Europe Audiobooks | Travel

The old world dying on its feet, a new one struggling to be born . . . 'Stunning' -- Emily St. John Mandel 'A timely, exquisite and unputdownable reminder of love and compassion in the smallest room where women are giving birth and other women are dying and yet love - in all its joy and complexity - still finds a place' -- Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Dublin, 1918. In a country doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city centre, where expectant mothers who have come down with an unfamiliar flu are quarantined together. Into Julia's regimented world step two outsiders: Doctor Kathleen Lynn, on the run from the police, and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney. In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over the course of three days, these women change each other’s lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity, carers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work. In The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue tells an unforgettable and deeply moving story of love and loss. From the bestselling author of The Wonder and Room Guardian's 'Brilliant Books to Transport You This summer' Cosmopolitan's 'Best Books to Read this summer' Stylist's 'Best summer Reads

Emma Donoghue (Author), Emma Lowe (Narrator)

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Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture

On August 19, 1418, a competition concerning Florence's magnificent new cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore was announced: 'Whoever desires to make any model or design for the vaulting of the main Dome . . . shall do so before the end of the month of September.' The proposed dome was regarded far and wide as all but impossible to build. The dome would literally need to be erected over thin air. Of the many plans submitted, one stood out. It was offered not by a master mason or carpenter, but by a goldsmith and clockmaker named Filippo Brunelleschi, who would dedicate the next twenty-eight years to solving the puzzles of the dome's construction. In the process, he did nothing less than reinvent the field of architecture. Brunelleschi's Dome is the story of how a Renaissance genius bent men, materials, and the very forces of nature to build an architectural wonder we continue to marvel at today. Denounced at first as a madman, Brunelleschi was celebrated at the end as a genius. He engineered the perfect placement of brick and stone, built ingenious hoists and cranes to carry an estimated 70 million pounds hundreds of feet into the air, and designed the workers' platforms and routines so carefully that only one man died during the decades of construction.

Ross King (Author), James Cameron Stewart (Narrator)

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Merlin: The Power Behind the Spitfire, Mosquito and Lancaster: The Story of the Engine That Won the

The most iconic planes of WWII, the Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, DeHavilland Mosquito and the Avro Lancaster, were all powered by one engine, the Rolls-Royce Merlin. The story of the Merlin is one of British ingenuity at its height, of artistry and problem-solving that resulted in a war-winning design. Published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain, Merlin is the extraordinary story of the development of the Rolls-Royce engine that would stop Hitler from invading Britain and carry the war to the very heart of Germany. The story of the Merlin engine encompasses the history of powered flight, from the ingenuity of the Wright Brothers to the horrors of World War I, and from the first crossing of the Atlantic to the heady days of flying in the 1920s. There is also the extraordinary story of the Schneider Trophy – an international contest wherein nations poised on the precipice of war competed for engineering excellence in the name of progress. And at the heart of this story are the glamourous lives of the pilots, many of whom died in their pursuit of speed; the engineers, like Henry Royce of Rolls-Royce, who sketched the engine that would win WWII in the sand of his local beach; and perhaps most importantly the Lady Lucy Houston who after the Wall Street Crash singlehandedly funded the development of the engine and the iconic Spitfire. Never was so much owed by so many to so few – and without the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, the few would have been powerless.

Graham Hoyland (Author), Philip Pope (Narrator)

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The Greek Connection: The Life of Elias Demetracopoulos and the Untold Story of Watergate

He was one of the most fascinating figures in twentieth-century political history. Yet today, Elias Demetracopoulos is strangely overlooked-even though his life reads like an epic adventure story . . . As a precocious twelve-year-old in occupied Athens, he engaged in heroic resistance efforts against the Nazis, for which he was imprisoned and tortured. After his life was miraculously spared, he became an investigative journalist, covering Greece's tumultuous politics and America's increasing influence in the region. A clever and scoop-hungry reporter, Elias soon gained access to powerful figures in both governments . . . and attracted many enemies. When the Greek military dictatorship took power in 1967, he narrowly escaped to Washington DC, where he would lead the fight to restore democracy in his homeland-while running afoul of the American government, too. Now, after a decade of research and original reporting, James H. Barron uncovers the story of a man whose tireless pursuit of uncomfortable truths would put him at odds with not only his own government, but that of the Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan administrations, making him a target of CIA, FBI, and State Department surveillance and harassment-and Greek kidnapping and assassination plots American authorities may have purposefully overlooked.

