World Audiobooks | History

Vanished Beyond the Map: The Mystery of Lost Explorer Hubert Darrell

"Canada's greatest modern-day explorer sets out into the arctic wilderness to solve a mystery more than 100 years old. In November 1910, explorer Hubert Darrell vanished in the uncharted wilds of the Northwest Territories. A prospector who had been swept up in the Klondike Gold Rush, Darrell later made his name as an expert guide, trapper, and restless wanderer who ventured where few others dared. At a time when travel by dogsled in the North was the norm, Darrell became legendary for traversing thousands of kilometres alone and on foot; ranging over mountains and across windswept tundra from Alaska to Hudson Bay. During his epic journeys, he helped rescue sailors trapped in sea ice, led Mounties on their patrols, and even guided some of the era's most famous explorers. Roald Amundsen, the first person to reach the South Pole, held Darrell in awe, remarking once that with men like him, he could go to the moon. Contemporaries regarded Darrell as the hardiest, most competent explorer of his day. Despite clues reported by Inuit trappers and Mounted Police inquiries, his fate remains a mystery. While his disappearance sparked headlines around the world, Darrell's name would soon also vanish from the history books, ironically, just as surely as he had in the wild. Yet Darrell left behind a trail of letters, journals, and hand-drawn maps. With these faded clues and his zeal for adventure, Adam Shoalts retraces Darrell's forgotten routes through the wilderness, searching for cabin ruins and old campsites. He unearths water-stained records and tracks down elderly individuals in the hopes that they might remember someone who'd known Darrell. Part detective story, part biography, and part first-person adventure narrative, Vanished Beyond the Map combines expeditions with historical research to solve one of exploration history's enduring cold cases-the mystery of Hubert Darrell."

Adam Shoalts (Author), Adam Shoalts (Narrator)

Audiobook

Finding Hester: The Incredible Story Of The Hidden Woman Whose Love Letters Changed World War II

"Finding Hester explores the untold story of Hester Leggatt, a woman who helped trick the Nazis, and is a fascinating read for fans of West End musical Operation Mincemeat and anyone with an interest in women’s war stories Operation Mincemeat is one of the stranger tales to come out of the Second World War. A corpse dressed as a British pilot was dropped in the ocean near Spain, with the forged documents he carried landing in the hands of the Germans to convince them to move their troops to the advantage of the allied forces. It is an event perhaps most popularly told in Ben Macintyre’s 2010 book Operation Mincemeat: The True Spy Story That Changed the Course of World War II, but it has recently been retold in a 2021 film and is currently the plot of an Olivier-winning West End musical. Operation Mincemeat has never been more familiar to the public. To sell the ruse of the corpse, MI5 had to create a credible backstory for their fictitious pilot. They filled his briefcase with receipts, cigarettes, a photograph, and, importantly, two fabricated love letters. An interview with MI5 secretary Jean Leslie, conducted by Macintyre for his book, revealed the name of the woman behind those letters to be a ‘Hester Leggett’. This has been repeated ever since, including in both the film and the musical. Hester Leggett does not exist. The false identity was discovered by a group of fans of the musical. While we know much about the other key figures portrayed in the musical, Hester was always more of a mystery and once the group started to research her, they discovered she was actually Hester Leggatt. This misplaced vowel made all the difference and we uncovered a huge amount about the real Hester. This book tells the story of how the musical fanbase found her school records, her family, her real love letters from the Second World War, and definitive confirmation from MI5 that they had the right person."

Claudia Caplan Wolff, Erin Edwards, Greg Callus, Jack Lawrence, Rose Crossgrove (Author), Sarah Cullum (Narrator)

Audiobook

Human History on Drugs: An Utterly Scandalous but Entirely Truthful Look at History Under the Influe

"Did you know that Alexander the Great was a sloppy drunk, William Shakespeare was a stoner, and George Washington drank a spoonful of opium every night to staunch the pain from his fake teeth? Or how about the fact that China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, ingested liquid mercury in an (ironic) attempt to live forever, or that Alexander Shulgin, inventor of no fewer than 230 new psychedelic drugs, was an employee of the DEA? In Human History on Drugs, historian Sam Kelly introduces us to the history we weren't taught in school, offering up irreverent and hysterical commentary as he sheds light on some truly shocking aspects of the historical characters we only thought we knew. With chapters spanning from Ancient Greece ('The Oracle of Delphi Was Huffing Fumes') and the Victorian Era ('Vincent van Gogh Ate Yellow Paint') to Hollywood's Golden Age ('Judy Garland Was Drugged by Grown-Ups') and modern times ('Carl Sagan Got Astronomically High'), Kelly's research spans all manner of eras, places, and, of course, drugs. History is rife with drug use and drug users, and Human History on Drugs takes us through those highs (pun intended) and lows on a wittily entertaining ride that uncovers their seriously unexpected impact on our past."

