Mike Nelson has narrated 40 audiobooks on Listento.it by 4 authors, with an average listener rating of 3.9★ across 10 ratings. The most-rated is The Pole Vault Championship of the Entire Universe.
J. R. R. Tolkien (A Life From Beginning to End)
Summary
Discover the remarkable life of J. R. R. Tolkien.... Free bonus inside! J. R. R. Tolkien, an orphan in love with words, spent most of his life as an unassuming Professor of Literature at Oxford studying and teaching old languages. During his time there, he created his very own languages and a mythological world, Middle-earth. Middle-earth was inhabited by Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and other fascinating creatures. It was a world that became almost more real to Tolkien than the one he lived in. Tolkien’s two masterpieces, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, have set the standard in mythological literature. Translated into more than 70 languages, the books and their battles of good and evil are as relevant today as they were when Tolkien first wrote them. Discover a plethora of topics such as: From South Africa to the English countryside Tolkien’s forbidden love Tolkien during World War I Years at Oxford The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Late life and death And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on J. R. R. Tolkien, then buy now!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Wars of Scottish Independence (A History From Beginning to End)
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of the Wars of Scottish Independence.... Free bonus Inside! The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of conflicts between Scotland and England that spanned more than 60 years during the 13th and 14th centuries. These wars led directly to the establishment of Scotland as an independent, sovereign country and to the emergence of two of Scotland’s best-known national heroes, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Yet these wars are much more than a simple struggle on the part of Scotland to free itself from English incursions. Some of the men who became kings of Scotland during this period were not just opposed to Scottish independence - they were directly sponsored by the English king. These wars are not only a story of Scotland versus England; they had complex causes and a large cast of characters with motives that were not always clear and who sometimes changed sides more than once. These wars also have a close connection with the wars being fought by England against France at the same time which gave rise to the Auld Alliance, a friendly connection between France and Scotland that persists to the present day. This is the complex, complicated, and occasionally tragic story of sixty of the most turbulent years in British history. This is the story of the Wars of Scottish Independence. Discover a plethora of topics such as: The Succession Crisis William Wallace’s War Robert the Bruce An Uneasy Peace The Pretender to the Throne Return of the King And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on the Wars of Scottish Independence, then buy now!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Summary
Eleanor of Aquitaine became the queen of both France and England, the wife of two kings, and later the mother of two kings. Heiress to the rich French provinces of Aquitaine and Poitou, she was undoubtedly one of medieval Europe’s most powerful and wealthiest women. Inside you will read about: Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen of France Eleanor and King Louis joins the crusade The royal divorce Continuing conflict and courtly love At the center of rebellion Fifteen years of captivity And much more! Eleanor of Aquitaine has, not surprisingly, captured many imaginations. From inciting her sons to rebel against their father to the tale of her “courts of love”, where she reportedly fostered the idea of courtly love and promoted the arts, to her captivity and later tireless work to rescue her son Richard the Lionheart from his imprisonment, Eleanor’s life is a tangle of legend mixed with the struggle to interpret the sometimes scarce facts. This does not make it any less fascinating - or any less worthy of study. In this audiobook, you will find a concise exploration of the life of one of the medieval world’s most memorable figures.
©2018 Hourly History (P)2018 Hourly History
John Quincy Adams: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable life of John Quincy Adams... The son of the second president of the United States, John Quincy Adams was prepped and primed from his youth to be the quintessential statesmen. At just 14 years of age, he was given a diplomatic post in St. Petersburg, Russia. This was the beginning of a political career that would last until his last breath. Adams became a one-term president thanks to the populism of his archrival Andrew Jackson, but even after being ousted from the White House, the unsinkable John Quincy Adams came right back to the fore, getting himself elected as a Congressman in the House of Representatives. Here John Quincy Adams would be a force to be reckoned with, entering into endless debates with his colleagues. It was, in fact, in the middle of this congressional wrangling that John Quincy Adams would suffer a stroke and collapse on the House floor. His life was truly one of service, and he had lived it well. In this book, we explore the life of John Quincy Adams in full. Discover a plethora of topics such as: A child of the American Revolution Adams’ mission in Europe and Russia Speaking out against Thomas Paine Rise to the top Adams as president Late life and death And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on John Quincy Adams, simply scroll up and click the "Buy Now" button for instant access!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Saint Augustine
