Diary of a Young Girl Teenager Anne Frank’s record of life in a secret annexe for more than two years during World War Two, is a unique document, portraying innocence and humanity, suffering and survival in the starkest and most moving terms. This version of Anne’s diary brings together all the versions of the book,…
Category: War
‘Doctor Zhivago’ by Boris Pasternak
Doctor Zhivago Boris Pasternak’s epic novel of love and war throws physician and poet Yuri Zhivago into the lives of two women. Epic is certainly the word, here, and knowing I’d never attempt this in book form, the audio version seemed like a good option. Although it’s basically a decent story, if somewhat improbable (all…
‘There Was a Country’ by Chinua Achebe
There Was a Country From the author of ‘Things Fall Apart’, ‘There Was a Country’ is Chinua Achebe’s long-awaited account of the significant experiences of his life, most notably during the Nigerian Civil War (or Biafran War). Charting one of the last century’s greatest humanitarian disasters, successful novelist Achebe recalls his observations as a spectator…
‘The Reckoning’ by John Grisham
The Reckoning (Audiobook) 1946. In Clanton, Mississippi, the townspeople are left shocked and confused when local farmer and war hero Pete Banning drives over to the Methodist Church and shoots and kills the Reverend Dexter Bell. Instructing a bystander to fetch the sheriff, Banning returns home to await his arrest. However, what baffles everyone, not…
‘Biggles and the Black Peril’ by Captain WE Johns
Biggles and the Black Peril After a clammy white mist makes visibility impossible, flying ace James Bigglesworth and his pal Algy are forced to land their Vandal amphibian somewhere in Norfolk. The apparently desolate landscape prompts the pair to do a spot of exploring with a view to finding somewhere to eat. However, on discovering…
‘Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World’ by Niall Ferguson
Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World For years the imperial red of the British was splattered over vast areas of the world, including America, Asia and Africa. But how did a tiny island manage to take on almost the entire planet? I bought both the hardback and audio versions of this fabulous book so…
‘The Colditz Story’ by Major PR Reid
The Colditz Story During World War Two, Colditz Castle was the last stop for soldiers who had been caught escaping from other Prisoner of War camps. Its location, towering over a rocky crag above the River Mulde, was thought to make escape impossible, yet many men did breakout of the seemingly impenetrable fortress, including the…
