The Guns of August
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Narrated by:
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Wanda McCaddon
About this listen
Tuchman masterfully portrays this transition from 19th to 20th Century, focusing on the turning point in the year 1914: the month leading up to the war and the first month of the war. With fine attention to detail, she reveals how and why the war started, and why it could have been stopped but wasn't, managing to make the story utterly suspenseful even when we already know the outcome.
©1990 Dr. Lester Tuchman (P)2005 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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History As It Should Be
- By Bryan on 07-19-11
By: Bruce Catton
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After Hitler
- The Last Ten Days of World War II in Europe
- By: Michael Jones
- Narrated by: Robert Ian Mackenzie
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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With the world at war, 10 days can feel like a lifetime.... On April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in a bunker in Berlin. But victory over the Nazi regime was not celebrated in Western Europe until May 8 and in Russia a day later, on the ninth. Why did a peace agreement take so much time? How did this brutal, protracted conflict coalesce into its unlikely endgame? After Hitler shines a light on 10 fascinating days after that infamous suicide that changed the course of the 20th century.
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The slow end to World War II in Europe
- By Mike From Mesa on 04-10-16
By: Michael Jones
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Almost a Miracle
- The American Victory in the War of Independence
- By: John Ferling
- Narrated by: David Baker
- Length: 26 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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In this gripping chronicle of America's struggle for independence, award-winning historian John Ferling transports listeners to the grim realities of that war, capturing an eight-year conflict filled with heroism, suffering, cowardice, betrayal, and fierce dedication. As Ferling demonstrates, it was a war that America came much closer to losing than is now usually remembered. General George Washington put it best when he said that the American victory was "little short of a standing miracle."
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Dramatic Backstory of The War for Independence
- By Amazon Customer on 11-22-15
By: John Ferling
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The Boer War
- By: Martin Bossenbroek
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 19 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Boer War, winner of the Netherland's 2013 Libris History Prize and shortlisted for the 2013 AKO Literature Prize, the author brings a completely new perspective to this chapter of South African history, critically examining the involvement of the Netherlands in the war. Furthermore, unlike other accounts, Martin Bossenbroek explores the war primarily through the experiences of three men uniquely active during the bloody conflict.
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Interesting and engaging view of the War
- By Douglas on 04-17-18
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American General
- The Life and Times of William Tecumseh Sherman
- By: John S.D. Eisenhower
- Narrated by: Jack Garrett
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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From respected historian John S. D. Eisenhower comes a surprising portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman, the Civil War general whose path of destruction cut the Confederacy in two, broke the will of the Southern population, and earned him a place in history as "the first modern general". Yet behind his reputation as a fierce warrior was a sympathetic man of complex character. A century and a half after the Civil War, Sherman remains one of its most controversial figures...
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War is Hell?
- By Sandra on 03-27-15
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General George Washington
- A Military Life
- By: Edward G. Lengel
- Narrated by: Jack Garrett
- Length: 20 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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This comprehensive military biography of George Washington entertainingly examines Washington's capacity as a military leader. Acclaimed historian Edward G. Lengel, an associate editor of the University of Virginia's Papers of George Washington project, bases this engrossing work on the most extensive collection of Washington's personal correspondence.
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an embarassment of richs about the Revolution
- By D. Littman on 07-03-05
By: Edward G. Lengel
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The White War
- Life and Death on the Italian Front, 1915-1919
- By: Mark Thompson
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 19 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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The Western Front dominates our memories of the First World War. Yet a million and half men died in northeast Italy in a war that need never have happened, when Italy declared war on the Habsburg Empire in May 1915. Led by General Luigi Cadorna, the most ruthless of all the Great War commanders, waves of Italian conscripts were sent charging up the limestone hills north of Trieste to be massacred by troops fighting to save their homelands.
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An indispensable contribution
- By Adeliese Baumann on 12-27-17
By: Mark Thompson
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American Caesar
- Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964
- By: William Manchester
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 31 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Virtually all Americans above a certain age hold strong opinions about Douglas MacArthur. They either worship him or despise him. Now, in this superb book, one of our most outstanding writers, after a meticulous three-year examination of the record, presents his startling insights about the man. The narrative is gripping, because the general's life was fascinating. It is moving, because he was a man of vision. It ends, finally, in tragedy, because his character, though majestic, was tragically flawed.
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A Great American
- By Charlotte A. Hu on 05-19-13
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A Mad Catastrophe
- The Outbreak of World War I and the Collapse of the Habsburg Empire
- By: Geoffrey Wawro
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Wawro
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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The Austro-Hungarian army that marched east and south to confront the Russians and Serbs in the opening campaigns of World War I had a glorious past but a pitiful present. Speaking a mystifying array of languages and lugging outdated weapons, the Austrian troops were hopelessly unprepared for the industrialized warfare that would shortly consume Europe.
