Audiobooks by Martin Goodman

Herod the Great: Jewish King in a Roman World

A vivid account of the political triumphs and domestic tragedies of the Jewish king Herod the Great during the turmoil of the Roman revolution Herod the Great (73-4 BCE) was a phenomenally energetic ruler who took advantage of the chaos of the Roman revolution to establish himself as a major figure in a changing Roman world and transform the landscape of Judaea. Both Jews and Christians developed myths about his cruelty and rashness: in Christian tradition he was cast as the tyrant who ordered the Massacre of the Innocents; in the Talmud, despite fond memories of his glorious Temple in Jerusalem, he was recalled as a persecutor of rabbis. The life of Herod is better documented than that of any other Jew from antiquity, and Martin Goodman examines the extensive literary and archaeological evidence to provide a vivid portrait of Herod in his sociopolitical context: his Idumaean origins, his installation by Rome as king of Judaea and cultivation of leading Romans, his massive architectural projects, and his presentation of himself as a Jew, most strikingly through the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. Goodman argues that later stories depicting Herod as a monster derived from public interest in his execution of three of his sons after dramatic public trials foisted on him by a dynastic policy imposed by the Roman emperor.

Martin Goodman (Author), Will Tulin (Narrator)

Audiobook

A History of Judaism

A sweeping history of Judaism over more than three millenniaJudaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other.In this magisterial and elegantly written book, Martin Goodman takes readers from Judaism's origins in the polytheistic world of the second and first millennia BCE to the temple cult at the time of Jesus. He tells the stories of the rabbis, mystics, and messiahs of the medieval and early modern periods and guides us through the many varieties of Judaism today. Goodman's compelling narrative spans the globe, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to North Africa, China, and India. He explains the institutions and ideas on which all forms of Judaism are based, and masterfully weaves together the different threads of doctrinal and philosophical debate that run throughout its history.A History of Judaism is a spellbinding chronicle of a vibrant and multifaceted religious tradition that has shaped the spiritual heritage of humankind like no other.

Martin Goodman (Author), Derek Perkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ectopia (unabridged)

Daniel Hird For sixteen years the Earth has baked and no girls have been born. Karen's the last girl and Steven's her gay twin. Dad turns their home into a fortress as women take the chance to rule the world. Their eyes are on Steven. Perhaps, with a little medical interference, he could be the saviour of the world. 'Steven is a brilliant narrator with a thrilling tale to tell. His language sculpts this reality in a striking, penetrating way, often combining beautiful observations with cutting colloquial realism.' - Barbara Melville, Interzone Ectopia takes themes of gender, feminism, climate change, cloning, psychedelics, racism, and genetic modification and mixes them into a 21st Century Brave New World 'Ectopia is a thought provoking read that isn't afraid to take risks, which gives it a leg up in the crowded dystopian marketplace.' - Litreactor 'Ectopia is a terrific novel with excellent characterisation, world-building, narration and dialogue. It's also thematically strong, exploring the connections between binary concepts, including male versus female, gay versus straight, and soulful versus soulless. The result is a story of great depth, raising questions about who we are and how we define ourselves.' - Interzone Bios Author Born in Leicester, Martin Goodman's career in writing, teaching, acting and publishing has taken him around the globe. 'All we can do is rattle the bars and look after him as he runs into the hills. We wait for his letters home.' - The Los Angeles Times. He's published eleven books, some award-winning and most not. He is Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Hull. Narrators Daniel Hird is a Scottish actor and theatre-maker who trained at Manchester School of Theatre. On Stage he has appeared in his own one-man show OLD BONES (Jen McGregor), as well as HEAVEN BURNS (Jen McGregor and Flavia D'Avila), VOLANTE (Jen McGregor), and #SONS OF GOD: A COMPACT CORIOLANUS (William Shakespeare: adapted by Jen McGregor). For Manchester School of theatre, he has appeared in ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD (Simon Stephens), VINEGAR TOM (Caryl Churchill), BABIES (Jonathan Harvey), and IMAGE OF AN UNKNOWN YOUNG WOMAN (Elinor Cook). On Screen Daniel has appeared in BOB SERVANT (Neil Forsyth), and has provided voices for numerous BBC Documentaries. Daniel was also a finalist at the 2021 Carlton Hobbs Award. Emma Tierney has a BA (hons) in Acting from the University of Central Lancashire, and is represented by Urban Talent. Emma has been lucky enough to work with companies such as the BBC, Red Production Company and AbbottVision over the last few years. Ectopia is her first audiobook and she's thrilled to have been cast as the voice of Karen.

Martin Goodman (Author), Daniel Hird, Emma Tierney (Narrator)

Audiobook