Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Command

  • How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War
  • By: Al Murray
  • Narrated by: Al Murray
  • Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (352 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Command cover art

Command

By: Al Murray
Narrated by: Al Murray
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

'Rommel?' 'Gunner Who?' cover art
Let's Re-Great Britain cover art
The Doughboys cover art
The Recollections of Rifleman Bowlby cover art
The Mighty Endeavor cover art
Paddy Mayne cover art
Storm Clouds over the Pacific, 1931-1941 cover art
Charles Darwin cover art
Flamethrower cover art
Cinderella Boys cover art
Victory to Defeat cover art
One of Our Submarines cover art
Red Devils cover art
A War of Empires cover art
Siege at Jadotville cover art
Adolf Hitler cover art

Summary

A unique analysis of the greatest commanders who helped the allies win the Second World War, written by one of the UK's best loved comedians and commentators. He also loves history.

Al Murray's passion for military history and the Second World War in particular has always run parallel with his comedy and was brought to the fore with several acclaimed and award-winning television shows and the recent huge success of his podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk which he hosts with fellow bestselling military author James Holland. In his first serious narrative book, Command showcases Al Murray's passion for this pivotal period in the twentieth century, as he writes an engaging, entertaining and sharp analysis of the key allied military leaders in the conflict.

Command highlights the performance and careers of some of the leading protagonists who commanded armies, as well as the lesser-known officers who led divisions, regiments and even battalions for the British, Commonwealth and United States of American armies. By showcasing each combat commander across every major theatre of operations the allies fought in, Murray tells the story of how the Western Allies rebounded from early shocking defeats (Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor) to then victories (El Alamein and D-Day) in its efforts to defeat the Axis forces of Nazi Germany and Japan, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges that faced them. Command is the book for all fans of Second World War History who appreciate a true enthusiast of the genre with something new and compelling to say.

©2022 Al Murray (P)2022 Quercus Editions Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"Al Murray's new book proves, if anyone still feels the need to question it, that he is a major historian in his own right. Command is everything popular history should be: authoritative, full of deep wisdom and knowledge, genuinely fresh and original in approach and content and both compelling and entertainingly written. Skilfully blending the famous names with those lesser known, he examines each in a completely fresh light, focussing on differing aspects that collectively offer a satisfyingly comprehensive whole that takes the reader on a journey across a wide range of landscapes, theatres and battles. It is an utter joy to read from start to finish." (James Holland)

What listeners say about Command

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    290
  • 4 Stars
    40
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    274
  • 4 Stars
    30
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    255
  • 4 Stars
    32
  • 3 Stars
    16
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars

it was OK

it wasnt a book about how he thought the allies won the war through command, rather a rant of stories from a pub landlord or regular that wandered through to conclude with a trite statement about the true sacrifices of war.

enjoyable but not very educational

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen and hard to put down

A lovely sprint through a subject that would normally be a marathon and too dry. Some great anecdotes and tantalising leads to future investigations I hope to pick up

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An interesting book.

Really enjoyed the book, well narrated by Al Murray. Very interesting and an easy listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Illuminating

I enjoyed Murray's presentation on subjects I study. Well worth the time spent listening to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Al is a Legend

a fantastic in depth look at the Allies during the war. I love Al as a Narrator and the book goes of on some fantastic and in depth tangent but then always links you back in to the subject. Fantastic book which I'd highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

How quickly the tech and tactics evolved during the war……and the cost in lives to achieve it.

Great delivery by Al Murray, and some interesting insights, plus the odd flash of black humour.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Further volumes required.

Mr Murray has initiated what could be a voluminous collection. I hope he releases further books in a similar vein as there are many more 'players' which could be included, It would be difficult to know where to stop being the only potential caveat.

Enjoyable throughout, even tho' I was familiar with the biographies (where they existed) of those figures included.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

First Class

Al Murray brings a clear calm sharp voice and eye to his subject. His passion is like a comfort. Excellent!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another great book from Al Murray

Each chapter is a concise biography and examination of some major names from WW2.
Their faults as well as their strengths is all laid out, and it gives a much better understanding of some of these quite complex people.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A riveting tale.

Al Murray is a keen student, nay expert in the field of modern military matters and his guide to the tortuous process by which the British Army - along with her allies - learned to fight back and eventually defeat Hitler’s much-feared war machine is a compelling one. Told with passion and with the expected - but pithy and sparingly-employed - humour one would expect of a comedy writer and performer this is a highly-informative and entertaining listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!