Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Alexander the Great
- His Life and His Mysterious Death
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Alexander the Great
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Summary
What can we learn from the stunning rise and mysterious death of the ancient world’s greatest conqueror? An acclaimed biographer reconstructs the life of Alexander the Great in this magisterial revisionist portrait.
“[An] infectious sense of narrative momentum.... Its energy is unflagging, including the verve with which it tackles that teased final mystery about the specific cause of Alexander’s death.” (The Christian Science Monitor)
More than two millennia have passed since Alexander the Great built an empire that stretched to every corner of the ancient world, from the backwater kingdom of Macedonia to the Hellenic world, Persia, and ultimately to India - all before his untimely death at age 33. Alexander believed that his empire would stop only when he reached the Pacific Ocean. But stories of both real and legendary events from his life have kept him evergreen in our imaginations with a legacy that has meant something different to every era: In the Middle Ages he became an exemplar of knightly chivalry, he was a star of Renaissance paintings, and by the early 20th century he'd even come to resemble an English gentleman. But who was he in his own time?
In Alexander the Great, Anthony Everitt judges Alexander’s life against the criteria of his own age and considers all his contradictions. We meet the Macedonian prince who was naturally inquisitive and fascinated by science and exploration, as well as the man who enjoyed the arts and used Homer’s great epic, the Iliad, as a bible. As his empire grew, Alexander exhibited respect for the traditions of his new subjects and careful judgment in administering rule over his vast territory. But his career also had a dark side. An inveterate conqueror who in his short life built the largest empire up to that point in history, Alexander glorified war and was known to commit acts of remarkable cruelty.
As debate continues about the meaning of his life, Alexander's death remains a mystery. Did he die of natural causes - felled by a fever - or did his marshals, angered by his tyrannical behavior, kill him? An explanation of his death can lie only in what we know of his life, and Everitt ventures to solve that puzzle, offering an ending to Alexander’s story that has eluded so many for so long.
Critic reviews
"Reads as easily as a novel.... [Anthony] Everitt has a wealth of anecdotes and two millennia of histories to work with, and he delivers and interprets them flawlessly. Nearly unparalleled insight into the period and the man make this a story for everyone." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
“Everitt, an expert storyteller, has written a riveting narrative that restores Alexander to his own context - and takes a whack at solving the remaining mysteries.... Along the way, he takes us on a spirited passage through the ancient world, from the Balkans to South Asia.” (BookPage)
"Ancient history expert Everitt attacks the young Macedonian king’s astonishing conquests on three continents - Africa, Asia, and Europe - with relish.... This detailed account of the intriguing ancient military genius will fascinate military history readers eager to learn more about Alexander’s motivation and the lifelong fearlessness that propelled him to near-mythic status." (Publishers Weekly)
More from the same
What listeners say about Alexander the Great
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- ReeceThornley
- 21-05-23
Great overview of his life. I'd recommend it
Great overview. I did find it a little underwhelming because so much happened and it all came to nothing in the end.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- @ZennyReadsAlot
- 01-04-22
Brutal, cunning and a page turner
Alexander the Great by Anthony Everitt. This #book uncovers the history of a fearless warrior who was as brutal as he was brave.
The story was engaging & gripping right through to his end... by poisoning? The truth is still unknown. 📚 5/5🌟 #BookReview
#BookRecommendation
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 02-07-20
very good
Surprised expected to be a heavy listen . Very good narrator interesting and informative .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- edward sidsaph
- 10-09-19
A good listen
A very easy to listen to audio book.John does a solid and entertaining job.Alexander dead for well over 2000 years is still very much in the West's psyche and long may it continue.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matt
- 06-08-20
Excellent account
Saw some mixed reviews so was in two minds whether to get this or not, very glad I did. Easy to follow and informative, also the narrator does a very good job.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jonny Chapelow
- 14-05-21
Epics of Alexander
Over the last few months I have taken my spare time to learn about Alexander the Great. I read Arrian, Robin Lane Fox's book on Alexander, listened to podcasts, watched documentaries, and even watched the highly criticised Oliver Stone movie. I have to say Anthony Everitts Audible has been very captivating and taught me a lot on the life of Alexander. The narrator has done a great job and I never felt once that his voice was boring or disinteresting. If you're looking for an audible to understand more about Alexander, his life, his army, and his journeys - then I can't recommend anywhere else to start other than here, of course followed up by Arrian!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-10-21
Great book, beautifully narrated.
I'm quite fussy when it comes to history books and narrators. This one ticked both boxes for me. I didn't know much about Alexander before listening but was more acquainted with events proceeding his death. I learnt a lot of things that surprised me as well as fascinated me as a result of this audiobook. I highly recommend this for anyone with an interest in Alexander's life and the events surrounding it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adonis Michael
- 29-07-22
Awesome !
The best book on Alexander The Great! The only bad point was that it had to end
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ralphie
- 28-07-23
So much murder and mayhem
Interesting stuff but at times there was so much murder, mayhem and bloody battles it was hard too keep up.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Zazafraz
- 28-10-23
The life that all great men hope to emulate.
A nice and detailed telling of the life of the original role model of almost all great men in history. Caesar, Napoleon, Mithridates the 6th, you can name it, they all hoped to live up to Alexander. We also get to see the hero Alexander tried to live up to.
A lot of throwbacks to his life and repeated examples of the characteristics that defined the young ruler. Amazing book, and a joy to hear.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!