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  • Wake Up

  • Why the world has gone nuts
  • By: Piers Morgan
  • Narrated by: Piers Morgan
  • Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,341 ratings)
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Wake Up

By: Piers Morgan
Narrated by: Piers Morgan
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Summary

The Sunday Times Number One best seller.

If, like me, you’re sick and tired of being told how to think, speak, eat and behave, then this book is for you.

If, like me, you think common sense is being thrown out of the window, then this book is for you.

If, like me, you think the world’s going absolutely nuts, then this book is for you.

If, like me, you think NHS heroes and Captain Tom are the real stars of our society, not self-obsessed, tone-deaf celebrities (and royal renegades!), then this book is for you. If, like me, you’re sickened by the cancel culture bullies destroying people’s careers and lives, then this book is for you. From feminism to masculinity, racism to gender, body image to veganism, mental health to competitiveness at school, the right to free speech and expressing an honestly held opinion is being crushed at the altar of ‘woke’ political correctness. 

In 2020, the world faced its biggest crisis in a generation: a global pandemic. In the UK, it exposed deep divisions within society and laid bare a toxic culture war that had been raging beneath the surface. From the outset, Piers Morgan urged the nation to come to its senses, once and for all, and held the government to often ferocious account over its handling of the crisis.

COVID-19 shed shocking light on the problems that plague our country. Stockpilers and lockdown-cheats revealed our grotesque levels of self-interest and the virtue-signalling woke brigade continued their furious assault on free speech, shutting down debate on important issues like gender, racism and feminism. Yet just as coronavirus exposed our flaws, it also showcased our strengths. We saw selfless bravery in the heroic efforts of our healthcare staff. A greater appreciation of migrant workers. A return of local community spirit. And inspiring, noble acts from members of the public such as Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Wake Up is Piers’ rallying cry for a united future in which we reconsider what really matters in life. It is a plea for the return of true liberalism, where freedom of speech is king. Most of all, it is a powerful account of how the world finally started to wake up, and why it mustn’t go back to sleep again. 

©2020 Piers Morgan (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"A fast, entertaining read." (The Guardian)

"A very timely trumpet blast." (Saga)

What listeners say about Wake Up

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I can't admit to listening to this book...

This book has definitely made me realise how much I personally cower to popular opinion. The lightening struck when I realised I can't discuss this book with friends and family because simply admitting to listening to it, before even stating an opinion, is guaranteed to gain me a lecture in how bad this book is and why I shouldn't listen to it. This is precisely the point of the book: how can we have a reasonable conversation if even considering an opposing view is enough to earn a barrage of hate? I'm going to listen to James O'Brien's new book next and I don't expect any backlash from my friends if I admit to listening to that. This is despite the fact that the two books are likely to agree on far more than they disagree. I had a quick look at other reviews on Amazon before writing this. They're unsurprisingly polarised. At the time of writing there are 11x one star reviews. 10 of these are not verified purchases and seem like they haven't read the book because they simply say things like "it's a terrible book." The only one star review that is verified contains a complaint about the physical condition of the book and doesn't comment on it's content as it was a gift. The book was in places funny / sad / thought provoking. Not difficult to listen to and mostly enjoyable. There were parts I disagree with and parts I agree with. As a non-Twitter celebrity follower I didn't always know what or whom he was speaking about so some parts felt irrelevant to me (which is fine, it wasn't written for me personally). I found the use of name calling (brexiteer / remoaner / wokie) cringy if I'm honest - I don't think calling names does anything but hinder genuine debate. Putting that aside, the book makes a well thought out and logical case for the central premise that there is an issue with modern liberal culture that is damaging to the ideals of liberalism and is contributing to the polarization of our lives, and the rise of the right wing. "Listening is an act of the heart - a genuine desire to understand another person." I am attempting relearn how to listen - this book was a good start for me.

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47 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Like a hammer looking for a nail

Piers Morgan has written a book chronicling the strange events that have shaped the world in the past 12 months. Many people will already be familiar with his views as he is not shy when it comes to letting people know what he thinks on Twitter (7.6 million followers) and two days a week presenting GMB (0.7million viewers). This book, narrated by the author, is a selection of extracts from his diaries and we hear his bombastic tirades attacking his favourite targets of "wokies" with special levels of bile reserved for vegans, feminists and trans people. He questions the behaviour of people on social media and feigns incredulity that people do not show each other more respect even though he, himself, is possibly one of the most high profile celebrities who regularly berate others with seemingly little thought of the potential consequences of his actions. He points out that only 20% of people are on Twitter and of these 10% are responsible for the vast majority of the most contentious tweets but fails to make the obvious connection that he must be one of these.