Sam Kelly (Author), Danny Mahoney (Narrator)

Audiobook

Guadalcanal's Longest Fight: The Pivotal Battles of the Matanikau Front

"The Matanikau battles proved to be the critical turning points in the land campaign for Guadalcanal—the campaign's longest and bloodiest ground fight. A five-month conflict raged along the river and its basin. The real importance of this area has long remained unrecognized, yet the American and Japanese forces that fought over it knew that it was the key to the ultimate prize of Henderson Airfield. In this mile-long bloody tug-of-war from the river across to the hills and ravines were fought seven major battles and countless smaller skirmishes. While countless books have been published on the Guadalcanal Campaign, none have concentrated on the pivotal battles of the Matanikau basin. Extensively researched, this first in-depth study of these important battles, objectively showing all sides, fills in this crucial missing piece of the history of the Guadalcanal campaign. The well-known Guadalcanal battlefield guide Dave Holland spent three years walking the battlefields, researching, and documenting what he found. His unparalleled knowledge of the ground enables him to take the listener along with the men on the ground. Using his investigative skills and military background, he provides a fresh, detailed, and often completely new view of the land campaign."

Dave R. Holland (Author), Jonathan Todd Ross (Narrator)

Audiobook

Australia: A history

"How an ancient land became a great democracy Australia is one of the world's great success stories: a land long hidden from outsiders, chosen as a convict dumping ground, where - since 1788 - people from many backgrounds have built one of the freest, fairest and most prosperous countries on earth. By the standards of a harsher time, the early governors tried to respect the original inhabitants and to encourage the convict outcasts of the British Isles to make a new start to a better life. This Indigenous heritage, British foundation and immigrant character have shaped the land of the 'fair go' especially for those willing to 'have a go'. It's not perfect, even now, yet mostly we have a history to be proud of. Within a century of settlement, Australia had not only the world's highest standard of living but had become a global pioneer for democratic freedoms such as the secret ballot, the payment of MPs and voting rights for women. A country largely created by settlement and negotiation has evolved from 'White Australia' at the time of federation into one of the world's most colour-blind societies and has managed the transition from an old 'Anglo' identity to a civic patriotism based on an overriding commitment to Australia and its values. This book is intended to give anyone interested - as every Australian should be - an account of our past that's positive, while not oblivious to our mistakes and imperfections as a nation. If to be an Australian is still to have won the lottery of life, the history that's produced us is surely something to savour. PRAISE 'Tony Abbott's book is inspired by love of country, yet he comes to grip with our flaws. This is a fresh, powerful, highly readable single-volume history of Australia that deserves a wide audience' Paul Kelly, editor-at-large, The Australian 'Scholarly researched, scrupulously fair-minded and very engagingly written, this is big narrative history at its best. It explains why Australia is such a wonderfully unique place, and why history is all the better when written by those who themselves helped make it' - Andrew Roberts, author, Churchill: Walking with Destiny 'Not quite the ''white armband'' version of history I was expecting in the first half, nor a ''Liberal Party highlights package'' in the second half. I enjoyed reading it' - Peter FitzSimons, author, Kokoda This is an immensely readable account of how - as I frequently call it - the ''Australian Achievement'' has been built' - Hon John Howard OM AC, former prime minister of Australia 'Tony Abbott's latest book is a powerful antidote to the poison of little and bad history ... we have much to be thankful for and to build on' - Hon John Anderson AC, former deputy prime minister and leader of the National Party 'if you have a serious interest in Australian history, the book will go on your shelves' Hon Kim Beazley AC, former deputy prime minister 'Tony Abbott has written with reverence and richness, bringing our nation's past, although both painful and proud, to life with striking clarity' Nova Peris OAM OLY, first Aboriginal-Australian Olympic gold medallist and former Labor senator 'This book is a compelling reminder of our inheritance, which gives us a reason to be proud of who we are and the country we've become' - Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, federal senator for Northern Territory 'Tony Abbott brings history to life in a way that is both enlightening and deeply engaging' Brett Lee, former Australian international cricketer 'This book helps us rediscover our past with honesty and respect, so we can better understand our present and shape a stronger, more inclusive future' Dai Le MP, independent member for Fowler"

Tony Abbott (Author), Tony Abbott (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People’s History of Afghanistan

