Audiobooks narrated by Charles Armstrong

Hedgelands: A wild wander around Britain's greatest habitat

In this joyous journey around the wild edges of Britain, Christopher Hart takes us through the life, ecology and history of the humble British hedge, showing us how this much-loved (but somewhat overlooked) feature is inextricably woven into our language, history and culture. Hedges – or hedgerows – have long been an integral part of the British landscape; a bastion of privacy for our gardens, a protective presence on winding country lanes and a vital hiding place for birds and beasts on farmland. This man-made marvel is finally getting its time in the sun. Recognised as an environmental hero and a powerful climate ally, hedgerow is now considered the greatest edge habitat on earth, offering thorny scrub, mature woodland, grassland and even wetland. It plays a critical role in carbon sequestration and provides essential protection against the elements. Hedgelands highlights the hawthorn and hazel of ancient hedges; the abundance of wildlife, from the elusive dunnock to the striking nightingale, the industrious hedgehog to the little harvest mouse; and the free pickings that the hedgerow offers, making it an essential – and delicious – element of any countryside ramble. Hedgelands will tell you everything you never thought you needed to know about this wild, diverse and rich habitat – and you might even look at your humble hedge in a whole new way.

Christopher Hart (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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The World War I Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained

Discover the key battles, tactics, technologies and turning points of the First World War - the epic conflict that was supposed to be 'the war to end all wars'. With authoritative, exciting text, The World War I Book explores the historical background to the war, its causes, all of key events across the major theatres of conflict, and its aftermath. Using the original approach of the series, entries profile more than 90 of the key events during and surrounding the conflict - from the growing tensions between Europe's major powers to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the German invasion of Belgium, the endless slaughter in the trenches, the American entry into the war, the Russian Revolution, the Armistice, and the creation of the League of Nations. Offering a uniquely compelling, accessible, and immediate history of the war, The World War I Book shows how certain key battles, individual leaders, political and economic forces, and technological advances influenced the course of the conflict, and the decades that followed. © 2024 Dorling Kindersley Ltd © 2024 DK Audio

Tbd (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology

Though psychologist Alfred Adler (1870-1937) does not have the wider recognition accorded Freud and Jung, his work and ideas had an enduring effect on the practice and development of psychotherapy in the 20th century. This collection of 28 lectures and essays, published under the title The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology (published in 1924), brings together many of his main ideas. Adler was initially best known for his interest in the inferiority complex and its effect on the personality and subsequent behaviour of individuals. But his focus became increasingly concerned with the particular observation that it was the social environment of individuals that had a more fundamental influence on behavioural patterns than over-arching theories on sex, symbolism, archetypes and the like. He has been described as the first ‘community psychologist.' This contributed considerably to the growth of schools of psychotherapy in the second half of the 20th century and their proliferation in the 21st. In fact, one historian has commented, “It would not be easy to find another author from which so much has been borrowed on all sides without acknowledgement than Alfred Adler.' The topics covered in this collection are varied and date from the pre- and post World War I period. It opens with Individual Psychology, its Assumptions and its Results (1914) and includes Individual-Psychological Treatment of Neuroses (1913), The Study of Child Psychology and Neurosis (1913), Nervous Insomnia (1914), Compulsion Neurosis (1918), Dreams and Dream-Interpretation (1912), and Demoralized Children (1920). His range is wide: Among them are essays such as Neurotic Hunger Strike and New Viewpoint of War Neuroses, both concerns that regularly feature in newspapers and public discussion today. As a contrast, he offers interesting observations on the writing of Dostoyevsky, and one particular case of the suicide of a prominent 19th century Austrian politician. This recording also contains (Chapter XIV) the 1918 lecture Homo-sexuality which Adler gave to the Jurististisch-Medizinische Gesellschaft of Zurich. It represents views widely held by the society of the time, which are now unacceptable. The chapter is nevertheless included here for historical purposes.