Summary
Although he was born in what was considered the backwaters of the Roman Empire, Saint Augustine of Hippo has long been renowned for his early religious and philosophical thought. He has been called a doctor of the Church for his unrivaled ability of patching up even the most complex of theological questions. He tackled such things as the condition of the soul and the omnipotence of God. During the course of his tenure as bishop of the North-African city of Hippo, Augustine often gained as many critics as he did followers. Inside you will hear about: The son of a Pagan Augustine’s love child The road that led to Rome Looking toward Christianity The priest of Hippo A founding father of the church And much more! To say that this esteemed theologian was a complex man would be an understatement. Saint Augustine’s life held many contradictions from the very beginning. Born to a pagan father and a devoutly Christian mother, he seemed destined to be at a crossroads. In his life he was both a sinner and a saint, and his seminal works, such as the Confessions and the City of God, prove that somewhere at the intersection of tremendous faith and terrible human frailty you will find the greatness of Saint Augustine.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Zapotec Civilization: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
The Zapotecs formed one of the most important of the pre-Columbian civilizations. For 1,000 years, their main city of Monte Albán was one of the largest and most sophisticated in Mesoamerica. Building this city was an astonishing engineering feat - it involved flattening a hill in the center of the Oaxaca Valley to create an artificial plateau and then constructing a series of large, ornate buildings on this inaccessible site. Maintaining this large city on a site with no natural source of water must have required an enormous and willing workforce. Despite this, Monte Albán became one of the largest and most important cities in Mesoamerica, and the Zapotecs came to dominate not just the Oaxaca Valley but many adjacent lands. You will hear about... The emergence of the Zapotecs and Monte Albán Monte Albán phase one to five Zapotec architecture, art, and science Zapotec religion and society Legacy And much more! We don’t know why or how the Zapotecs suddenly seemed to acquire new engineering and architectural skills, but their rise to prominence was astonishingly swift. Once in a position of dominance, they maintained their hold over the region for more than 1,000 years. Then, for reasons that are equally unclear, the Zapotecs faced a slow decline which saw them abandon Monte Albán to decay and ruin and return to the Oaxaca Valley floor to become once again a mainly agrarian, peasant people. The Zapotecs still exist as a separate culture in Mexico, but they have never regained their prominence and are now little more than one of the indigenous peoples of that region. This is the story of the rapid rise and gradual decline of the ancient Zapotec people.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
King Edward Vi: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
King Edward VI, the only legitimate male heir of King Henry VIII, took his seat on the throne at the age of nine. His life would come to an end when he was only 15 years old, but the mark he would come to leave on England’s history has endured to this day. This part of the Tudor period was chock-full of social unrest and economic struggles as well as turmoil over religious reforms, which the young king and his advisors often made worse by imposing substantial changes on their subjects. You will listen about: The Rough Wooing England’s First Protestant King The Year of Rebellions The English Reformation Succession Crisis Death of a Boy King And much more! Edward VI led his country into a new age where the Church of England was no longer tied to the Catholic Church. Putting his efforts into spreading Protestantism throughout all of England, he continued his father’s work of freeing England from the Holy Roman Empire’s grasp. His successor and half-sister, Queen Mary I, better known as “Bloody Mary”, would try to undo many of Edward’s reforms, but the English Reformation to which Edward contributed significantly would resume its course upon her death.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Subhas Chandra Bose
Summary
Discover the remarkable life of Subhas Chandra Bose. Subhas Chandra Bose was a revolutionary who sought Indian independence, but as many would contend, he ended up on the wrong side of history. In order to shake off the British yoke, Bose enlisted aid from Germany and Japan during World War II. This has led some to roundly condemn Bose as nothing more than a fascist cast in the same mold as Adolf Hitler, Hideki Tojo, and Benito Mussolini. But is there more to this complicated figure than meets the eye? In this book, we will take a look at the big picture when it comes to one of India’s first freedom fighters of the modern era. Discover a plethora of chapters in this audiobook, such as: Expelled from School Work in London By the Führer’s Side Going Over to the Japanese Bose’s Invasion of India The Fatal Plane Crash And much more! So, if you want a concise and informative book on Subhas Chandra Bose, simply scroll up and click the "buy now" button for instant access!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Queen Mary I: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Mary I, perhaps best known by the moniker Bloody Mary, was England’s first female monarch who ruled in her own right. A fighter from birth, she was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and his wife, Catherine of Aragon. Mary would make her way back to her father’s good graces after being cast out by him in favor of his numerous wives and would eventually undo her father’s religious reforms by restoring Roman Catholicism in England. The fourth Tudor to rule England, Mary is remembered for burning around 300 Protestants at the stake on her quest for religious reform. In this audiobook, we will discover the true life story of Mary I, the infamous English queen who claimed her place in history after a mere five years as regent.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