"Brought to you by Penguin. A sweeping and immersive history of modern Afghanistan from the one of the world’s leading war correspondents. In 1969, the luxury Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul opened its doors: a glistening white box, high on a hill, that reflected Afghanistan’s hopes of becoming a modern country, connected to the world. Lyse Doucet – now the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, then a young reporter on her inaugural trip to Afghanistan – first checked into the Inter-Continental in 1988. In the decades since, she has witnessed a Soviet evacuation, a devastating civil war, the US invasion, and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban, all from within its increasingly battered walls. The Inter-Con has never closed its doors. Now, she weaves together the experiences of the Afghans who have kept the hotel running to craft a richly immersive history of their country. It is the story of Hazrat, the septuagenarian housekeeper who still holds fast to his Inter-Continental training from the hotel’s 1970s glory days – an era of haute cuisine and high fashion, when Afghanistan was a kingdom and Kabul was the ‘Paris of Central Asia’. Of Abida, who became the first female chef after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. And of Malalai and Sadeq, the twenty-somethings who seized every opportunity offered by two decades of fragile democracy – only to see the Taliban come roaring back in 2021. Through these intimate portraits of Kabul life, the story of a hotel becomes the story of a people. 'Simply unforgettable' ELIF SHAFAK 'Incredible' PETER FRANKOPAN 'Utterly compelling' PHILIPPE SANDS 'Ingenious' KAMILA SHAMSIE 'Beautiful' RORY STEWART © Lyse Doucet 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Lyse Doucet (Author), Lyse Doucet (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Origin of Politics: How Evolution and Ideology Shape the Fate of Nations

"The renowned New York Times bestselling author of Before the Dawn breaks down the startling ways that evolution explains why societies succeed and fail. In the modern world, human nature is seldom taken into account by those who would reshape society. Nicholas Wade argues that’s a terrible mistake. Human nature, in the view of the progressive left, is easily ignored or else shaped into whatever the latest political doctrine may require. But the conservative view, that social engineering can never change human nature for the better, is not true either. In this deeply researched survey of biological and political history, Wade reveals the effect of ideologies that ignore human nature. Marx and Engels proposed to eliminate the family as a social unit. Their followers have sought to overturn the patriarchy and divert allegiance from the family to the state. In reality, while some policies influence human nature for the better, like those that have abolished tribalism, others, such as socialism, conflict with human nature and undermine the operation of a society. Combining the scope of Yuval Noah Harari with the political savvy of Francis Fukuyama, The Origin of Politics, Wade’s work draws from anthropology, evolutionary biology, and historical analysis to explore how human nature shapes the direction of society—and how policies which ignore human nature risk chaos and even extinction. Political scientists agree that the roots of politics must lie in human nature, but then assume that human behavior is infinitely flexible. The Origin of Politics shows that limits set by human evolution cannot be ignored without penalty. "

Nicholas Wade (Author), Charles Constant (Narrator)

Audiobook

Queer Georgians: A hidden history of lovers, lawbreakers and homemakers

"Brought to you by Penguin. History Hit podcast presenter Dr Anthony Delaney reveals the real people that inspired Gentleman Jack and the gay romances in Bridgerton, long written out of the nation's story and now lovingly restored. Mother Clap's Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tip-off leads to a midnight raid. Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets. The celebrated Chevalier d'Éon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman. In this dazzling work of restorative history, Dr Anthony Delaney has traced the stories of people daring to challenge society's expectations, unearthing archives and court records to reveal the tragedies and the joys of queer life three centuries ago. Breathing new life into the forgotten and offering radical new interpretations of celebrated figures such as Anne Lister, Queer Georgians is an invitation to view our shared history in a whole new light. 'In this moving and revelatory book, Anthony Delaney gives a voice to women and men whose lives have been written out of history' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five and Story of a Murder 'Reading this hitherto hidden history was a revelation. I was utterly enthralled from the first page to the last.' Tracy Borman, Chief Historian, Historic Royal Palaces and author of The Private Lives of the Tudors 'Anthony Delaney has opened the closet door of Jane Austen’s England and found people of every style - criminalised in their own time, ignored by ours, heroically finding their own ways.' Philippa Gregory, author of Normal Women © Anthony Delaney 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Anthony Delaney (Author), Anthony Delaney (Narrator)

Audiobook

A History of England in 25 Poems

"Brought to you by Penguin. A delightful, thoughtful and original new way to understand England's history This is the history of England told in a new way: glimpsed through twenty-five remarkable poems written down between the eighth century and today, which connect us directly with the nation’s past, and the experiences, emotions and imaginations of those who lived it. These poems open windows onto wildly different worlds – from the public to the intimate, from the witty to the savage, from the playful to the wistful. They take us onto battlefields, inside royal courts, down coal mines and below stairs in great houses. Their creators, witnesses to events from the Great Fire of London to the Miners’ Strike, range from the famous to the forgotten, yet each invites us into an immersive encounter with their own time. A History of England in 25 Poems is a portal to the past; a constant companion, filled with vivid voices and surprising stories alongside familiar landmarks, and language that speaks in new ways on each reading. Catherine Clarke’s knowledge and passion take us inside the words and the moments they capture, with thoughtful insights, humour and new perspectives on how the nation has dreamed itself into existence – and who gets to tell England’s story. 'Catherine Clarke traces centuries of English thought and poetry, from the time of Beowulf to the protests written in the wake of Brexit. She weaves together the personal and the public with stories... an excellent, all-encompassing read.' - The Idler © Catherine Clarke 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Catherine Clarke (Author), Catherine Clarke, Juanita Cox, Roy McMillan (Narrator)

