Get Your Free Audiobook
History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome traces the breathtaking history from the empire’s foundation by Augustus to its Golden Age in the 2nd century CE through a series of ever-worsening crises until its ultimate disintegration. Taught by acclaimed Professor Gregory S. Aldrete of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, these 24 captivating lectures offer you the chance to experience this story like never before, incorporating the latest historical insights that challenge our previous notions of Rome’s decline.
-
The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An insightful and informative explanation of USA
- By Mark Daniel on 23-01-2018
-
A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
-
The Rise of Rome
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 20
The Roman Republic is one of the most breathtaking civilizations in world history. Between roughly 500 BCE to the turn of the millennium, a modest city-state developed an innovative system of government and expanded into far-flung territories across Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. This powerful civilization inspired America's founding fathers, gifted us a blueprint for amazing engineering innovations, left a vital trove of myths, and has inspired the human imagination for 2,000 years.
-
Adventures in My Youth
- A German Soldier on the Eastern Front 1941-45
- By: Armin Scheiderbauer
- Narrated by: James A. Gillies
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
The author could be described as a veteran in every sense of the word, even though he was only age 21 when the war ended. Armin Scheiderbauer served as an infantry officer with the 252nd Infantry Division, German army, and saw four years of bitter combat on the Eastern Front, being wounded six times. This is an outstanding personal memoir, written with great thoughtfulness and honesty.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting if at times dry read
- By John Shoemark on 28-11-2018
-
The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us
- By: Douglas O. Linder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Douglas O. Linder JD
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4
No understanding of the past is complete without an understanding of the legal battles and struggles that have done so much to shape it. Inside a survey of world history's greatest trials are the key insights to critical issues we still talk about today, including freedom of speech, the death penalty, religious freedom, and the meaning of equality. Join Professor Linder for these 24 lectures that investigate important legal cases from around the world and across the centuries.
-
The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome traces the breathtaking history from the empire’s foundation by Augustus to its Golden Age in the 2nd century CE through a series of ever-worsening crises until its ultimate disintegration. Taught by acclaimed Professor Gregory S. Aldrete of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, these 24 captivating lectures offer you the chance to experience this story like never before, incorporating the latest historical insights that challenge our previous notions of Rome’s decline.
-
The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An insightful and informative explanation of USA
- By Mark Daniel on 23-01-2018
-
A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
-
The Rise of Rome
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 20
The Roman Republic is one of the most breathtaking civilizations in world history. Between roughly 500 BCE to the turn of the millennium, a modest city-state developed an innovative system of government and expanded into far-flung territories across Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. This powerful civilization inspired America's founding fathers, gifted us a blueprint for amazing engineering innovations, left a vital trove of myths, and has inspired the human imagination for 2,000 years.
-
Adventures in My Youth
- A German Soldier on the Eastern Front 1941-45
- By: Armin Scheiderbauer
- Narrated by: James A. Gillies
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
The author could be described as a veteran in every sense of the word, even though he was only age 21 when the war ended. Armin Scheiderbauer served as an infantry officer with the 252nd Infantry Division, German army, and saw four years of bitter combat on the Eastern Front, being wounded six times. This is an outstanding personal memoir, written with great thoughtfulness and honesty.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting if at times dry read
- By John Shoemark on 28-11-2018
-
The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us
- By: Douglas O. Linder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Douglas O. Linder JD
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4
No understanding of the past is complete without an understanding of the legal battles and struggles that have done so much to shape it. Inside a survey of world history's greatest trials are the key insights to critical issues we still talk about today, including freedom of speech, the death penalty, religious freedom, and the meaning of equality. Join Professor Linder for these 24 lectures that investigate important legal cases from around the world and across the centuries.
-
Plant Science: An Introduction to Botany
- By: Catherine Kleier, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Catherine Kleier
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
Dr. Catherine Kleier invites us to open our eyes to the phenomenal world of plant life and to the process she calls “Natura Revelata”, the joy of celebrating and learning from the secrets of nature. As Dr. Kleier shares her knowledge with contagious excitement for her subject, she emphasizes the middle ground: Instead of focusing on cell microbiology or the study of ecosystems and habitats, she stresses the basic biology, function, and the amazing adaptations of the plants we see all around us.
-
Battle for the Falklands
- By: Max Hastings
- Narrated by: Cameron Stewart
- Length: 16 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 51
The Falklands War was one of the strangest in British history - 28,000 men sent to fight for a tiny relic of empire 8,000 miles from home. At the time, many Britons saw it as a tragic absurdity, but the British victory confirmed the quality of British arms and boosted the political fortunes of the Conservative government.
