Hourly History has 240 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 38 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4★ across 45 ratings. The most-rated is American Civil War: A History from Beginning to End.
Greek Mythology: A Concise Guide to Ancient Gods, Heroes, Beliefs and Myths of Greek Mythology
Summary
Greek Mythology is an enormous field of study, and a brief guide is a daunting task for any writer. The myths have a way of entwining with one another, and it is difficult to present a coherent story line without feeling one has omitted the best part of the story. Inside you will read about.... What is a myth? The sources of Greek mythology The creation of the universe and the gods What of man What of woman? The Greek Pantheon The Trojan War The influence of Greek drama Two Greek mortal heroes in mythological tales This guide succeeds in presenting an overall sketch of the creation of the world and the battles that follow, resulting in Zeus taking his place as the supreme god and ruling the earth from Mount Olympus. It covers the creation of man, it seems as a bit of an afterthought for the amusement of the Olympians, and some of the most famous stories that have come down to us via the writings of the great dramatists of the Classical Age. There are concise biographies of the twelve gods that make up the Olympians as well as of the heroes of the Trojan War.
©2016 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
The Dutch East India Company: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
Once valued at close to seven trillion dollars by today’s standards, the Dutch East India Company, formed in 1602, became the world’s first multinational corporation. In the nearly 200-year reign of their empire at sea, the Dutch East India Company amassed unfathomable fortunes, laid the foundation of the modern globalized world, and built monopolies that controlled the economy of the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the East Indies. The rich history of the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, commonly referred to as the VOC, and its titanic exploits are as astonishing as the twelve labors of Hercules. Uncover the organization that in no small part built the world we live in from the ground up. You will learn about: The superstructure of the VOC The growth of VOC’s colonies and trade routes The Golden Age Reorientation and the Expansion Age The great wars and conquests of the VOC Decline and fall And much more!
©2017 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
The Sumerians: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
The Sumerians settled in the area known as Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, around 5,000 years ago. They produced many fundamental changes to the way in which human societies developed - these were the first city-builders, the first people to use wheeled vehicles, the first methodical astronomers, and the first people to develop a sophisticated written language. The Sumerians also produced art, music, and literature as well as created some of the first professional soldiers the world had ever seen. But for all that we know about the Sumerians, one central mystery remains: We have no idea where the Sumerians came from when they suddenly arrived in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago. Many people have put forward answers ranging from the plausible to the esoteric to the (literally) out of this world, but none of the solutions suggested to date appears to provide a complete or final answer. From this audiobook you will learn about... The Black Heads Arrive The Conquest of Sumer Sumerian Society and Religion Technology and Writing Music and Art Mysteries of the Sumerians And much more! When looking at how Homo sapiens have developed from primitive tribes of hunter-gatherers to today’s urban dwellers, the Sumerians represent one of the biggest and most dramatic single periods of change ever achieved by the human race. This is the story of the advanced, ingenious, and mysterious Sumerians.
©2018 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Sigmund Freud
Summary
Sigmund Freud was a catalyst who signaled a seat change in how humanity came to understand the world and how it relates to the human mind. And if you have ever had a “Freudian slip”, you know full well that the concepts and theories of Mr. Freud are well ensconced in the modern lexicon. But as much as many of us are familiar with his work, what about the man? What do we know about the person? Just who was Sigmund Freud? Inside, you will hear about: A Jewish family in Vienna The talking cure The Wednesday Society Working for potatoes The cancer and the monster Freud during World War II And much more!
