
The Start
1904-1930
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Narrated by:
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Grover Gardner
About this listen
William L. Shirer was a CBS foreign correspondent and renowned author of New York Times best-selling nonfiction about World War II, and this is the first part of his three-part autobiography.
A renowned journalist and author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer chronicles his own life story in a personal history that parallels the greater historical events for which he served as a witness.
In this first volume, Shirer tells of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. In this surprisingly intimate account, Shirer details his youthful challenges, setbacks, rebellions, and insights into the world around him. He offers personal accounts of his friendships with notable people, including Isadora Duncan, Ernest Hemingway, and Sinclair Lewis.
This fascinating personal account also provides an illuminating look into the lost era of pre-World War II - and is notable as much for its historical value as for its autobiographical detail.
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Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.
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Scientifically inaccurate
- By Sara on 12-04-20
By: Dan Lewis
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A Circle of Quiet
- The Crosswicks Journals, Book 1
- By: Madeleine L'Engle
- Narrated by: Pamela Almand
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Set against the lush backdrop of Crosswicks, her family's farmhouse in rural Connecticut, this deeply personal memoir details Madeleine L'Engle's journey to find balance between her career as a Newbery Medal-winning author and her responsibilities as a wife, mother, teacher, and Christian.
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I Love Madeleine L'Engle!!!
- By Neyhart on 02-08-18
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D DAY Through German Eyes
- The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944
- By: Holger Eckhertz
- Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Almost all accounts of D-Day are told from the Allied perspective, with the emphasis on how German resistance was overcome on June 6, 1944. But what was it like to be a German soldier in the bunkers and gun emplacements of the Normandy coast, facing the onslaught of the mightiest seaborne invasion in history? What motivated the German defenders, what were their thought processes - and how did they fight from one strong point to another, among the dunes and fields, on that first cataclysmic day?
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A work of fiction
- By John Lindsey on 05-22-16
By: Holger Eckhertz
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The Invention of Scarcity
- Malthus and the Margins of History (Yale Agrarian Studies Series)
- By: Deborah Valenze
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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With the publication of Essay on the Principle of Population and its projection of food shortages in the face of ballooning populations, British theorist Thomas Robert Malthus secured a leading role in modern political and economic thought. In this startling new interpretation, Deborah Valenze reveals how canonical readings of Malthus fail to acknowledge his narrow understanding of what constitutes food production.
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Very insightful!
- By Consumer Expert! on 07-21-23
By: Deborah Valenze
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George Washington, Volume 1
- Young Washington
- By: Douglas Southall Freeman
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 17 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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George Washington, a Biography by Douglas Southall Freeman was the second great historical masterpiece by him to win the Pulitzer Prize, awarded posthumously in 1958. Freeman completed six volumes of this magnificent biography, but died before finishing the seventh and final volume, concluded for him by his research associates in 1957. In Volume One, Young Washington, we follow the development of George from childhood to young manhood. It is an extraordinary tale of youthful vigor and determination.
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Fine work on Washington
- By lps562 on 03-29-21
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George Washington, Volume 2
- Young Washington
- By: Douglas Southall Freeman
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Volume Two opens in late 1754. Having resigned his commission in the Virginia militia, Washington pondered his future as a soldier. But by the spring of 1755, he had been made aide de camp to British general Edward Braddock. It was to prove a fateful event. Washington accompanied Braddock on his disastrous expedition to capture Fort DuQuesne (Pittsburgh), but the small army was ambushed and Braddock killed. Young Washington distinguished himself in the hopeless battle and subsequent retreat.
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Forging an American Icon
- By James T. Bryson on 08-03-24
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Why Patti Smith Matters
- By: Caryn Rose
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Patti Smith arrived in New York City at the end of the Age of Aquarius in search of work and purpose. What she found—what she fostered—was a cultural revolution. Through her poetry, her songs, her unapologetic vocal power, and her very presence as a woman fronting a rock band, she kicked open a door that countless others walked through. No other musician has better embodied the 'nothing-to-hide' rawness of punk, nor has any other done more to nurture a place in society for misfits of every stripe.
