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

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 Modern World War Interwar Period Soviet Union Africa Imperialism Imperial Japan Submarine Royalty Holocaust Middle Ages Air Force Russia China

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

Essential listening

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

Overwhelming

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This audio book is a wonderful way to get across events that spanned all theatres of the war. A fantastic achievement.

Amazingly detailed and readable (listenable)

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

You want WWII? This is THE book

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

Good read and well read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Tackles all sides really well. a clear leader in compiled histories. dont miss out on a chance to learn and relearn.

simply a must for all who value history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
addictive. very informative. highly recommended. only one very minor complaint is some German and Russian phrases were not translated

brilliant

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

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

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent narration and story.

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

Strongly recommend.

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

Masterpiece of a Book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
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.