-
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 116
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 103
Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
An eye-opening account of the ancient 99%
- By Nelson C on 09-07-2015
-
To Rule the Waves
- How the British Navy Changed the Modern World
- By: Arthur Herman
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 29 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
To Rule the Waves tells the extraordinary story of how the British Royal Navy allowed one nation to rise to a level of power unprecedented in history. From the navy's beginnings under Henry VIII to the age of computer warfare and special ops, historian Arthur Herman tells the spellbinding tale of great battles at sea, heroic sailors, violent conflict, and personal tragedy - of the way one mighty institution forged a nation, an empire, and a new world.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Where things go wrong.
- By Curious on 24-02-2019
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 28
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
History for the Non-Historian
- By Amazon Customer on 22-01-2014
-
The Story of Human Language
- By: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 83
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 71
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
This is from 2005
- By David on 26-07-2018
-
The Templars
- By: Dan Jones
- Narrated by: Dan Jones
- Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 63
The Knights Templar were the wealthiest, most powerful - and most secretive - of the military orders that flourished in the crusading era. Their story - encompassing as it does the greatest international conflict of the Middle Ages, a network of international finance, a swift rise in wealth and influence followed by a bloody and humiliating fall - has left a comet's tail of mystery that continues to fascinate and inspire historians, novelists and conspiracy theorists. Unabridged edition read by Dan Jones.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
‘The Templars’, by Dan Jones
- By lone on 24-04-2018
-
1066: The Year That Changed Everything
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 3 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
With this exciting and historically rich six-lecture course, experience for yourself the drama of this dynamic year in medieval history, centered on the landmark Norman Conquest. Taking you from the shores of Scandinavia and France to the battlefields of the English countryside, these lectures will plunge you into a world of fierce Viking warriors, powerful noble families, politically charged marriages, tense succession crises, epic military invasions, and much more.
-
The Celtic World
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton PhD
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Delightful and enlightening
- By Robin Grille, psychologist, author on 17-05-2018
-
Panzer Ace
- The Memoirs of an Iron Cross Panzer Commander from Barbarossa to Normandy
- By: Richard Freiherr von Rosen, Robert Forczyk
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 26
Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer commander. After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a company of Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944 commanded a battle group (12 King Tigers and a flak company) against the Russians in Hungary in the rank of junior, later senior lieutenant (from November 1944, his final rank). Only 489 of these King Tiger tanks were ever built.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A compelling insight and a unique piece of history
- By S. Herod on 10-03-2019
-
The German Aces Speak
- World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders
- By: Anne-Marie Lewis, Jon Guttman, Brigadier General Robin Olds USAF (Ret.), and others
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Few perspectives epitomize the sheer drama and sacrifice of combat more perfectly than those of the fighter pilots of World War II. As romanticized as any soldier in history, the World War II fighter pilot was viewed as larger than life: a dashing soul waging war amongst the clouds. In the 65-plus years since the Allied victory, stories of these pilots' heroics have never been in short supply. But what about their adversaries - the highly skilled German aviators who pushed the Allies to the very brink of defeat?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Inaccurate and laughable narrator
- By Geoff Alford on 30-01-2019
-
Blood Red Snow
- The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front
- By: Günter K. Koschorrek
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Gunter K. Koschorrek was a machine-gunner on the Russian front in WWII. He wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on. As keeping a diary was strictly forbidden, he sewed the pages into the lining of his thick winter coat and deposited them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing, and it was when he was reunited with his daughter in America some 40 years later that it came to light and became Blood Red Snow.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Realistic day by day week by week account of life in the Eastern Front
- By Mark on 17-09-2018
Publisher's Summary
Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path. Full of dramatic reversals of fortune and colorful characters, this course examines some of the world's most notable examples of military misfortune, from the humiliating destruction of a Roman army at Carrhae in 53 BC to the tragic landings at Gallipoli in World War I. Success and failure, as you'll learn, are two sides of the same coin.
These 24 lectures reveal how the trajectory of history hangs in the balance of individual battles; even a single person's actions in a particular moment have made drastic and irreversible impacts. From ancient Greece through global war during the first half of the 20th century, you'll delve into infamous conflicts such as the Charge of the Light Brigade and the Battle of Little Bighorn as well as lesser-known battles.
How could an army equipped with cannon be wiped out by Zulu warriors wielding spears and outdated firearms? How could armored French knights be vulnerable to the crude weapons of a band of Flemish shopkeepers? Why would a savvy Chinese general fall victim to a tactic he had previously used himself? Unpredictable twists of fate abound, demonstrating that when it comes to war, there are no givens. Sheer numbers, superior weaponry, and skilled leadership are never a guarantee of success.
