the world. Never before or since has a maritime disaster in a time of peace had such an impact. Titanic: History in an Hour is an entertaining and well researched account of the events leading up to the sinking of this 'unsinkable' ship, providing an fascinating commentary on the pressures of the White Star Line, the importance of class to Titanic's unfortunate passengers and the legacy of the disaster in Britain and America. Titanic: History in an Hour is a gripping and accessible account.