©2018 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
Crimean War: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of the Crimean War... The Crimean War was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 19th century, but it is also one of the least remembered. More men died in the Crimean War than in the American Civil War which followed soon after, but while the Civil War has been the subject of countless books, articles, and movies, the Crimean War has been virtually ignored. Part of the reason for this is that the causes of the Crimean War are not well understood. Just what made four empires go to war in the Black Sea in 1854? The outcome of the war was also partly responsible; it can be argued that the Crimean War changed nothing and that it is not at all clear why and for what half a million men died. Even the name by which this war is now known was not used at the time; until the 20th century, this war was known in Britain as the Russian War. Yet the Crimean War is important for a number of reasons. Although it did not change the map of Europe and did not directly cause the fall of any of the combatants, it did indirectly shape the second half of the 19th century and the early years of the twentieth century in Europe. This war also introduced newspaper reporters and photographers who provided regular dispatches direct from the battlefield, something that became a feature of virtually every war which followed. The presence of these reporters gave the public some idea, almost for the first time, of what war was really like for the men who fought it. Although the Crimean War did not fundamentally change the world, nothing would be quite the same after its conclusion. This is the story of the Crimean War. Discover a plethora of topics such as: The March to War The Charge of the Light Brigade Death, Disease, and the Lady with the Lamp Inkerman and the Death of the Tsar The Naval War The Fall of Sevastopol And much more! So if you want a concise and informative audiobook on the Crimean War, simply buy this audiobook now for instant access!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
William the Conqueror: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, permanently changing the landscape of the English countryside and the course of English history. No one debates his importance; whether the influence was good or bad is a much more involved conversation. To understand English history over time, it is important to understand the transition from Anglo-Saxon history of the country to the Anglo-Norman control that existed until approximately the 15th century. From this audiobook, you will learn about: William the Bastard Claim to the English Throne Battle of Hastings English Resistance Revolt of the Earls The Death of William the Conqueror And much more! Learn about the transition of the Duke of Normandy from his early years as William the Bastard to his final years as King William I of England, often styled as William the Conqueror. Gain an understanding of how the Norman occupation changed English culture, language, and sense of law, while also laying down the threads of conflicts that would continue for centuries. In this short history of William the Conqueror, the Battle of Hastings, and the influence of Norman presence in England, you will get a crash course in the early history of England as we understand it today.
©2018 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
The Renaissance: A History From Beginning to End
Summary
During the Middle Ages, the nations of Europe forged new identities that moved them away from the lost glory of the Roman Empire into their own ethnicity. The experience of maturation was often clumsy and out of step, an evolutionary process that saw the nation's developing at their own pace as they struggled to replace the protection of Rome with their own home-grown strength. What the nations, once they were ready to be described in that manner, did have was the Roman Catholic Church, which defined itself as the spiritual protector of Christian believers. But the dutiful Christians of the Middle Ages who sought orthodoxy and for the most part obeyed the papal rules underwent a change when the Middle Ages ended. The Renaissance, or rebirth, was a period of time when Europeans began to question what they had been told was sacrosanct. Through art, inventions, science, literature, and theology, the separate nations of the European continent sought answers that the Roman Catholic Church was unwilling, or perhaps unable, to offer. Learn about: The Rebirth of Europe The Italian Renaissance The French Renaissance The Spanish Renaissance The German Renaissance The Low Countries Renaissance The English Renaissance Here Be Dragons: Exploring the Unknown The Church that had become a powerful political entity was viewed with distrust and skepticism by many Christians; the spread of learning that accompanied the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press meant that bold new ideas were traveling across the boundaries of Europe faster than the Church could silence them. Lascivious, power-brokering popes could not bring a halt to the challenges they encountered when a German priest rebelled against corrupt practices that masqueraded as ecclesiastical authority. As the walls came tumbling down, humanism burst forth, inspiring the art of Michelangelo, the science of Vesalius, the literature of Shakespeare and Cervantes. But with the loss of religious uniformity came terrible conflicts: France suffered the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre; Spain welcomed the Inquisition to purge heresy; the Low Countries were split between Catholic and Protestant. The Renaissance was a triumph of the human spirit and a confirmation of human ability, even as it affirmed the willingness of men and women to die for the right to think freely.