Take a fascinating journey through some of the most gloriously inglorious wartime encounters. Along the way, you'll get to know some of the most legendary characters in world history.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars23
-
4 Stars13
-
3 Stars5
-
2 Stars1
-
1 Stars1
Performance
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars24
-
4 Stars9
-
3 Stars2
-
2 Stars3
-
1 Stars1
Story
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars25
-
4 Stars9
-
3 Stars4
-
2 Stars1
-
1 Stars0
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 20-11-2018
Great book
very interesting but can be hard to follow at times given the content as most blunders become a mess but he makes it easy enough to follow with the structure of his lectures.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kevin Magee
- 19-05-2018
A great find
By focusing the ‘bad practises’ of leadership and strategy that contributed to some of the greatest and most world defining military defeats rather than the practise of the victors, Professor Aldrete’s brings a fresh take on known events that shows them in a completely new light. His insights and explanation of from this new angle of the historic events and their background, circumstances, causes and consequences is fascinating, educational and at uplifting. This is a audio series I highly recommend.
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 14-05-2018
Great Material but Presentaion Unlistenable.
THIS.. presentation "has" , weird pausing...mEANingless emphasis (Based) on timing or just completely raNdom. sadly this RENDERS the entire presentation.....completely InCoMPREhensible. Shame because the underlying script is sound.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- 匿名
- 19-06-2017
Brit bashing more important than interesting
I like the way this lecturer provides information and insight but of 23 lectures, 10 are examples of British “blunders”.
There are more interesting, more relevant, more significant battles and blunders in 3000+ years of warfare than some of the examples used here. After a while, it just comes across as though the lecturer has a chip on his shoulder.
I’d recommend other titles by this lecturer, but perhaps not this one if you’re British.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Charles Grayson
- 11-07-2016
Hindsight Bias?
The professor does an outstanding presentation of his material.
I have to wonder, though, whether many of these blunders are hindsight bias. For example, we only distinguish rashness from boldness when the endeavor succeeds or fails; there may be no way to determine which description applies beforehand.
Many of the behaviors that the professor describes also precede great successes as well as failures, and it's only when failure occurs that they look stupid. The problem is that we don't keep data on stupidity followed by success, which makes it look artificially easy to determine when you're screwing up.
67 of 69 people found this review helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Cynthia
- 16-08-2016
Martial Chaos
I'm a military history buff and a US Army veteran, so I really couldn't have asked for a more apt "The Great Courses" lecture series. It's thing to read a translation of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" (approximately 5th century BCE), an aspirational guide to tactical warfare that's travelled the millennia well. It's quite anther to fearlessly examine some of the most painful military debacles in history and take meaning from what's written in blood . "History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach" (Gregory S. Aldrete, PhD) is a neat survey course of things that have gone militarily very, very, wrong for more than two millennia.
The lectures range from The Battles of Syracuse (415-414 BC) to World War II's Operation Market Garden (1944). Some are obvious, often repeated errors. Napoleon's 1812 winter invasion of Russia was about as successful as Charles XII of Sweden's 1707 invasion of the same country. The 1854 storied, tragic Charge of the Light Brigade is about attacking the wrong target. Some of the disasters of World War II were almost too painful to listen to. I remember hearing war stories first-hand from veterans in my grandparents' small town, and to know that sometimes their sacrifices were wasted hurts.
I like that the lectures aren't Eurocentric - one of the best is on the 2nd Century Red Cliffs Campaign of the brilliant but merciless Chinese General Cao Cao. Even the strongest of tyrants don't always prevail. I got a kick out of the lecture on 1879 Isandlwana: 25,000 Zulus, Undetected. It was horrifying to Victorian England, especially the post-battle mutilation (actually, a sign of respect: the Zulu Warriors were releasing the spirits of the slain soldiers), but a century and a half later, it's a study in absolute arrogance and the triumph of what must have been derided then as "savages."
I would definitely listen to another one of Professor Aldrete's courses.
[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]
127 of 134 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sam Fredericks
- 22-02-2016
Very Interesting
What made the experience of listening to History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach the most enjoyable?
The premise for these lectures is just great. You listen to how these commanders and others invovled make error after error resulting in a horrible defeat of their forces. Spanning time from ancient Egypt to WW2 there are a ton of interesting stories here.
What did you like best about this story?
The various accounts are presented with a ton of insight into the people involved, the time, the customs, etc.
What about Professor Gregory S. Aldrete, PhD’s performance did you like?
Dr. Aldrete is a great lecturer and often includes a comic touch when presenting these tales. I had listened to his history of the ancient world course as well and highly recommend it if you are interested in standard history.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I blew through these vary fast and some are quite comical.
Any additional comments?
Very entertaining.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 26-10-2015
Awesome as Aldrete's usual !!!
After listening to "Decisive battles" from the same author, I knew I had to listen to this title as well.
If you want to learn college-level history, With the ease of just curling up with a good book that is beautifully narrated this is the course for you.