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Wawro's Diatribe Against A-H Military Leadership
- By Placeholder on 08-30-14
By: Geoffrey Wawro
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An unimpeachable classic work in political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated politicians, scholars, and the public for half a century. Originally published in 1944 - when Eleanor Roosevelt supported the efforts of Stalin, and Albert Einstein subscribed lock, stock, and barrel to the socialist program - The Road to Serfdom was seen as heretical for its passionate warning against the dangers of state control over the means of production.
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Julius Caesar is one of the most famous figures of the ancient Roman world. A skillful general and leading politician of the late Roman Republic, he secured a 10-year proconsular command in the province of Gaul, during which he accumulated both wealth and power. A core text in the teaching of Latin in schools, The Gallic War gives a unique insight into this remarkable man, as well as military strategy and practice of the day.
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Great Reading Flawed By Editing
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The Road to Serfdom
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A classic work in political philosophy, intellectual history and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated politicians and scholars for half a century.
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A Distant Mirror
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The Bubonic Plague of the 14th century killed one third of all human beings in Europe and Western Asia; many who survived the plague killed each other in the Hundred Years War that followed. What was it like to live in this calamitous century, when knighthood (and much more) died a violent death? Find out.
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A classic history
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What listeners say about The Guns of August
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- C. Cobb
- 11-08-08
Amazing book
Interesting, well-written, and laced with dry humor.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- R.S.
- 06-08-11
A Classic
I couldn't listen to this when I first downloaded it. Did not appreciate the narration.
But after a couple of years I gave it another try and found it gripping. I became accustomed
to the narration. The timing and pace of it was perfect. I now understand
why the Guns of August is considered a classic.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Thomas Kerr
- 06-19-23
Audio “ducks” out as if you’re receiving a text
My grandpa has read over 50 books about the World Wars and highly recommended this one. Unfortunately the audio recording here is a challenge, I’m not a fan of her voice, it feels out of sync with the content, also, the audio sucks out and you miss a word or two once or twice a minute. That makes this unlistenable for me and I’m returning the book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Kevin Spudic
- 10-05-14
Another Title Killed by Bad Narration
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would recommend the title, but not in audio format.
How could the performance have been better?
I had to listen to the book at half speed to understand the narrator. Her shrill voice always felt like it was stabbing into my ears.
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1 person found this helpful
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Story
- Luke Maiuri
- 07-24-23
Performance too much
Story was alright, but I felt I got lost in the narrator’s “squawking.” When it came time to read someone’s journal or report, her accent during her most notably performance, was overwhelming. I know this is her job to perform, but to me (my review, not your) it was over-acted and lost its purpose.
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- William Dendis
- 09-23-14
Not ideal for listening
The first section is good but when the fighting breaks out I found it difficult to follow. I believe the author says her purpose was to cover the causes of the war up to the establishment of the stalemate in 1914. Analysis of the European powers in the decades between 1870 and the war is interesting. The depiction of the nations tumbling into war due to alliances and mobilization schedules in the summer of 1914 is rightly considered the highlight of the book. Unfortunately when the battles begin the analysis ends, and much detail is expended on the first couple months of the war. Names of various commanders and acronyms for plans and headquarters, troop movements without maps. If this was in service of a theory for how the military actions of the first few months led to stalemate, and that it could have gone another way, all this would be worth the effort. But the battles do not seem pivotal. Stalemate seems to be fated. Recommended as a library book, but not a good use of a credit.
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Overall
- Michael Paul Castrillo
- 08-16-11
Excellent
This book is about the first months of the war and a description of the challenges faced by both sides in those early days. I would place the book half way between a text-book and a novel. If you read a lot of history books, this is one of the best.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-19-17
Fascinating Account
The unbelievable amount of research that must have gone into this book is amazing. Little anecdotes and quotes create something that reads more like a novel. Hugely informative and entertaining.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-09-21
excellent narration
wanda mccaddon was amazing. her narration turned what could have been a clinical read into a story. this very long book was beautifully written like a history textbook but the delivery of the narrator kept it from feeling like a history lesson and read like a story.
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- privacy
- 10-07-20
Maybe the best book written about WW1
What a great read/listen this is. First things first, I’ve seen negative reviews of the narrator and I cannot imagine how that is possible. Yes, the author is American and narrator is English but as this is about a war in Europe, it is totally appropriate. More importantly her performance is almost perfect, she captures the sarcasm and absurdity effortlessly and therefore really adds to an understanding of the material.
As for the work itself, some reviewers have mentioned getting lost without maps or that too many “characters” are covered...I will agree that this is not a book to start with if you are curious about The Great War. It is more of a deep dive intended for an audience familiar with the people and places that led to the outbreak of the war and the all important first month of the conflict. If you are familiar with WW1 history, I could not recommend this book more, a truly outstanding history.
For those new to the subject or looking for a broader coverage of all the important moments, I highly suggest A World Undone, also available on Audible. It is more of a macro history and at the end of every chapter is a mini chapter or short biography that describes in decent detail, important events/people of the war. The introduction there hopefully will lead you back here as this is arguably the best book written about The Great War.
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