Alfred Adler (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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Assad: The Triumph of Tyranny

'Important, compelling, and detailed . . . a superb analysis of the West's policy missteps and the tragic consequences of them.' - General David Petraeus In Assad: The Triumph of Tyranny, Con Coughlin, veteran commentator on war in the Middle East and author of Saddam: The Secret Life, examines how a mild-mannered ophthalmic surgeon has transformed himself into the tyrannical ruler of a once flourishing country. Until the Arab Spring of 2011, the world's view of Bashar al-Assad was largely benign. He and his wife, a former British banker, were viewed as philanthropic individuals doing their best to keep their country at peace. So much so that a profile of Mrs Assad in American Vogue was headlined 'The Rose in the Desert'. Shortly after it appeared, Syria descended into the horrific civil war that has seen its cities reduced to rubble and thousands murdered and displaced, a civil war that is still raging over a decade later. In this vivid and authoritative account Con Coughlin draws together all the strands of Assad's remarkable story, revealing precisely how a young doctor ensured not only that he inherited the presidency from his father, but has held on to power by whatever means necessary, continuing to preside over one of the most brutal regimes of modern times.

Con Coughlin (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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Asia—Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

This collection of Culture Smart guidebooks introduces listeners to China, Japan, and India. Each guidebook includes concise chapters on the local customs, traditions, and values of the country's inhabitants and, crucially, the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them. There are sections on social and business etiquette, tips on communication, both verbal and non-verbal, and advice on how to be a good guest. The guidebook on China is written by Indre Balcikonyte-Huang and Kathy Flower. The guidebook on Japan is written by Paul Norbury. The guidebook on India is written by Becky Stephen.

Culture Smart! (Author), Anna Bentinck, Charles Armstrong, Peter Noble (Narrator)

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Europe—Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

This collection of Culture Smart guidebooks introduces listeners to Italy, Germany, and Spain. Each guidebook includes concise chapters on the local customs, traditions, and values of the country's inhabitants and, crucially, the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them. There are sections on social and business etiquette, tips on communication, both verbal and non-verbal, and advice on how to be a good guest. The guidebooks on Italy and Germany are written by Barry Tomalin. The guidebook on Spain is written by Bélen Aguado Viguer and Marian Meaney.

Culture Smart! (Author), Anna Bentinck, Charles Armstrong, Peter Noble (Narrator)

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Ancient Rome: The Definitive History

Immerse yourself in the history of ancient Rome - from its origins as a small settlement on the Palatine Hill to its peak as an empire reigning over 90 million people, and its tumultuous decline. Covering more than 1,000 years of history, and an empire that stretched from Scotland to Syria, Ancient Rome reveals in vivid detail all of the key political, cultural, and military events that shaped the Roman Empire and explores what it was like to live in a society that laid the foundations for many aspects of the modern world. Featuring Rome's greatest emperors, from Augustus to Constantine, as well as profiles of generals, historians, and influential women, Ancient Rome also delves into the fascinating stories of gladiators, bakers, and enslaved people. The most iconic buildings of Rome are brought to life while the stories of ordinary citizens, soldiers, and persecuted groups from across the empire are told with the help of artefacts, and eyewitness accounts. Ancient Rome is the perfect book for anyone who is interested in this defining period of world history. © 2023 DK © 2023 DK Audio

Dk (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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The Architecture Book

Discover the key architectural concepts behind the world's most incredible buildings and structures. The Architecture Book goes beyond other architecture books to analyse not just buildings themselves, but the ideas and principles that make each of the featured structures key to the history and evolution of our built environment. From ancient and classical architecture through Medieval, Gothic, and Renaissance buildings, the explosion of Baroque and Rococo, and the 19th-century 'battle of the styles', to the emergence of modernism, postmodernism, and the glittering skyscrapers of the 20th and 21st centuries, the book traces the evolution of construction. This book shows how architects throughout history have pushed boundaries and created innovative buildings. Examples of architectural movements and styles are drawn from all over the world and celebrated buildings from Europe and North and South America feature alongside key examples from China, Japan, and India, and stunning religious structures from mosques to churches, and from stupas to pagodas and temples. Offering a fresh perspective on our man-made environment, The Architecture Book is the essential guide for everyone who is passionate about buildings and the ideas behind them. ©2022 DK © 2022 DK Audio

Dk (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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A History of Treason: The bloody history of Britain through the stories of its most notorious traito