James H. Barron (Author), Robert Fass (Narrator)

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End of a Berlin Diary

A radio broadcaster and journalist for Edward R. Murrow at CBS, William L. Shirer was new to the world of broadcast journalism when he began keeping a diary while on assignment in Europe during the 1930s. It was in 1940, when he was still virtually unknown, that Shirer wondered whether his eyewitness account of the collapse of the world around Nazi Germany could be of any interest or value as a book. Shirer’s Berlin Diary, which is considered the first full record of what was happening in Germany during the rise of the Third Reich, appeared in 1941. The book was an instant success—and would not be the last of his expert observations on Europe. Shirer returned to the European front in 1944 to cover the end of the war. As the smoke cleared, Shirer—who watched the birth of a monster that threatened to engulf the world—now stood witness to the death of the Third Reich. End of a Berlin Diary chronicles this year-long study of Germany after Hitler. Through a combination of Shirer’s lucid, honest reporting, along with passages on the Nuremberg trials, copies of captured Nazi documents, and an eyewitness account of Hitler’s last days, Shirer provides insight into the unrest, the weariness, and the tentative steps world leaders took towards peace.

William L. Shirer (Author), Grover Gardner (Narrator)

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The Nazis: A Warning From History

Brought to you by Penguin. Following the success of Rees' bestselling Auschwitz, this substantially revised and updated edition of The Nazis - A Warning from History tells the powerfully gripping story of the rise and fall of the Third Reich. During a 16-year period, acclaimed author and documentary-maker Laurence Rees met and interviewed a large number of former Nazis, and his unique insights into the Nazi psyche and World War 2 received enormous praise. At the heart of the book lies compelling eyewitness accounts of life under Adolf Hitler, spoken through the words of those who experienced the Nazi regime at every level of society. An extensive new section on the Nazi/Soviet war (previously published in Rees' War of the Century) provides a chilling insight into Nazi mentality during the most bloody conflict in history. Described as one of the greatest documentary series of all times The Nazis - A Warning from History won a host of awards, including a BAFTA and an International Documentary Award. © Laurence Rees 1997 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Laurence Rees (Author), Jonthan Keeble (Narrator)

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From the Realm of a Dying Sun: Volume 1: IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-Novembe

The histories of the first three SS corps are well known-the actions of I, II, and III (Germanic) SS-Panzerkorps and their subordinate divisions, including the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Das Reich, Hitlerjugend, Hohenstaufen, Frundsberg, and Nordland divisions, have been thoroughly documented and publicized. Overlooked in this pantheon is another SS corps that never fought in the west or in Berlin but one that participated in many of the key battles fought on the Eastern Front during the last year of the war-the IV SS-Panzerkorps. Activated during the initial stages of the defense of Warsaw in late July 1944, the corps, consisting of both the 3. and 5. SS-Panzer Divisions (Totenkopf and Wiking, respectively) was born in battle and spent the last ten months of the war in combat, figuring prominently in the battles of Warsaw, the attempted Relief of Budapest, Operation Spring Awakening, the defense of Vienna, and the withdrawal into Austria where it finally surrendered to US forces in May 1945. Herbert Otto Gille's IV SS-Panzerkorps was renowned for its tenacity, high morale and, above all, its lethality, whether conducting a hard-hitting counterattack or a stubborn defense in situations where its divisions were hopelessly outnumbered.

