The Battle of Britain
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The Battle of Britain
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Narrated by:
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Al Murray
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By:
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James Holland
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
This audio edition includes an exclusive Q&A between James Holland and Al Murray.
'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940. He was right. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union.
The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled under the force of the Nazi hammer blow. With France facing defeat and with British forces pressed back to the Channel, there were few who believed Britain could possibly survive. Soon, it seemed, Hitler would have all of Europe at his feet.
Yet Hitler's forces were not quite the Goliath they at first seemed, while her leadership lacked the single-minded purpose, vision and direction that had led to such success on land. Nor was Britain any David. Thanks to a sophisticated defensive system and the combined efforts of the RAF, Royal Navy as well as the mounting sense of collective defiance led by a new Prime Minister, Britain was not ready to roll over just yet.
From clashes between coastal convoys and Schnellboote in the Channel to astonishing last stands in Flanders and from the slaughter by the U-boats in the icy Atlantic to the dramatic aerial battles over England, The Battle of Britain tells this most epic of stories from all sides, drawing on extensive new research from around the world. In so doing, it paints a complete picture of that extraordinary summer - a time in which the fate of the world truly hung by a thread.
©2020 James Holland (P)2020 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Battle of Britain
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 29-05-20
The perfect combination
James Hollands writing and and Al Murrays reading It just works. Deeply researched and perfectly presented. Get this
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- HGJohn
- 03-08-20
Puts the Battle of Britain in its proper context
By starting with the invasion of France and by also covering the Battle of the Atlantic, this book covers far more than just the air war over Southern England. The book tells the whole story of the spring summer and early autumn of 1940 and is much the better for it.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Andrew Connolly
- 31-07-20
Excellent recounting of the BoB
I really enjoyed the book - made more interesting by the use of many points of view, personal and national.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Martin
- 07-07-21
Thoroughly researched and brilliantly narrated
I am a big James Holland fan and Al Murray is passionate about WW2 history, so this was always going to be a pleasures to listen to.
Some reviews don’t like that the book starts way before May 1940, with a full run down on the BEF in France, leading up to Dunkirk, but this is essential in setting the scene.
A great listen. Burma next…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Bligh
- 14-10-21
Heavy but fascinating
I found I could only take about an hour a day. It was exhaustive. The research brilliant , the pace breathless. So I Had to stop to let the details sink in. Tying in the battle of France , Dunkirk, Fighter Command and then the battle over England was masterful. Why the RAF in France didn't seem to work well with the Army followed by the part played by Bomber Command at night over Western Europe during the Battle of Britain was all new to me. Super.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Bev
- 02-02-23
it's as if you were there
By the end of the book it feels like I was actually part of it
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- paul carley
- 22-02-23
Fantastic recount of history.
Another fantastic account of history, expertly narrated. Recommended whole heartedly to any one with an interest in WW2.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Craig
- 28-06-20
Utterly Superb
The book shows both sides, living the conflict from both British and German viewpoints. From pilots, political leaders and members of the public. A simple idea but a brilliant idea that drags you into the narrative.
The detail is immense, the drama feels real and the overall feeling is that of just how lucky the entire world was, not just Britain, that we prevailed in 1940. The narrative swings from factual detail to hugely emotional moments. Al Murray the perfect foil.
As Churchill said, never has so much........
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Russ
- 01-06-20
Another stunner from Holland
A new look at the BOB, in a depth and breadth never before achieved. Starting with the German invasion on 10 May and ending in Nov 1940.
The reading by Murray is so much better than Sackville's effort for the same author in Normandy 44. Murray understands the subject and doesn't go for the silly accents as Sackville did.
Holland's style of a wide history with personal accounts from both sides with the usual chapter on the technical aspects and new material from deep research sheds new light on a oft examined subject, close to the heart of many a small boy from the late 1960's who had just seen the epic Battle of Britain at the cinema.
Recommended. Burma next, in no little part thanks to the 10minutes at the end of the last chapter of this offering.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Q C.
- 09-07-20
Well if I’m honest....
Overall another good piece of work, a little bit of a coffee table book if I’m honest. I think it’s good how it puts the Battle back in its historic context rather than the current Daily Mail History random ranking . A little heavy going at first and maybe not for those expecting endless recollections of dog fights and a boys own read. Al Murray maybe wasn’t best choice as reader....a little over excited in parts. There were errors too, which worry me! 303 were not top scoring squadron as far as I understood, Basingstoke was not bombed as it was close to Bodiham, but surely RAF Odiham, in a different county and close by.....(incidentally a WW1 veteran of the trenches told me watching Basingstoke get bombed was the most exciting thing he ever saw.....make of that what you will)! ......and obviously no one ever shot down a V2. Small errors? Or something more serious? Maybe an error in over excited reading perhaps. All in all it’s a good listen, and I will no doubt listen again. I have several JH books now, and on the strength of this have just bought Sicily so hopefully I’m not too scathing.
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