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The Birth of Britain

A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume I

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The Birth of Britain

By: Sir Winston Churchill
Narrated by: Christian Rodska
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About this listen

 The English-speaking peoples comprise perhaps the greatest number of human beings sharing a common language in the world today. These people also share a common heritage. For his four-volume work, Sir Winston Churchill took as his subject these great elements in world history. Volume 1 commences in 55BC, when Julius Caesar famously "turned his gaze upon Britain" and concludes with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.©2014 Audible, Inc. (P)2014 Audible, Inc. British History
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A political rival of Churchill described it as a History of the Things That Interest Me. With only a few hundred pages the book cannot possibly cover an in depth history.

Churchill leans towards a legendary founding of Britain, with events inevitably leading towards the present. Choice quotes "it is true, or it should be" and "a great take undone by meddlesome historians" show he's more interested in the cultural imaginaries of Britain.

He excludes some key characters, focusing mainly on Kings of England and Leaders, missing Edric Streona entirely at the end of the Anglo Saxon Era. Published in the 50s some attitudes are very much of the time, he describes Edward I as managing to conquer and even civilise the Welsh and says a Roman transported to the modern day would still find their greatest enemy East of the Rhine.

The key areas of interest to the author are the Church and Institutions, and he gives these a debate of inevitability by jumping forwards to more modern examples. The What If commentary added (ie if Henry the V had led England and France in a crusade the countries would have been United) as far as I'm aware isn't generally supported and might show some deviation from the historical method.

It tells a lot about Churchills attitude towards history and people's but as long as you're aware of the biases it's a great overview of the founding of England to the Tudor Dynasty.

A whistle stop tour of Early British history.

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A great master of the English language tells a brilliant story with powerful narrative lines and historic sensibility read by the superb Christian Rodska who imparts true Churchillian strength and purpose to every word. A truly wonderful, educational and enthralling experience.

JUST WONDERFUL

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This a sweeping account of England’s birth as a country buffeted by a sequence of invasions, assimilations and dynastic rivalries ending with the defeat of Richard III and the take-over by Henry VII. The book is well-suited to to be listened to as the writing-style is lively. It’s a bleak story at times as Europe endured many bloody battles, intrigues and ruthless leaders who executed rivals without any recourse to justice and invaded other lands in the pursuit of power. It is salutary to be reminded of how recently we lived in such brutal times.

To modern ears Churchill’s slant on history is somewhat old-fashioned as it presents conquest by English kings in a favourable light, the spread and domination by Christianity as unquestionably a good thing. However, Churchill was of a generation who venerated the British empire and mourned its loss. I had to grit my teeth when ‘Hammer of the Scots’ Edward First’s crushing defeat of the Scots is presented as a good thing!

I enjoyed the book and thought it gave a condensed and assessable overview of early English history and was particularly good in its descriptions of the ebb and flow of the War of the Roses.

Christian Rodska is a first class narrator

Pacy telling of England’s early history

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Like the other books in the series this one is exceptionally will written and really well read.

Excellent

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what an excellent precis of the history of our land, Churchill whilst renowned for his verbosity has written a real gem. Only wish I'd have read this 50 years ago.

Every Child Should Read This

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