By: Caryn Rose
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A Little History of the World
- By: E. H. Gombrich
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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E. H. Gombrich's world history, an international best seller now available in English for the first time, is a text dominated not by dates and facts but by the sweep of experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity's achievements, and an acute witness to its frailties.
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an enlightening book; very well read
- By A.B.Oxford on 06-03-06
By: E. H. Gombrich
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Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric
- By: Ward Farnsworth
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot, Jim Meskimen
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Masters of language can turn unassuming words into phrases that are beautiful, effective, and memorable. What are the secrets of this alchemy? Part of the answer lies in rhetorical figures: practical ways of applying great aesthetic principles to a simple sentence or paragraph. Farnsworth’s Classical English Rhetoric recovers this knowledge for our times. It amounts to a tutorial on eloquence conducted by Churchill and Lincoln, Dickens and Melville, Burke and Paine, and more than a hundred others.
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A little unwieldy for audio
- By Coral on 05-26-14
By: Ward Farnsworth
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The Collapse of the Third Republic
- An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940
- By: William L. Shirer
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 48 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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As an international war correspondent and radio commentator, William L. Shirer didn't just research the fall of France. He was there. In just six weeks, he watched the Third Reich topple one of the world's oldest military powers - and institute a rule of terror and paranoia. Based on in-person conversation with the leaders, diplomats, generals, and ordinary citizens who both shaped the events of this time and lived through them on a daily basis, Shirer shapes a compelling account of historical events - without losing sight of the personal experience.
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So much information
- By Daniel L Carmony on 05-14-19
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The Most Important Thing, Volume 1
- Discovering Truth at the Heart of Life
- By: Adyashanti
- Narrated by: Adyashanti
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Original Recording
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“Question your assumptions; lean far into the unknown. Question it all.” So says Adyashanti in The Most Important Thing, Volume 1 - an invitation to look past the surface of our personal stories to discover the timeless truths within. Across eight hours of intimate talks, Adyashanti encourages you to open to the possibility of grace, embrace those aspects of life that call you to serve, and discover the innate vitality in every single moment.
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Inspires direction and clarity for deep progress
- By Anonymous User on 02-08-19
By: Adyashanti
What listeners say about The Start
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- Peter W. Kalnin
- 10-08-23
An Excellent Review of Decades of History
William Shirer gives the reader an excellent understanding of the events and society of the early 1900s. He is a magnificent raconteur who reflects the values and thoughts of people of that time.
Grover Gardner is the perfect narrator for this book.
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- Prettyparson
- 04-07-25
Shirer accomplished more (had a wider variety of experience) by 26 than most people do in a lifetime.
This is truly a memoir more than it is a history of these years. World events happen in the background.
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- JHM
- 04-24-23
Not Just An Autobiography
This a wonderful history of the first decades of the 20th century in our country and in Europe. A splendid look at the life and times of a youth from the Midwest whose curiosity and drive made him a gifted reporter and broadcaster and, as we see in this volume, historian.
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- HellRazor
- 08-28-23
You are there! First Rate!
Shirer is the author of the iconic Rise and Fall of The Third Reich. He is one of the most underrated writers of the 20th C.
A journalist who was on the scene of most of the first half of the 20th C’s most historical events.
From his roving reportage throughout Europe pre- and post-WWII, Shirer observes, interviews and reports on the notable WHO’s Who of the era, whether in politics, culture or the arts: Hitler, Churchill, Mussolini, Petain, Chamberlain, Attlee, Michael Collins, Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, Gertrude Stein, Grant Wood et.al.
But for me, what is most fascinating are perhaps the descriptions of all the lesser known notables and Shirer’s highly honed sense of timing and ability to distill what is important to the story and likely to be of the highest historical import.
