The Second World War cover art

The Second World War

 Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Second World War

By: Antony Beevor
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $43.99

Buy Now for $43.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

A magisterial, single volume history of the greatest conflict the world has ever known by our foremost military historian.

The Second World War began in August 1939 on the edge of Manchuria and ended there exactly six years later with the Soviet invasion of northern China. The war in Europe appeared completely divorced from the war in the Pacific and China, and yet events on opposite sides of the world had profound effects.

Using the most up to date scholarship and research, Beevor assembles the whole picture in a gripping narrative that extends from the North Atlantic to the South Pacific and from the snowbound steppe to the North African Desert.

Although filling the broadest canvas on a heroic scale, Beevor's The Second World War never loses sight of the fate of the ordinary soldiers and civilians whose lives were crushed by the titanic forces unleashed in this, the most terrible war in history.

Read by Sean Barrett.

©2012 Antony Beevor (P)2012 Orion Publishing Group 20th Century Military World War Interwar Period Imperialism Submarine Royalty Prisoners of War Holocaust Air Force King Hungary

Critic Reviews

His singular ability to make huge historical events accessible to a general audience recalls the golden age of British narrative history, whose giants include Gibbon, Macaulay and Carlyle (Boyd Tonkin)
Beevor can be credited with single-handedly transforming the reputation of military history (David Edgar)
The myriad pieces of this intricate kaleidoscope are pieced together with exemplary skill ... This is a splendid book, erudite, with an admirable clarity of thought and expression (Roger Moorhouse)
His accounts of the key moments in the Second World War have a sense of colour, drama and immediacy that few narrative historians can match (Dominic Sandbrook)
You feel yourself being carried along on the narrative flow, channelled this way and that through the pools and rapids by Beevor's expert helmanship (Patrick Bishop)
Beevor's book is a pleasure to read and an example of intelligent, lively historical writing at its best (Tony Barber)
This is as comprehensive and objective an account of the course of the war as we are likely to get, and the most humanly moving to date (John Gray)
A British historian of great distinction and range, who ... demonstrates his mastery of his sources (Gordon Craig)

What listeners say about The Second World War

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    264
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    222
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    228
  • 4 Stars
    30
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Tim Lehmann

Essential listening

Well written and researched material, expertly delivered. Can't recommend this audio book enough to all history buffs.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

Overwhelming

The story of WW2 takes no less than 40 hours to tell and even then it is like drinking from a fire hose. A must listen to.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for jimjack

Amazingly detailed and readable (listenable)

This audio book is a wonderful way to get across events that spanned all theatres of the war. A fantastic achievement.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

You want WWII? This is THE book

I haven't read every book there is on WWII, but I'm pre-emptively confident in rating this one as the gold standard of non-fiction books on the subject. This is the one. I've recommended it to everyone, my dad, my boss, my misso, my misso's dog. Everyone should read this book.
It's like 42 hours long and I think I've listened to it 3 times, yet here I am gearing up for a 4th. Can't stop, won't stop.
As far as I'm concerned this is straight up the best value-for-money audiobook you can find. Get it.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

Good read and well read

Great read!! A lot of details that I never knew! Some very disturbing stories that brings more to the story of WW2 that times, places and dates

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Justin Plummer

simply a must for all who value history.

Tackles all sides really well. a clear leader in compiled histories. dont miss out on a chance to learn and relearn.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Kindle Customer

brilliant

addictive. very informative. highly recommended. only one very minor complaint is some German and Russian phrases were not translated

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Alec

Amazing can’t wait to have my kids listen to it.

A captivating account o WW2, though the 30 odd hours seemed overwhelming at the onset by the end I was wanting more. The most honest version of this great conflict I’ve come across and I can’t wait till my kids are old enough to listen too it.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mark Caruana

Strongly recommend.

Excellent narration and story.

Very harrowing and gruesome in parts but this was essential to convey the real horrors of the war.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Derek Ironside-Hughes

Masterpiece of a Book

This is the best book on the Second World War. Anthony Beevor's writing is outstanding. There is so much I did not know about World War 2. This book as all the facts, What also makes this book is the superb narration by Sean Barrett, his voice is a joy to listen to. His voice also adds a sadness to it, World War 2 was a terrible time for the world and Sean puts a feeling to this book that you will find hard to forget. An outstanding read and listen, I highly recommend this amazing book.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.