Ben Egginton has 4 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 3 narrators. The most-rated is The Princes in the Tower.
Nicholas II: The Fall of the Romanovs
Summary
For over three centuries the Romanovs ruled over the world’s largest country. Throughout this time Imperial Russia faced many challenges, but none greater than those that brought about its demise in 1917: World war, the rise of the urban proletariat, and the birth of an heir afflicted with haemophilia. Even a forceful and inspiring leader would have struggled to turn back the tide of revolution that plagued this closing act, and Tsar Nicholas II possessed neither of these qualities. Lacking in the willingness to compromise, learn from his mistakes or confront difficult characters and issues, ‘Bloody Nicholas’ was denounced as fiercely at home for his mismanagement of the state as he was on the international stage for his oppressive rule: Sanctioning press censorship, anti-Semitic pogroms, and the massacring of peaceful protesters. But there was another side to Russia’s last tsar that the public never got to see. Shy, gentle and well-meaning, there is no doubt of his unwavering dedication to serving his family and country. Unfortunately, the Bolsheviks did not care about his redeeming qualities. They were out for revenge, and that was precisely what they would get. In the summer of 1918, Nicholas and his Romanov kin were brutally executed, and with them the old order was swept away - never to be seen again. The History Crash Course series provides short guides to a wealth of historical topics; suited to listeners who want to establish a general knowledge of an era or theme before progressing to heavier reading.
©2020 Ben Egginton (P)2020 Ben Egginton
Historiography for Beginners
Summary
This guidebook provides a broad summary of Western historiography’s leading figures, theories and methods, from its origins in Classical Greek poetry to the "post-modern" present. It is suitable for students new to the study of historiography or established students who are seeking to consolidate their knowledge.
©2020 Ben Egginton (P)2020 Ben Egginton
Richard II
Summary
Smithfield, 1381. As the king’s men fled from the enraged peasant army, 14-year-old Richard rode straight toward their ranks. Showing no fear, the boy confronted them single-handedly. “I am your leader, your king, and your captain!” he declared. “Lower your weapons!” Incredibly, they did. King Richard II succeeded to the throne as a boy king at a particularly turbulent time in English history. A French invasion was imminent, the Scottish Marches were in chaos, and the fallout from the Black Death threatened to steamroll the entire socio-political system. By the end of his 22-year-long reign, unrest would still be a common theme. Throughout his kingship, Richard strove to restore the monarchy as he conceived it to its rightful place in the kingdom and establish an absolutist regime. This uncompromising belief would cost him his crown and his life, but not before he had left an impressive mark on the kingdom he had ruled and lost. Though a tyrant, Richard possessed an enlightened mind, overseeing the rise of English as a literary language and the creation of some of the medieval world’s most stunning artistic works. While the Plantagenet Dynasty met its end in 1399, the English Renaissance had only just been conceived. History Crash Course series provides short and snappy guides on numerous historical topics, suited to listeners who want to establish a general knowledge of an era or theme before progressing to heavier listening/reading.
©2019 Ben Egginton (P)2019 Ben Egginton
The Princes in the Tower
Summary
In the summer of 1483, two princes vanished. One was the new king of England, 12-year-old Edward V; the other was his younger brother, 9-year-old Richard, Duke of York. Charged with handling affairs of state in their minority was their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who subsequently placed the boys in the Tower of London and replaced his nephew on the throne as Richard III. Within a month of his ascension to the throne, the deposed king and his brother were never seen again. The traditional theory is that Richard III had the "princes in the Tower" murdered in order to secure his position on the throne. But this is far from being a foregone conclusion. Many other suspects would have benefited from the deaths of the two princes, and there is evidence to suggest they might not have died at all. Could it be that one or both of the princes survived? This is a question that has baffled academics for hundreds of years and is bound to baffle them for hundreds more. For there is a good reason why the mystery of the disappearance of the princes in the Tower is the greatest enigma in English history. The History Crash Course series provides short and snappy guides to numerous historical topics; suited to listeners who want to establish a general knowledge of an era or theme before progressing to heavier topics.
©2020 Ben Egginton (P)2020 Ben Egginton