Grover Gardener is brilliant as narrator, his style and manner suits the era and material perfectly. I can’t imagine anyone else eliciting the texture and ambiance of the times so on point.
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- Craig W.
- 10-02-23
A hidden gem
I’ve read and listened to both of Shirer’s epic reads the rise and fall of the third Reich and the collapse of the third republic, I’ve listened to so many hours of Grover Gardner voice I couple pics of Shirer with Gardners voice.
I stumbled upon this story and thought what the hell. I’m so glad I listened, I learned a ton about Shirer and of history during this era - my parents era. It’s been extremely valuable and educational to me and Gardner’s reading makes it all the better, he’s a superb reader, totally believable, excellent cadence and easy to understand and follow.
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2 people found this helpful
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- jennifer
- 06-01-23
very captivating
Part autobiography and part biography of all the people he met, this is a very interesting book. It captures the 1910s-1920s like no other story I've ever read.
And the reader reads it like only he can. Highly recommended.
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- Andrew Darlow
- 04-28-24
A Truly Superb Work!
This book had a profound impact on me for many reasons. Here are a few:
1. After reading Mr. Shirer’s comprehensive book on the rise and fall of the 3rd Reich about 5 years ago, this book was helpful to understand how it was possible for Mr. Shirer to create such a compelling and comprehensive history book.
2. I like how Mr. Shirer covered events like the 1927 Atlantic crossing by Lindbergh. It’s rare to read about the people who lost their lives just weeks before his trip, and the hour-by-hour commentary since Mr. Shirer was there when he landed in Paris.
3. Because I lived and studied in a few countries in Europe and Asia as a 20 something year old, I felt a kinship with Mr. Shirer as he explored the world.
4. The commentary about the 1929 stock market crash was also very interesting.
5. Mr. Shirer’s brief and extended relationships with authors and other well-known figures of his time was also fascinating to me.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants many firsthand reports from life in the early to mid 20th Century.
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- william arthur nessen
- 11-19-24
Everything
I loved everything about this. And I am a tough critic. Will start the next volume soon
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- Nancy
- 08-12-20
Clouds gathering on the horizon in Europe
The first of three books in this famous series (The Start, Berlin Diary, End of a Berlin Diary) by William L. Shirer, I'm glad that I happened upon the "Berlin Diary" books first. They put you right into the middle of Berlin, as Adolph Hitler was gaining power. "The Start," which covers this renown Journalist and Author's early life, from growing up in middle America through his fantastic early career and experiences in pre-WWII Europe, gets off to a slow start. In fact, I'm afraid I would never have finished it, if I didn't already know what was in store for him and the reader in his latter two books in the series. Even after he gets a job right out of college in France as a cub reporter, this true story suddenly picks up tempo, as he ends up greeting Charles Lindbergh on a grass airstrip outside Paris. From that point on, it seems, he is always in the right place at the right time, interviewing European Heads of State and world-renown celebrities of the time, including Lindbergh. But this is also a story, as seen through his eyes, of an optimistic America in the first third of the Century, having survived "the War to End All Wars" and going into the Great Depression. So, hang in there for a great ride after he gets to Paris. The narration is excellent, although you might get real tired of hearing all the French names of people he meets and the addresses of dozens of cafe's he regularly visits. It is truly remarkable the level of detail he has written into his diary throughout his life, knowing from the very beginning, it seems, that he would write an excellent autobiographical piece like this some day. All three books comprise a story of one of America's finest Journalists. What a life!
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16 people found this helpful
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- JohnDoe
- 03-13-23
I've been being enlightened by the author
for more than 40 years. I've read all of his books at least once. (Fall of 3rd French Republic was only one I didn't enjoy, likely because i still know little about French culture. I did study German.)
other reviewer noticed that this is less dramatic. However, I thotoughk enjoyed listening to him present a broader view introducing information and analyses involving other genres. this corresponds to a great broadening in my horizons from 46 years ago.
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