Paradoxically, however, Piers Morgan has been one of the most vocal critics of the UK government's disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic and has held ministers to account live on air to the extent that they have boycotted his show. And through his career there are several similar examples of how his campaigning style of journalism has lead to positive change. In this book we hear the best and worst of Piers Morgan. He comes over as a hammer looking for a nail to bash. If only he chose his targets more appropriately.

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34 people found this helpful

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Fantastic

Right up until the very last chapter when he says that “obvious racists” shouldn’t be given a platform. Right. So freedom of speech is for Piers palatable material only. I don’t want to listen to a racist nut job either. Cancelling them just cancelled everything I had just listened to via this audiobook. I was about to recommend it to every member of my woke family to digest.

I am sick of watching the evolving “must include” diversity and inclusion (apart from CHAVs, they can all sod off) culture whilst people are blissfully unaware of the most basic of discrimination and inequality. The whole premise of this book is discourse and freedom of speech. Don’t let anyone who says bad things loose though. Cancel those idiots. Might offend etc. Jesus. How disappointing

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16 people found this helpful

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Piers unfiltered and holding the world to account

This is a book that all British citizens should listen to. Piers tears apart the governments response to COVID-19 and rightfully so. This book however is so much more than that. It covers a full spectrum of topics from the Royal family to the heroic Sir Captain Tom Moore. Piers offers insights into some amazing personal meetings with Caroline Flack and Meghan Markle among many others. There are even points in the book where Piers admits his flaws....yes, honestly! :) It was a wonderful listen and I really hope that this is the first of many. It offers an insight into the mind of the man that has widely been recognised as the voice of the people throughout Britain's well-documented recent challenges. Well done Piers.

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11 people found this helpful

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Superb

The fact that this book will incense many people is precisely why it needed to be written. If journalism is the first draft of history Piers has given us a very entertaining, informative and challenging first draft of recent history viewed through the prism of Covid 19. It reads like a thriller read by a raconteur - and it's all true. Much of the world has gone mad with woke and cancel culture that needs challenging so that we can return to the world of liberalism, democracy and freedom of speech. In a world gone mad thankfully we have Piers to remind us what Evelyn Beatrice Hall wrote of Voltaire's beliefs: "I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it". And the best thing about Piers reading his own book is that he never interrupts himself!

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10 people found this helpful

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Brilliant

Very insightful. I'm indifferent about Morgan,. He's nailed this topic though. Highly recommended read / listen.

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8 people found this helpful

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COVID

Ruined by COVID spent a good fraction of the book sensationalising COVID including a fake death rate for it. He talks about freedom of speech allot but anyone who doesn’t agree with him is a misinformed idiot. But it is interesting to hear someone talking about the sleep walk into fascism.

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7 people found this helpful

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A very good listen, with many valid points

I have enjoyed this book, many points are valid and I would say it's for the most part realistic viewpoints.

however, a couple of issues I do believe got skewed in my opinion, much of the general direction is aimed at coming together and going back to basics on debate, understanding, respect and diversity, points I very much respect, however I would say that Piers has lost sight of that himself, with "good theories" but "bad practice" as slurs, slights and disrespectful comments are repeatedly spoken and aimed at the opposing "faction" while principles are aimed for, the dark side has taken him somewhat, but many general points are valid, I however will not take in any slurs of any individuals or factions from a 3rd party point of view, it's not good to do in my opinion as it would just intensify division.

one point I found I disagreed with was a statement on politicians and government being accountable to GMB viewers, I would say this is not the case, politicians do have a "Duty" to the public but they are not required to do this through any certain outlet, the statement "do thier duty to GMB viewers" this is an "advert" or a source of outlet favouritism, I didn't like this statement for that reason, any media outlet is acceptable so long as duty is performed.

Overall this book has many informative, logical and realistic views, I would however take some of it with a pinch of salt, it's clear that Piers seems somewhat "corrupted" by a continuous barrage of life's challenges in which he speaks.

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6 people found this helpful

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The best of Piers without the Shouty

Brilliantly articulated and reasoned arguments. I don’t think I can disagree with any of them. Gives context to his behaviour and interview style on GMB which, whilst I would still prefer he lets his guests speak and hang by their own words, I understand why he does it. My son is now sick of the sound of your voice however!

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Disappointing.

Not exactly sure what I was expecting, so it's hard to be overly critical but I just thought it was a bit boring. Although I agree with most of what is spoken about, it just didn't captivate me. Sorry. I'd stick to TV Piers.

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4 people found this helpful