King Richard III: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable life of King Richard III in just an hour.... Free bonus inside! Richard III has gone down in history as one of the most hated and vilified British monarchs of all time. His two-year-long reign as king of England ended in 1485 when he was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth by Henry Tudor, making him the last English king to die on the battlefield. Despite the brevity of his reign, Richard III managed to earn an enduring - albeit unflattering - reputation which lives on to this day. William Shakespeare painted him as a ruthless, hunch-backed usurper, who killed not only his brother but also his two young nephews to get his hands on the crown. Amazingly, Shakespeare’s claims are not completely unfounded. This audiobook attempts to separate fact from fiction to present the true life story of one of Britain’s most controversial kings: Richard III. Discover a plethora of topics such as: Richard of York and the Wars of the Roses Early life as a knight Lord of the North Richard’s rise to power Buckingham’s Rebellion Death at the Battle of Bosworth And much more! So, if you want a straightforward resource on King Richard III, listen to this audiobook!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
King Henry VII: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable life of King Henry VII in less than an hour.... Free bonus inside! Henry VII was not destined to be the well-known (or perhaps better described as infamous) king that his son was after him, but his place in history remains important. With his victory over Richard III in 1485, Henry brought England out of the Middle Ages and ushered it into the modern era. His reign ended decades of bloody civil wars and provided the wealth and stability necessary for commerce and art to thrive in England. When Henry’s son, Henry VIII, ascended the throne in 1509, it marked England’s first uncontested transfer of power in almost 90 years. This fact alone is a testament to Henry’s achievements. In this audiobook, we will discover the story of how Henry VII became the last English king to win his crown on the battlefield and by doing so established the Tudor dynasty which would remain in power for over 100 years. Discover a plethora of topics such as: Early life and exile The battle for the throne The Tudor dynasty begins England and Spain join forces The work of Henry VII Late life and death And much more! So if you want a quick and easy audiobook on King Henry VII, listen to this audiobook!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
The Hundred Years War: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of The Hundred Years War... The Hundred Years War was a series of conflicts waged between England and France between 1337 and 1453. The war involved several generations of kings on both sides and was fought over a single issue: whether the English had the right to rule the kingdom of France. The origins of the war can be traced back to the invasion of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror, the duke of Normandy. William became king of England, but he also retained control over his lands in Normandy. From that time on, English kings ruled not just over their own country but also over areas of western France. What is now France was at the time of the Norman conquest not a single country but rather a group of semi-independent principalities. By the early 1300s, the kingdom of France was consolidating and emerging as an important European power, and it was almost inevitable that there would be a conflict between France and England over the English lands in western France. The Hundred Years War marked important changes in the very nature of warfare. When it began, the principal weapons on both sides were heavily armored knights who generally followed an agreed code of conduct. By the time the war ended, the Age of Chivalry had been superseded by the appearance of gunpowder weapons which rendered these knights and their notions of chivalrous combat obsolete. The Hundred Years War was an important element in the creation of modern Europe and in the definition of the national characters of both England and France. This audiobook tells the story of this long, complex, and fascinating conflict. Discover a plethora of topics such as: The War Begins The Caroline War England Triumphant French Revival and Joan of Arc Peace at Last And much more! So if you want a concise and informative audiobook on the The Hundred Years War, get this audiobook now for instant access!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Thomas Aquinas: A Life from Beginning to End
Summary
