On the Run
A History of Deserters and Desertions
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Narrated by:
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John Telfer
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By:
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Graeme Kent
About this listen
A unique and anecdote-filled history of desertion. There have been many books written about valour in battle. This is not one of them. On the contrary, On the Run deals entirely with those men and women who, over thousands of years, have departed with alacrity and for multifarious reasons from life in the armed forces.
For as long as there have been wars there have been those who have fled, sometimes precipitously, from the cannon's roar. This fascinating history of deserters and desertion, from the beginning of recorded time to the present day, details many of those characters who, for a multitude of often complex reasons, have gone absent without leave. Among their number are poets and pugilists, thieves and thugs, lovers and lunatics, princes and politicians, comedians and conspirators, film stars and fanatics, and even a Pope, all brought together by the simple fact that at one time or another they went on the run.
Covering thousands of years in time and over forty different countries, this extraordinary book, the first of its kind, presents a fascinating anecdotal history of perhaps the most controversial and emotive subject in war, in this and any other age.
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Editorial reviews
A unique and often-overlooked subject in military history, this history of deserters and desertion from military operations explores a subject that deserves further study. With a British formalism and sophistication, John Telfer performs this detailed history of desertion, On the Run: A History of Deserters and Desertions by Graeme Kent. Author of several other works of history and former producer for the BBC, Graeme Kent tells the story of desertion anecdotally, beginning thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt and continuing through the wars of the 20th century. For military history buffs, this audiobook won't cease to entertain as Telfer narrates these desertion stories throughout the ages.
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-
Couldn't stop listening!
- By Erin on 08-05-16
By: Bill O'Reilly, and others
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The Swamp Fox
- How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution
- By: John Oller
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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In the darkest days of the American Revolution, Francis Marion and his band of militia freedom fighters kept hope alive for the patriot cause during the critical British southern campaign. Like the Robin Hood of legend, Marion and his men attacked from secret hideaways before melting back into the forest or swamp. Employing insurgent tactics that became commonplace in later centuries, Marion and his brigade inflicted losses on the enemy that were individually small but cumulatively a large drain on British resources and morale.
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The Swamp Fox - Francis Marion
- By Stephen on 06-07-17
By: John Oller
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Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom
- China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War
- By: Stephen R. Platt
- Narrated by: Angela Lin
- Length: 17 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Stephen R. Platt is widely respected for his incisive nonfiction, particularly in regard to his knowledge and understanding of China. With Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom, Platt details the absorbing narrative of the Taiping Rebellion, which resulted in the loss of 20 million lives. Occurring in the 1850s, this is the story of a cultural movement characterized by intriguing personages such as influential military strategist Zeng Guofan and brilliant Taiping leader Hong Rengan.
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InTOLerable Reader
- By Adam on 07-07-12
By: Stephen R. Platt
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America's Hidden History
- Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation
- By: Kenneth C. C. Davis
- Narrated by: Sam Freed, Kenneth C. Davis
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Kenneth C. Davis presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation's destiny and character. Davis' dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when the nation's fate hung in the balance.
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Boring, boring, boring
- By Yeshe on 10-14-10
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The Allies
- Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and the Unlikely Alliance That Won World War II
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 15 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Winston Groom tells the complex story of how Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin - the three iconic and vastly different Allied leaders - aligned to win World War II and created a new world order.
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Great read
- By Kindle Customer on 05-26-19
By: Winston Groom
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Killing Jesus
- A History
- By: Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
- Narrated by: Bill O'Reilly
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Millions of people have thrilled to best-selling authors Bill O'Reilly and historian Martin Dugard's Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, works of nonfiction that have changed the way we view history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor details the events leading up to the murder of the most influential man in history: Jesus of Nazareth. Nearly 2,000 years after this beloved and controversial young revolutionary was brutally killed by Roman soldiers, more than 2.2 billion human beings attempt to follow his teachings and believe he is God.
