Eyewitness 1900-1949 Audiobook By Joanna Bourke cover art

Eyewitness 1900-1949

Voices from the BBC Archive

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Eyewitness 1900-1949

By: Joanna Bourke
Narrated by: Tim Pigott-Smith
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About this listen

Eyewitness accounts from the BBC Archive are at the heart of this unique history of the first half of the 20th century, narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith. The events of 1900-1949 are described by the people who saw them happen, from the death of Queen Victoria and accession of Edward VII through the First World War, to the sinking of the Titanic, the General Strike and the Great Depression, to the Second World War and its aftermath. Events both joyful and sorrowful are illustrated with fascinating and rarely heard archive recordings, with a linking narration by the historian Joanna Bourke. Thought-provoking and moving, these are the voices of the past speaking to the present day.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 20th Century Entertainment & Performing Arts Europe Great Britain Modern Radio England Royalty Interwar Period Latin America
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While the interviews are not contemporaneous, it is still a great look at how ordinary people of Great Britain experienced the years.

Fantastic compilation

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Everyone who listens to this audio book should be humbled by the struggles the individuals in the audio book endured. Very good narrator and the interviews were interesting.

Excellent audio book

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This book is phenomenal. I will probably listen to it a few times. Lots of history and lots to learn. This makes the past come alive! It help one understand the joys and also the sorrow of the struggles during various times.
Please, PLEASE do another book with the later dates. 1950 to 2000 or 2020. I would buy it.
Thank you so much! This was a pleasure!

Love the real audio footage!

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although the subject matter is pre-1950, 90%+ of the interviews were post 1950. I was hoping for more contemporaneous sources. Still, it is worth listening to.

Very good oral history but...

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Would you listen to Eyewitness 1900-1949 again? Why?

I would, to see parts I may have missed, figuring out who was who when archived interviews were mentioned.

What other book might you compare Eyewitness 1900-1949 to and why?

Afraid I can't think of any book to compare this to.

Which character – as performed by Tim Pigott-Smith – was your favorite?

While he didn't perform them all, I liked all the characters, especially the people being interviewed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, couldn't do it.

Any additional comments?

A must-have for fans of 20th century history even if it's from a British POV.

A great retrospective

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