©2016 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
Olive Oatman: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
A pioneer girl traveling west with her Mormon family at the mid-point of the 19th century, Olive Oatman’s life story began like many others. But when Olive’s family were massacred and she was taken captive by Native Americans, her story took a unique turn. An extraordinary tale of survival and loss, the life of Olive Oatman is stranger than fiction. Inside, you will listen about: Journey to the Promised Land The Massacre Slaves of the Tribe Olive’s Tribal Tattoo Return to Civilization Late Life and Death And much more!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Isaac Newton: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Isaac Newton seemed to be a most unwanted child of the world. Ignored by his mother, scorned by contemporaries, seemingly at war with the world in which he lived, Newton turned his energies to things unseen. His laws of motion and law of universal gravitation would set the stage for a most extraordinary life. Inside you will hear about.... The English Civil War Newton and the Apple Newton's Work in Mathematics & Optics Middle Years in Scientific Experiments Principia Newton and Alchemy Later Life and Death And much more! Follow along as you travel from a rugged stone farmhouse to Trinity College, Cambridge to the halls of London exhibitions where Newton found himself the celebrity of the age. Looking back on Aristotle, and inspired by all that Galileo had brought the world, Newton made his life work much of what is heralded as the modern age. He saw what no one else did, and his vision saw into the universe. See how he did it, and why.
©2017 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
John F. Kennedy: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
John F. Kennedy is the president that everyone knows. He was a rich man's son, an athlete, a war hero, a ladies' man, an author, a president - his face rendered forever young because the last time Americans saw him, he was riding in a convertible in Dallas, his glamorous wife at his side. Then the bullets struck, and the assassinated president became a legend, the truth of his life obscured by his tragic and untimely death. But JFK had more depth to his character than the magazine covers indicated. Inside you will hear about.... No Irish need apply War and the Kennedys Kennedy in Congress Kennedy for President Kennedy women The presidency And much more! The rich man's son was the grandson of Irishmen who knew what it was to be denied jobs because Irish weren't welcome in Boston. The athlete suffered from poor health all his life, from a bad back to Addison's disease. The war hero whose PT-109 boat became part of his campaign legend was the son who survived; elder brother Joe, flying on a secret mission, was killed for his heroism. The ladies' man loved his wife, but fidelity was not a concept revered by the Kennedy men. The Pulitzer Prize that he was awarded for Profiles in Courage should have gone to the person who actually wrote it. In 1963, death in Dallas ended his first term as president, bringing an end to the optimism that he inaugurated when he narrowly defeated Vice President Richard Nixon in the 1960 election. But the Kennedy legend, like Camelot, lives forever.
©2017 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
Edmund Kemper: The Life of the Co-Ed Killer
Summary
To the average American, there was nothing out of the ordinary about Edmund Kemper before 1973. Standing at six-foot-nine, the young man was a giant, but he was gentle, soft spoken, and shy. He lived with his mother into his mid-20s and frequented local bars, cozying up to police officers - a job he had once hoped to hold himself but couldn’t since he was too tall. This was one reality of Kemper's life - the reality he wanted those around him to see. There was another side to the man though, a much darker side. Kemper's actions in his life shocked America, who dubbed him the Co-Ed Killer for his urge to murder and violate co-ed girls in Northern California. Inside you will hear about.... Hatred Is Born Kemper’s First Murders Institutionalized with an IQ of 145 The Co-Ed Killer Kemper’s Grand Finale: The Death of His Mother Arrest, Imprisonment, and Parole And much more!
©2017 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
Boer War
Summary
This audiobook provides an introduction to one of the most intriguing wars of modern times - a war that saw several innovations, including the use of heliography and indirect fire, and caused the complete overhaul of the great Imperial British fighting machine in its aftermath. It also tells of the first example of the brilliant use of guerrilla warfare by the people who, to this day, have never been outclassed: the Boer commandos. However, the Boer War was also an intensely emotional journey cutting to the very core of the horror of war; leaving women and children in a deliberately destroyed landscape, watching their home and all their possessions burn to the ground. You will learn about the the causes of the war; the commando system; phase one; phase two; phase three; the concentration camps; a gentleman's war; and much more. This audiobook gives a broad overview so that the interested listener will be able to find a point of entry to study the war further. Perhaps studying and understanding this subject is the only way to ask the question: When is a war not a war?