Audiobook

1942: When World War II Engulfed the Globe

"A penetrating history of the year World War II became a global conflict and humankind confronted both destruction and deliverance on a planetary scale By the end of the Second World War, more than seventy million people across the globe had been killed, most of them civilians. Cities from Warsaw to Tokyo lay in ruins, and fully half of the world's two billion people had been mobilized, enslaved, or displaced. In 1942, historian Peter Fritzsche offers a gripping, ground-level portrait of the decisive year when World War II escalated to global catastrophe. With the United States joining the fight following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, all the world's great powers were at war. The debris of ships sunk by Nazi submarines littered US beaches, Germans marauded in North Africa, and the Japanese swept through the Pacific. Military battles from Singapore to Stalingrad riveted the world. But so, too, did dramas on the war's home fronts: battles against colonial overlords, assaults on internal "enemies," massive labor migrations, endless columns of refugees. With an eye for detail and an eye on the big story, Fritzsche takes us from shipyards on San Francisco Bay to townships in Johannesburg to street corners in Calcutta to reveal the moral and existential drama of a people's war filled with promise and terror."

Peter Fritzsche (Author), Teri Schnaubelt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Revolting: A riotous history of rebellions and revolutions

"Brought to you by Penguin. This is history through the eyes of Mr and Mrs Peasant (and their good friend Monsieur Guillotine...). A globetrotting, laugh-out-loud funny history from the multi-million copy bestselling author of A History of Britain in Ten Enemies and Horrible Histories. Remember, remember the 4th of November... * It is a truth universally acknowledged that the rich and powerful always look after their own and the working people are always revolting. But every now and again, a new group actually manages to seize power, and it changes history. In his new book, Revolting, bestselling Horrible Histories author Terry Deary takes readers on a hilarious and eye-opening journey through some of the most significant rebellions and uprisings that have happened through the ages, including: - Ivaylo, the Bulgarian swineherd who managed to fight off the Mongols, slay the Tsar and marry his widow in the space of a year. - Spartacus, a touch more modest in his aims, who mainly wanted to go home to see his mum. - The two suffragists who posted themselves by Royal Mail to see the prime minister (a first-class idea, though Downing Street declined the parcel). It seems we have much to learn from the tactics of revolutionaries gone by... From the peasants to the slaves, the martyrs to the mutineers, Revolting celebrates the resilience and determination of those who dared to challenge the status quo through the ages. * Turns out we've been getting the nursery rhyme wrong all these years. An explosive revelation. © Terry Deary 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Terry Deary (Author), TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Born to Be Wired: Lessons from a Lifetime Transforming Television, Wiring America for the Internet,

"If you've ever streamed a show on HBO Max, seen a Formula One race, hummed a tune on SiriusXM, bought concert tickets via Ticketmaster, or watched an Atlanta Braves game, you've crossed paths with John Malone. You just didn't know it. John Malone remains a stranger to most people, though millions have been touched by the technologies and content he made possible. In Born to Be Wired, this legendary "cable cowboy" shares stories from behind the scenes of the most transformative deals in media, entertainment, and technology. He recounts the extraordinary saga of how America was wired—how a single copper strand evolved from a rural TV-antenna service into a high-speed backbone powering the internet and clearing the path for Amazon, Facebook, and Google. Malone offers an insider's account of launching television's first cable networks—including Discovery, TBS, QVC, and BET—and the strategy behind era-defining mergers, from Warner Bros. Discovery to Live Nation Entertainment. His Liberty Media ventures, including Formula One, have delivered long-term returns often compared to Berkshire Hathaway. More than a business story, this is a personal reflection—from a quiet kid with a mechanic's curiosity to a media visionary confronting the costs and consequences of disruption in an industry he helped reshape. Trained at the storied Bell Labs and gifted with a mathematical mind, Malone saw patterns in complexity. Where others saw chaos, he saw systems—and reconfigured companies with the precision of an engineer, unlocking value no one else could see. Sweeping, revealing, and deeply human, Born to Be Wired offers a rare glimpse into the logic—and the life—behind the screen."

John Malone (Author), Fred Sanders (Narrator)

Audiobook

World Audiobooks in History