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The Jesus story in context
- By Kimberly on 10-01-13
By: Bill O'Reilly, and others
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MacArthur's Spies
- The Soldier, the Singer, and the Spymaster Who Defied the Japanese in World War II
- By: Peter Eisner
- Narrated by: Peter Eisner
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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A thrilling story of espionage, daring, and deception set in the exotic landscape of occupied Manila during World War II. On January 2, 1942, Japanese troops marched into Manila unopposed by US forces. Manila was a strategic port, a romantic American outpost, and a jewel of a city. Tokyo saw its conquest of the Philippines as the key in its plan to control all of Asia, including Australia.
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A Must For Travelers To Manila
- By Pete Andresen on 06-20-17
By: Peter Eisner
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Scars of Independence
- America's Violent Birth
- By: Holger Hoock
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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The American Revolution is often portrayed as an orderly, restrained rebellion, with brave patriots defending their noble ideals against an oppressive empire. It's a stirring narrative, and one the founders did their best to encourage after the war. But as historian Holger Hoock shows in this deeply researched and elegantly written account of America’s founding, the Revolution was not only a high-minded battle over principles, but also a profoundly violent civil war—one that shaped the nation, and the British Empire, in ways we have only begun to understand.
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very biased.
- By Andy T on 07-20-17
By: Holger Hoock
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Cleopatra's Kidnappers
- How Caesar's Sixth Legion Gave Egypt to Rome and Rome to Caesar
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Julius Caesar was nothing if not bold. When, in the wake of his defeat of Pompey at Pharsalus his victorious legions refused to march another step under his command, he pursued his fleeing rival into Egypt with an impossibly small force of Gallic and German cavalry, raw Italian recruits, and nine hundred Spanish prisoners of war - tough veterans of Pompey's Sixth Legion. Cleopatra's Kidnappers tells the epic saga of Caesar's adventures in Egypt through the eyes of these captured, but never defeated, legionaries.
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Should be titled: The 6th Legion: Cleopatra's...
- By jv on 01-03-13
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Napoleon
- A Life
- By: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 32 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Andrew Roberts' Napoleon is the first one-volume biography to take advantage of the recent publication of Napoleon's thirty-three thousand letters, which radically transform our understanding of his character and motivation. At last we see him as he was: protean multitasker, decisive, surprisingly willing to forgive his enemies and his errant wife Josephine.
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What a dynamo!
- By Tad Davis on 01-16-15
By: Andrew Roberts
What listeners say about On the Run
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- BVerité
- 10-08-13
Interesting topic but... (3.5 stars)
I recently listened to a great book about ww2 deserters. I immediately purchased this when I saw it because I so enjoyed the other book and wanted to know more.
The book begins with a very interesting discussion of desertion through recorded time. It contains many interesting anecdotes and legends. It is a pleasant listen.
However, the discussion is somewhat shallow. The author doesn't address, with any real depth, the reasons and consequences of desertion. His discussion barely scratches the surface of a this very complex and important issue.
By the time the spotlight turns to WW I and II, the author uses so many different examples that the names and details become hard to follow. I would have enjoyed fewer stories and more in-depth analysis of the soldiers' experiences, reasons for and consequences of desertion. This is an emotional topic that seems hard to really grasp unless you've been in a combat situation. I hoped to finish the book with a better understanding of the psychological and social issues soldiers face when deciding to desert.
That being said, I recognize that my expectations and subsequent opinion of this work were definitely colored by a book I had previously read on the topic. Many listeners will find this book fascinating because of the endless variety of unique and interesting stories. I can say it was never boring. Also the book was very well researched. All in all, it is very entertaining.
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- Bill
- 10-22-13
Hardly Accountable
Would you try another book from Graeme Kent and/or John Telfer?
No.
What was most disappointing about Graeme Kent’s story?
The story is supposed to be about "deserter's" through history. The book is read in a style more suited for a comedy. The book also appears to be part of a cover up. What cover up? There is not one word about the only American soldier executed for desertion Eddie Slovik, I am familiar with Mr. Slovic;s story and hoped for insights. But since the execution was done in secret it appears the story remains in the dark.
Would you be willing to try another one of John Telfer’s performances?
No
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
If believable hearing of a few well known men who were deserters.
Any additional comments?
Dissapointed
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1 person found this helpful