Douglas E. Nash Sr., Douglas E. Nash, Sr. (Author), David De Vries (Narrator)

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Hold Tight: Black Masculinity, Millennials and the Meaning of Grime

Hold Tight is the book that kick started the 'Grime Library'. Bursting into bookshops in July 2017 to rave reviews and a sold out event at Rough Trade East, Hold Tight paved the way for Grime-related books such as Wiley's Eskiboy, Dan Hancox's Inner City Pressure and DJ Target's Grime Kids. Celebrating over sixty key songs that make up Grime's DNA, Jeffrey Boakye explores the meaning of the music and why it has such resonance in the UK. Boakye also examines the representation of masculinity in the music and the media that covers it. Both a love letter to Grime and an investigation into life as a black man in Britain today, Hold Tight is insightful, very funny and stacked with sentences you'll want to listen to again and again. "Witty and perceptive, confident and charming-and its flow and timing are flawless." THE GUARDIAN

Jeffrey Boakye (Author), Ben Bailey Smith (Narrator)

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Swabian League, The: The History and Legacy of the Mutual Defense Pact for the Holy Roman Empire’s I

The Holy Roman Empire was a fascinating institution as well as one of the most perplexing and contradictory. It was both German and universal. It was created by the Catholic Church, yet in the end enshrined confessional freedom in its constitution. It was both an empire and a collection of loosely federated principalities and city-states. It was Roman, but based in Germany, and for most of its existence it either ignored the Vatican or was at war with it. The Swabian League, an alliance of cities and states in the southwest of Germany within the Holy Roman Empire was interesting in itself both for the way it influenced imperial politics and for how it shaped the German nation and thus the history of Europe. There were two Swabian Leagues, with the first in the High Middle Ages and the second being formed during the Renaissance. The Protestant Reformation tore apart the alliances in the 16th century, and the divisions continued to influence the history of Germany well beyond the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. In fact, it can be argued that the Swabian League created the German nation as it exists today, and its influence lives on through the autonomous Swabian peoples who live in the federal German state of Baden-Wurttemberg. The Swabian League: The History and Legacy of the Mutual Defense Pact for the Holy Roman Empire’s Imperial Estates examines the events that led to the formation of the Swabian League, and what eventually brought about its demise.

Charles River Editors (Author), Stephen Platt (Narrator)

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Norse Mythology: Scandinavian History, Legends, Gods, and Goddesses

How did the ancient Vikings live? What was their society like? This and many other questions about history and mythology will be answered in this brief guide. For example, an entire chapter is devoted to women’s roles in Viking society. Other chapters discuss the appearance of trolls and other creatures in Norse myths. You’ll find out why certain popular children’s movies have included Viking clothing and other elements in their narrative, what Viking art is all about. Last but not least, you can learn more about Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the heroes in Viking myths. Do yourself a favor and get this book now.

Birker Leif (Author), Christopher Knight (Narrator)

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Norse Mythology: Fascinating Myths and Heroes from Ancient Scandinavia (2 in 1)

This book consists of two titles, which are the following: Book 1: Scandinavians of the ancient world had many gods and goddesses they worshiped. Are you curious about which ones they revered so much? Well, in this guide, that’s exactly what you will learn. To start off, this brief guide will go over some a quick history of the Vikings. Then, you will discover more about several deities that are worth mentioning, as well as some queer beliefs and false notions that have been spread about the Norse. Book 2: How did the ancient Vikings live? What was their society like? This and many other questions about history and mythology will be answered in this brief guide. For example, an entire chapter is devoted to women’s roles in Viking society. Other chapters discuss the appearance of trolls and other creatures in Norse myths. You’ll find out why certain popular children’s movies have included Viking clothing and other elements in their narrative, what Viking art is all about. Last but not least, you can learn more about Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the heroes in Viking myths.

Birker Leif (Author), Christopher Knight (Narrator)

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Norse Mythology: Gods, Goddesses, and Heroic Figures from Scandinavia

Historical and mythological anecdotes are given in this fascinating compilation of stories and facts. Some of the things you will read about or listen to, concern the following: - The meaning of the word Viking. - How Vikings in Norway were, in particular. - Stories about the creation of the Cosmos. - The famous tale of Ask and Embla. - The War of Aesir-Vanir. - Thor’s hammer and its background story. - Asgard and its significance in Norse mythology. And many other things. Get started now and get the information and drama you are craving!

Birker Leif (Author), Christopher Knight (Narrator)

Audiobook

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