©2018 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
Queen Elizabeth I: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
There are many versions of Queen Elizabeth I of England; the beautiful young Tudor Queen courted by all the princes of Europe; a fearless virgin warrior in white velvet, rousing her troops on the battlefield; an irascible old woman in a powdered wig, surrounded by fawning young men. A formidable woman, Elizabeth I ruled alone at a time when Europe was a hotbed of conflict, dominated by empire-seeking Kings with opposing religious beliefs. Inside you will hear about.... Early Years Becoming Queen of England The Matter of Succession Mary Queen of Scots The Last Suitor Trouble in England Mary's Execution The Essex Affair And much more! A shrewd politician, Elizabeth manipulated these Kings using any means necessary, including her own hand in marriage, to transform what had been a small, relatively impoverished half-island nation into one of the greatest powers in the world. "Queen of the Seas", "The Virgin Queen", "Gloriana" and "Good Old Bess", Queen Elizabeth I inspired a cult following during her lifetime that endures to this day.
©2017 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
Adolf Hitler: A Life From Beginning to End
Summary
The most notorious man in history, Adolf Hitler, is best known for having perpetrated crimes against humanity over the six-year course of World War II. His brutal extermination policies are responsible for the deaths of close to 30 million people he considered inferior, and added to that, the military casualties suffered by all parties, yields a grand total of approximately 60 million people dead by the end of the war. That number equates to 3% of the world's population at the time. But, who was this man? What made him into the monster he became? Can his childhood explain the formation of such a brutal dictator? Inside you will hear about: Hitler's Early Years Hitler's Years in Vienna Life After Vienna -- Hitler's Early Military Career The Formation of the Nazi Party Hitler's Imprisonment and Subsequent Rise to Power World War II This audiobook tells the story of the man behind the monster in concise yet thorough detail. Hitler's childhood, his early life and dreams of becoming an artist, his military career in World War I, his subsequent rise to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, and his rule during the war are presented in succinct, compelling detail packed with historical information that makes for an entertaining and informative read.
©2016 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
Francisco Franco
Summary
It has been several decades now since Francisco Franco’s passing in 1975, and yet his legacy still seems very much in the air. Depending on who you talk to, Franco was a fascist and a peacemaker, a destroyer and a savior, an idiot and a genius. Even after all this time, opinions of just who Franco was and how he contributed to modern civilization are up for open debate. You will learn about: Franco’s Conquest Allying with Mussolini Ein Fuhrer and Un Caudillo The Last Fascist Standing The End of Colonial Power The Spanish Miracle The Last Days of Francisco Franco And much more! Franco himself believed that he was doing a great service to his people. He never tired of making grandiose statements about his perceived mission to save Spanish society. Whether this was deluded self-righteousness is for others to decide. Discover Francisco Franco’s story in this audiobook and draw your own conclusions.
©2017 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
World War II
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of World War II... Until 1939, World War I was known as “the war to end all wars”, but when Nazi Germany capped its mounting aggression against its neighbors by invading Poland, Europe was plunged into a second global conflict. It threatened the entire continent as well as the far-flung colonial possessions claimed by the French, the British, and the Dutch. German triumphs saw nation after nation fall, until only Great Britain remained defiant against Hitler’s dreams of conquest. By late 1941, the United States was forced from neutrality into war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Meanwhile, Joseph Stalin’s Nonaggression Pact with the Germans became meaningless after Germany invaded the Soviet Union. In Europe, along the Eastern Front, and in the Pacific, the Allies battled the Axis Powers, and then, on D-Day - June 6, 1944 - the invasion of Normandy brought the fighting closer and closer to Berlin. In the Pacific, the Allies fought the Japanese, island by island, in bloody battles where the bodies of fallen soldiers attested to the Japanese willingness to die for their emperor. Untested American President Harry Truman had to decide whether to continue the fighting in the conventional manner and allow more American troops to be slaughtered in battle, or to use a new and devastating secret weapon to bring the war to a cataclysmic conclusion. Discover a plethora of chapters, such as: War Begins: The Invasion of Poland Europe Under the Swastika The Eastern Front From Normandy to Berlin War in the Pacific: The Rising Sun Bringing the War to Japan And much more! So, if you want a concise and informative book on World War II, simply scroll up and click the "buy now" button for instant access!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