The bloody history of Britain through the stories of its most notorious traitors A History of Treason details British history from 1352 to 1946, covering major historical moments in a fascinating and innovative way, using the history of high treason and deception as its theme. Appealing to a range of audiences, it covers more than 650 years of momentous history through the use of both famous and lesser known events which shaped Britain. Using original documents and detailed research undertaken by The National Archives' record specialists, it will cover moments in history which led to fundamental changes in eras. It will also include unique discoveries from these archives, uncovering mysteries and stories of how dealing with treason have brought about the changes which have influenced and shaped Britain throughout the centuries. Among these are: the trial and execution of Anne Boleyn on the orders of her husband, Henry VIII several major acts of sedition, including the Gunpowder Plot and the revolution plotted in the Cato Street conspiracy the evidence brought against Sir Roger Casement, executed at Pentonville and his remains later exhumed and given a state funeral in Ireland the trial and execution of the William Joyce who, as 'Lord Haw-Haw', broadcast Nazi propaganda from Berlin during the Second World War The book covers many stories that explore the nature of treason and how the crown and state reacted to it - from the introduction of the Treason Act in 1352 right through to the twentieth century. Written by experts from among the historians at the National Archives, the book is copiously illustrated with images from the unrivalled collections of The National Archives.

The National Archives (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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Shakespeare His Life and Works

Unravel the history, themes, and language of Shakespeare's plays, poems, and sonnets with this guide to his life and works. Comedy and romance, history, and tragedy, Shakespeare's canon has it all. Some 400 years after they were written and first performed, his works still remain fresh and relevant today. Shakespeare: his life and works is an accessible and lavishly illustrated celebration of the Bard himself and his 39 plays, great sonnets, and narrative poems. Themes, plots, characters, and language are brought to life with act-by-act plot summaries, resumes of main characters, and in-depth analysis of Shakespeare's use of, and influence on, the English language. Entries also explore Shakespeare's plays, poems, and sonnets in the context of his life and the world of Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, and reveal his sources and inspirations, further enriching your experience of his work, be it on the page, stage, or screen. Shakespeare: his life and works is the perfect gift for existing Shakespeare fans, and anyone looking to find out more about the work of the world's most celebrated playwright. © 2021 Dorling Kindersley © 2022 DK Audio

Alan Riding, Leslie Dunton-Downer (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton's Endurance

The extraordinary story of how the Endurance, Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, was found in the most hostile sea on Earth in 2022 On 21 November 1915, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, finally succumbed to the crushing ice. Its crew watched in silence as the stern rose twenty feet in the air and then, it was gone. The miraculous escape and survival of all twenty-eight men on board have entered legend. And yet, the iconic ship that bore them to the brink of the Antarctic was considered forever lost. A century later, an audacious plan to locate the ship was hatched. The Ship Beneath the Ice gives a blow-by-blow account of the two epic expeditions to find the Endurance. As with Shackleton’s own story, the voyages were filled with intense drama and teamwork under pressure. In March 2022, the Endurance was finally found to headlines all over the world. Written by Mensun Bound, the Director of Exploration on both expeditions, this captivating narrative includes countless fascinating stories of Shackleton and his legendary ship. Complete with a selection of Frank Hurley’s photos from Shackleton’s original voyage in 1914–17, as well as from the expeditions in 2019 and 2022, The Ship Beneath the Ice is the perfect tribute to this monumental discovery.

Mensun Bound (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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Opera

Immerse yourself in more than 400 years of the world's most celebrated operas and discover the fascinating stories behind them. Explore the lives of singers such as Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, and Jonas Kaufmann. Meet composers like Mozart, Wagner, and Britten, and the librettists with whom they collaborated to create the magical blend of words and music that make up opera. From its origins in the 17th-century courts of Italy to live screenings in public spaces today, Opera: The Definitive Story follows the history of opera from Monteverdi's L'Orfeo in 1607, to Cosi fan Tutte, La Bohème, and modern operas such as Brokeback Mountain. It explains musical terminology, traces historical developments, and sets everything in cultural context. It also explores the great opera houses of the world, such as La Scala, Milan, the Met in New York, and the Sydney Opera House. Opera: The Definitive Story is the essential book for anyone who wants to understand and enjoy the constantly evolving world of this beloved art form. © 2022 Alan Riding; Leslie Dunton-Downer © 2022 DK Audio

Alan Riding, Leslie Dunton-Downer (Author), Charles Armstrong (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Charles Armstrong