Henry V Audiobook By Dan Jones cover art

Henry V

The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King

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Henry V

By: Dan Jones
Narrated by: Dan Jones
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About this listen

"Ambitious... With meticulous research and in lively style, Jones presents us with the man beyond the Shakespeare character."—The New York Times

“The best biography yet of England’s greatest king."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Romanovs and Jerusalem

The New York Times bestselling author returns with a biography examining the dramatic life and unparalleled leadership of England's greatest medieval king

Henry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months and died at the age of just thirty-five, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt, he is remembered as the acme of kingship, a model to be closely imitated by his successors. William Shakespeare deployed Henry V as a study in youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship. For one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, “the greatest man who ever ruled England.”

For Dan Jones, Henry V is one of the most intriguing characters in all medieval history, but one of the hardest to pin down. He was a hardened, sometimes brutal warrior, yet he was also creative and artistic, with a bookish temperament. He was a leader who made many mistakes, who misjudged his friends and family, but he always seemed to triumph when it mattered. As king, he saved a shattered country from economic ruin, put down rebellions, and secured England’s borders; in foreign diplomacy, he made England a serious player once more. Yet through his conquests in northern France, he sowed the seeds for three generations of calamity at home, in the form of the Wars of the Roses.

Henry V is a historical titan whose legacy has become a complicated one. To understand the man behind the legend, Jones first examines Henry’s years of apprenticeship, when he saw the downfall of one king and the turbulent reign of another. Upon his accession in 1413, he had already been politically and militarily active for years, and his extraordinary achievements as king would come shortly after, earning him an unparalleled historical reputation. Writing with his characteristic wit and style, Jones delivers a thrilling and unmissable life of England’s greatest king.

©2024 Dan Jones (P)2024 Penguin Audio
Europe Great Britain Historical Military Politics & Activism Royalty England Middle Ages Inspiring War

Critic reviews

"Ambitious... With meticulous research and in lively style, Jones presents us with the man beyond the Shakespeare character."—The New York Times

"Jones is one of our liveliest historians, as well as one of the best informed, and his return to nonfiction after a novel-writing sabbatical elegantly marries the authority and depth of his previous histories with the brio and wit of his fiction. His reappraisal of one of England’s most celebrated but often misunderstood kings is as splendidly readable as ever, full of diverting incident and considered judgment."—The Observer (UK)

"Jones’s prose hums with energy throughout, and his ability to marry realm-scale intrigue with family drama marks this out as narrative history at its best…. He does, indeed, show us Henry’s life from many angles, reaching towards a more complete picture–and the product is an intense, rich account of an 'unusual but utterly compelling' man."—Telegraph (UK)

Engaging Storytelling • Thorough Research • Engaging Writing Style • Balanced Perspective • Accessible History
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I really enjoy Dan Jones’s history books. The author does a great job bringing the medieval age forward for modern ears. This book is slightly different from his other works in that its a biography. His style remains compelling, and the subject warrants the expose.

Brilliant!

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Dan Jones not only writes wonderfully but his reading performance is way above the norm. The way he paces his reading made for such enjoyable listening. Cannot wait to read the book myself.

Fantastic

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Author and narrator, Dan Jones did a wonderful job describing Henry V’s life and the era in which he lived. I feel like I have a better understanding for this time in English history. Historical works can sometimes be caught up with so many names, dates, and places that they become analogous to a tangled ball of yarn, hard to follow. This is NOT the case with Mr. Jones‘s effort. Henry V is clear, easy to follow, skillfully written, narrated and interesting!Thank you Mr Jones!

Fascinating History!

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I’ve enjoyed reading many of Dan Jones’s non-fiction books over the years. This is no exception.

Another great Jones work.

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Dan Jones is a master of popular history and his books on the Plantagenets and the War of the Roses are excellent entries, especially for Americans like me who didn’t learn these stories in school. This book is intended to bridge the gap between those two book. The first ends with the death of Richard II and the first starts with (if memory serves) the early days of Henry VI. Henry V, one of England’s most enduring monarchs, is mostly absent from the tale and Jones makes up for it here. He rightly says from the beginning that the tale isn’t a trilogy - this book is not of the scope of the other two. He calls it a triptych, which is a fair description. As a bridge between the two stories this book is fine, even really good. But it suffers from what all popular biographies of the era suffer from - lack of sources. Jones still weaves a good narrative, especially in the second half, but it’s a step off Jone’s other works. Still, by no means a waste of your time.

Worth a listen

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Dan Jones is one of my favorite modern historians. He doesn’t disappoint here. His impartial reporting of events are presented in a clear and entertaining way without adding superfluous and possibly inaccurate descriptions. He doesn’t give unverifiable information as fact, and points out that the incidents are not substantiated. A very good listen! Mr. Jones has a likable and pleasant personality on screen and in audio.

A comprehensive and engaging study

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Very well written and read by the author. Learned a lot without ever being bogged down in minute detail.

Enjoyable and informative

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A talented reader and writer, Dan Jones has a unique gift of bringing history to life.

Fascinating

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Superb book. Jones is brilliant writer of popular history and this may be his best book. Jones is also a great narrator.

Biography at Its Best

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We’ll written and narrated. I love a writer who can make history come alive. This writer doesn’t shirk from presenting the many sides of interpretation that exist with any historical retelling. Well Done!

A Fresh look at an Accomplished King

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