26 of 29 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Billy
- 24-12-2015
Great book
Great book,informative I loved it. Our public schools should be ashamed for missing the opportunity do teach real history
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Alex Jordan
- 12-08-2016
Great material, Shatner-esque delivery
This is fascinating material! However, while the narrator clearly has mastered the material, his delivery is... full of... awkward... pauses, strange pronunciations, and odd turns of phrase. He's clearly reading the material, which would be fine if the delivery was not so distracting!
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- CC
- 14-04-2016
Great Stories
This course is comprised of 23 great historical stories and one final lecture sort of tying the stories together. Very easy to listen to and stay engaged.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- J_T
- 05-03-2016
Legitimate 5 stars
I am a big fan of The Great Courses. That being said, not all are worthy of 5 star reviews... unless they feature Professor Aldrete.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cliff Robison
- 26-01-2016
this IS a Great Course, REALLY!!
What does Professor Gregory S. Aldrete, PhD bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Passion, he brings these battles to life for the listener.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, it's too long...but I did anyway.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Charles
- 24-12-2015
Excellent course giving strong lessons in war
What made the experience of listening to History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach the most enjoyable?
Professor Aldrete is a wonderful lecturer and his storytelling abilities. He brought you in to each time period as a spectator to the generals and officers, and in some cases politicians. I think in particular the fact he mentioned specific quotations from them really brought their personalities into play.
What did you like best about this story?
Misnomer of a question since it was 24 individual stories. Though I enjoyed the human element, how you can see how overconfidence, miscommunication and arrogance over the enemy would come into play again and again in these battles.
Which character – as performed by Professor Gregory S. Aldrete, PhD – was your favorite?
Since the 'book' is actually a series of lectures. I will choose the Battle of the Crater. Professor Aldrete does a great job using this as his opening lecture as this hook would keep any student eagerly returning to lecture after lecture.
I find the Battle of the Crater most mesmerizing since as an American I had never heard of it. He gives amazing insight into the officers motivations and follies and in doing so gave me a new thought about the history of the United States.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, I listened to this book during drives and each of the lessons were an individual story that showed the frailties of command.
Any additional comments?
The great courses lecturers were an excellent addition to audible.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- John W
- 30-11-2015
Interesting content with a truly awful narration.
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
A more fluid narration! The guy who reads this audiobook is very clearly reading the content from a script. His speech stops and starts and emphasises in all the wrong places. Its like listening to William Shatner struggling with a script !
If the book was read by somebody who could speak in a steady and confident manner it would fare much better, but sadly the narrator of this version sounds robotic, unusual, stuttering and impossible to listen to with any amount of concentration.
What was one of the most memorable moments of History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach?
I'm not sure. Because I was so put off by the narrator's manner of speaking I stopped listening after a few chapters. The chapter about the battle of the Crater was quite interesting i guess.
Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Professor Gregory S. Aldrete, PhD?
Stephen Fry? Patrick Stewart? Quite frankly anyone who can hold together a deep, wise, and unwavering tone.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
The content itself was relatively interesting - its just a shame it was presented in such a mispronounced, stuttering, odd and disjointed fashion.
Any additional comments?
Dont buy it unless you can put up with slow reading and mispronunciation.
12 of 16 people found this review helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-10-2018
Fascinating material ruined by woeful narration
This could have been a fantastic audio book. The content is compelling but the narrator removes any possibility of enjoying this book. He sounds as if each individual word has been recorded and pieced together, disrupting any possible fluidity. Such a shame.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- J. Leach
- 02-12-2018
Wonderful recounting of history
even with my ani-war sentiments I really enjoyed this lively, well told and analysed account of war history. The hours flew past!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pauly
- 01-09-2018
Unmissable
If you have any interest in military history or in human failure, this is an essential listen. It provides not only 24 fascinating case studies but also an analysis of each one, and explains how each disaster could have been avoided. It concludes by categorising the types of failure and suggesting that it is the inability of humans to learn from past mistakes that often leads to disaster.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lawrence Oxborough
- 01-03-2017
More of a University Lecture than a Book...
... but still thoroughly enjoyable for a history nerd. Of course, it missed a few "blunders" that I would have considered pivotal in world history, such as the Third Reich's advance into Russia, and George Meade's failure to pursue the defeated Confederate Army immediately following Gettysburg, but all the lectures came together in the end very nicely and a solid point was made that I can't argue against.
... Even if the blunders committed by British generals were hard pills to swallow!
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- B. Whelan
- 14-08-2017
British military disaster
It's well narrated but if you are fan ok the uk it may annoy you in parts its seems 3/4 of the blunders are British. I'm not patriotic but even I grew tired of constant British blunders
0 of 1 people found this review helpful