King James I: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
James I of England and VI of Scotland was the first king to rule both countries. He was faced with division between his realms and caught between the religious wars of the Reformation. Spending most of his reign at odds with the religious and parliamentary powers around him, James did little to unite his people. Unable to take a firm stand on critical issues, he spent his life avoiding them. Inside, you will listen about.... James’ Bride and the Witch Hunt The Mystery of the Gowrie Plot Taking over Elizabethan England King James Bible The Gunpowder Plot The King’s Favorite Men And Much More! Still, James was not a bad king. He is best remembered for the translation of the Bible into English, making it accessible to all. During the start of the bloody Thirty Years’ War that would engulf Europe, James did his best to keep England out of the turmoil. His descendants, however, brought about a bloody civil war that was to last for several generations. James I and VI continues to have a reputation as a lazy king who gave too much power to his male favorites.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
World War II Stalingrad: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
The Battle of Stalingrad, perceived by historians as the most important battle of World War II and regarded by Russians as the most significant battle in their country’s history, cannot be viewed solely as a military engagement between two powerful, long-time foes. The Soviet Union, which had climbed to power from the shambles of the 1917 Revolution that saw communism overthrow the czar, and Germany, which had risen from the ashes of World War I’s Treaty of Versailles, certainly had a complicated history. Stalingrad was a battle between the Allies and the Axis Powers; it was a struggle between the Soviet Union and Germany for victory; and it was also a test of wills between Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler, two totalitarian dictators who were willing to do whatever was necessary to demonstrate the supremacy of their systems of government. Inside you will read about.... Josef Stalin: man of steel Adolf Hitler: a quest for vengeance Operation Barbarossa The Stalingrad Street Fighting Academy The heroes of Stalingrad And much more! Stalin had succeeded Vladimir Lenin as the leader of the Soviet Union, and his entry upon the world stage ushered in a reign of absolute power as he bent a battered nation to conform to his will. Adolf Hitler, leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party, was elected chancellor of Germany in 1933 and promptly turned the beleaguered nation into a launch pad for Aryan domination. As their armies met at Stalingrad for a long and bloody struggle that would ultimately tally two million civilian and military casualties, the world would watch as two brutal regimes challenged one another while the fate of the free world hung in the balance.
©2017 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History
Bruce Lee: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
The name Bruce Lee is synonymous with martial arts superstar. Lee’s movie career was cut tragically short by his death at just 32 years old. Starring in six big-release feature movies, Lee revolutionized martial arts movie-making and challenged Western prejudices against the East. Inside, you will hear about: Growing up in post-war Hong Kong A new life in America The one-inch punch Jeet Kune Do, the way of the intercepting fist Enter the dragon Health issues and sudden death And much more! Challenging the status quo of martial arts practice, Lee created his own unique system, Jeet Kune Do. More than a martial art, Jeet Kune Do is a philosophy for life that is founded on the art of fighting without fighting. Lee’s life may have been short, but it burned bright and continues to illuminate today.
©2018 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
Benjamin Franklin: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Founding Father Benjamin Franklin came from humble beginnings to take his place in the annals of history as one of the most celebrated Americans ever to stand on the world stage. The Boston apprentice who ran away because of his brother's ill-treatment found his destiny in Philadelphia, where he became a printer, a scientist, an author, an inventor, a politician, and a citizen of the world. His inventions and his philosophies had the same ultimate goal - to make the world a better place - and Franklin achieved that goal. Europeans saw him as a symbol of what America represented; Franklin saw himself as the result of what America produced. Pragmatism ruled his life, and yet he believed passionately that it was the role of the government and the church to improve the world for all. He has been called the first American, but every American who followed owes something to this remarkable man who designed his own destiny.
©2016 Hourly History (P)2017 Hourly History