Thomas Aquinas is known as a great theologian, and his treatises and theories are studied by clergy all over the world. He is celebrated for his words of wisdom as well as the alleged miracles that he performed while he was still alive. Yet as large as his acclaim may be, Aquinas has also had his fair share of detractors both during his lifetime and long thereafter. In the 20th century, for example, esteemed British philosopher and writer Bertrand Russel went so far in his criticism as to say that he believed that Thomas Aquinas was not a philosopher in the classical sense of the word but rather that he relied more on dogmatic Catholic faith than any sense of inquiry or inductive reasoning. There are of course those that would vehemently argue the opinions of Bertrand Russel. While it is not the purpose of this book to take one side or the other, these arguments and criticisms will be examined as we delve into the history of this great thinker. Casting all accolades and critiques aside, in this book, you will find the raw, bare bones of the man who Thomas Aquinas came to be. Thomas Aquinas had an exceptional life of both major accomplishments and upsetting setbacks - here, we explore them in full. Discover a plethora of topics such as: Born into a noble family Joining the Dominican Friars Kidnapped and Imprisoned Journey to Cologne The execution of his brother Late life and death And much more... So if you want a concise and informative book on Thomas Aquinas, simply scroll up and click the "Buy Now" button for instant access!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Toltec Civilization: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of the Toltecs. The Toltecs are one of the most mysterious and little understood of all the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica. This culture was venerated by later civilizations, such as the Aztecs. Even today, “Toltec knowledge” is used as a kind of shorthand for arcane wisdom from an ancient culture. However, discussing the actual history of the Toltecs is extremely difficult. Much of what we know of these people comes from writings and oral traditions of the Aztecs, as translated and interpreted by the European invaders. This Aztec history is so mingled with myth and legend that it is very difficult to discern what may be historical facts. In the 19th and 20th centuries, most historians seemed to accept that the Toltecs were a distinct and warlike culture centered around the Valley of Mexico and who conquered large parts of Mesoamerica. More recently, there has been debate about whether the Toltecs really were a separate culture at all or whether this term should be taken to represent a set of shared ideas and beliefs which permeated many cultures in Mesoamerica around the end of the first millennium. Even now, much of the information about the Toltecs is vague, contradictory, and subject to debate. This is the mysterious, baffling, and ever-changing story of the Toltecs. Discover a plethora of chapters, such as: Origins of the Toltecs The Place of the Reeds Toltec Society and the Cult of Quetzalcoatl The Toltecs and the Maya Decline and Fall And much more! So, if you want a concise and informative book on the Toltecs, simply scroll up and click the "buy now" button for instant access!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Stephen Hawking
Summary
In 1963, Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and given two years to live. More than half a century later, Hawking had made some of the most significant contributions to our understanding of the universe since Albert Einstein. The world’s most famous physics professor, a best-selling author, and a father of three, Stephen lived his life to its fullest. Bridging the world of theoretical physics with the reach of pop culture, Stephen Hawking became an emblem of human determination and intellectual curiosity. Inside you will hear about: Early life and terminal illness Hawking radiation and black holes The Hawking family A gambling man Late life and death And much more!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Trail of Tears
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of the Trail of Tears... In the early 1800s, the five civilized tribes - the Cherokee, Seminole, Chickasaw, Muscogee-Creek, and Choctaw - were living in lands allocated to them by the United States government in present-day Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. In general, the Native American people lived in peace with the increasing numbers of white settlers coming to these areas, though there were occasional conflicts as settlers took lands that belonged to the tribes. To many white Americans, the existence of these people in lands that could be used for the expansion of the United States was unacceptable, and many wanted the Native American to be removed and relocated to a new area, west of the Mississippi River, which was not, then, of interest to settlers. In 1830, the administration of President Andrew Jackson signed into law a new piece of legislation - the Indian Removal Act - which gave the government the power to force these tribes to relocate to new lands in Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. The forced relocation that followed have become known as the Trail of Tears. Some were conducted with extreme brutality, and many thousands of Native American people died as a direct result. Once they had been uprooted from their homelands, many tribes found themselves unable to continue with ways of life which they had followed for thousands of years, and the nature and character of Native American culture and society was forever changed. This is an account of the privations of these forced relocation and the indifference of the US government and the majority of Americans to the suffering they caused to the Native American people. This is the story of the Trail of Tears. Discover a plethora of chapters, such as: Settlers Move West Andrew Jackson and the Indian Removal Act Creek Removal in 1834 Chickasaw Removal in 1837 Cherokee Removal in 1838 And much more! So, if you want a concise and informative book on the Trail of Tears, simply scroll up and click the "buy now" button for instant access!
©2019 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Indus Valley Civilization
Summary
In the late 1800s, British engineers building some of the first railways in the Dominion of India discovered large numbers of bricks buried in the dusty plains of the Punjab. This was odd because historians were not aware of any cities or civilizations which might have constructed buildings in this area. It wasn’t until archeological expeditions in the 1920s that it was finally realized that these bricks were the remains of mighty cities built by a previously unknown ancient civilization. Inside you will hear about... Discovery Excavation of Harappa Origins Life and Death in the Indus Valley Downfall of the Indus Valley Civilization And much more! This culture has become known as the Indus Valley Civilization or sometimes the Harappan Civilization, after Harappa, the first city to be discovered. It has proved to be one of the largest ancient cultures, having a population of over five million people at its height and covering an area of one and a half million square kilometers. It also created very large cities, carefully planned and laid out where almost every house had its own bath and flush toilet, thousands of years before such things became common in other parts of the world. Somehow, the Harappans seem to have controlled this vast territory without having a large army or by conquering other weaker cultures, and they did not seem to have a single ruler such as a king or emperor. Then, for reasons that still aren’t understood, this culture declined and then vanished so completely that all that was left were piles of bricks in the plains of present-day India and Pakistan. We are still learning about these people, but this is what we know so far about the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History
Maya Civilization: A History from Beginning to End
Summary
Discover the remarkable history of the Maya Civilization... For more than one thousand years, the Maya people dominated areas of Central America and modern-day Mexico and made important advances in architecture, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. Then, after the Spanish occupation in the 16th century, Maya culture and thinking were deliberately suppressed. Only in the 20th century did scientists appreciate just how advanced these people had been and how important they were in the history of Mesoamerica. The excavation and investigation of several large Maya cities in the second half of the 20th century completely changed how we view these people. We now know that the Maya were capable of building vary large stone structures that were precisely aligned with astronomical features, though we do not know how this was done. We are still learning about Maya cities - as recently as 2018, the use of new technology uncovered more than 60,000 previously undiscovered Maya ruins in the jungles of Guatemala. Many scholars now believe that the Maya were one of the most important of all the ancient Mesoamerican cultures. There are still many mysteries about the Maya. At one point in their history, several major Maya cities were abandoned and left to the encroaching jungle while their people relocated to more inhospitable areas in the Yucatán. There are many theories, but no one is entirely certain why this happened. We also don’t know why the Maya made important advances in the fields of mathematics and medicine and yet failed to develop, for example, the wheel or metalworking. What we do know is that these people created a sophisticated culture which they recorded via one of the first complex writing systems. Unlike other contemporary Mesoamerican peoples, the Maya survived the Spanish occupation, and Maya language, religion, and culture continue to survive today in parts of Central America and Mexico. This is the story of the mysterious and frequently misunderstood Maya civilization. Discover a plethora of topics such as: Origins Maya Religion and Medicine The Classic Period Weapons and Warfare The Spanish Conquest Maya Writing And much more! So if you want a concise and informative audiobook on the Maya Civilization, simply get this audiobook now!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
Virginia Woolf
Summary
Discover the remarkable life of Virginia Woolf.... Virginia Woolf ranks among the most influential writers of the 20th century. Embracing the Post-Impressionist times in which she lived, her novels reflect the artistic shift from romanticism to abstract. Plot mattered very little to Woolf. Her writing was a stream of consciousness outside of time and place. Her novels, including her best-known work, Mrs. Dalloway, invariably dwell on gender roles and the concept of reality. Woolf suffered from mental illness throughout her life. Her inner torment formed the basis of much of her writing. Virginia made multiple suicide attempts and was institutionalized several times throughout her life as she feared a loss of control due to her increasing depression and manic episodes. Her husband, Leonard Woolf, with whom she had mainly a platonic relationship, remained supportive of her until her death. On March 28, 1941, Virginia Woolf walked into the River Ouse wearing a heavy coat with pockets filled with rocks. Her body was found three weeks later. Discover a plethora of topics such as: A dysfunctional home Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group The making of a modern woman Mrs.Dalloway Virginia and Vita’s love affair Woolf’s Suicide and beyond And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on Virginia Woolf, simply buy now!
©2020 Hourly History (P)2020 Hourly History
The Olmecs
Summary
Many ancient civilizations are described as mysterious, but none provide as many puzzles and unanswered questions as the Olmecs. These people arrived in lands near the Gulf of Mexico around 1500 BCE and brought with them entirely new concepts in terms of engineering, agriculture, and religion. The problem is we have no idea where they came from or how they developed these new ideas. Then, around 400 BCE, the Olmecs vanished as suddenly and inexplicably as they appeared, leaving behind no written records but providing a legacy of beliefs and ideas which permeated virtually every Mesoamerican culture that followed. In this audiobook you will hear about: Origins The Olmec enigma The fall of San Lorenzo Were-jaguars and feathered serpents The rise of La Venta The disappearance of the Olmecs And much more! Respected scholars take very different views on the Olmec civilization. Some feel that the Olmecs must have come to Central America from somewhere else entirely, while others are adamant that they are indigenous people. Some historians believe that the Olmecs were simply one of several cultures that emerged at around the same time, while others are vehement that this is the mother culture from which all subsequent Mesoamerican cultures descended. Less than 100 years ago, there wasn’t even agreement on whether these people had existed at all. There are very few cultures as important as the Olmecs about which we know so little. This book attempts to convey the story of the mysterious Olmecs and their unique and fascinating artifacts.
©2019 Hourly History (P)2019 Hourly History