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One Hundred Summers
- Narrated by: Vanessa Branson
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
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One Hundred Summers
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Summary
Britain's 20th century seen through the prism of one extraordinary family.
Taking the listener on a journey from the dying embers of Edwardian England, through the trauma of two world wars, the hedonism of 1980s London and ‘Cool Britannia’ in the 1990s right up to the present day, One Hundred Summers is a portrait of a century as it was experienced by one extraordinary family.
Along the way, Vanessa Branson recalls the rough and tumble of her chaotic but happy childhood; growing up alongside her older brother Richard, entrepreneurial even as a teenager, she would have a front-row seat at the birth of Virgin, one of the most remarkable success stories in British business.
She goes on to share her many adventures in a fascinating life, from opening an art gallery on London’s Portobello Road and founding an arts festival in Morocco, to turning an ancient palace into a world-famous hotel and finding a real-life Neverland in the Scottish island of Eilean Shona, where J. M. Barrie once wrote a screenplay for Peter Pan.
Touching, humane and at times heartbreakingly honest, Branson’s family memoir is a vivid and charming tapestry of English eccentricity, fortune, fate and passion.
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Critic reviews
"Charming, honest, beautifully written and lyrical." (Kate Mosse)
"An elegantly written contemplation on family, fame, marriage, betrayal, ancestry and ambition." (Anthony Horowitz)
What listeners say about One Hundred Summers
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lord Anthony Dobson
- 16-04-21
High's, low's & High again.
Author stuttered occasionally however don't let that get in the way of a well written story.
Didn't want to hear about sex but fascinating insight to a remarkable family.
Upsetting hearing about the turmoil of a divorce with children that many families can relate to.
Highly recommend this audio Book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 15-08-20
great satisfying listen
loved this. loved vanessa,s honesty in the telling. loved her voice for the narration. a great listen, really enjoyable.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- NA Barton
- 02-08-20
Brave, honest, funny, fascinating.....
"I'm going to write a book, it's going to be about the last 100 years of my family....".
Er, really? Do you really want to put yourself out there? Letting family, friends and thousands of strangers into the inner workings of your own and your family's life?
Having now read the book almost non-stop over the last few days, I loved it. It's a wonderfully easy read and she writes in such a refreshing style. No pulling punches. Just telling one how it was. Nothing too laboured or clever/clever. The book is filled with some incredible personal highs and lows. Brave to go into the detail of some of the latter, particularly they are still raw for her and some of the family/friends close to her.
For sure, this is an interesting read for any of the thousands of people who have come across Vanessa over the years. To learn more about how she ticks. I was worried that I'd be giving an awkward (slightly hollow) praise. But far from it, I salute her for writing a book at all, let alone one that I enjoyed as much as I did.
More importantly this book will appeal to readers around the world whose curiosity will be piqued by the kaleidoscope of themes that run through the book....the entertaining family history, the insights into the meteoric rise of the Branson/Virgin phenomenon, her role in the explosion of the contemporary art scene in London, her passion for Marrakech and bravest of all.... the highs and lows of her relationship with Robert.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- MarkJ
- 28-07-20
Loved it
It was a very special listen for me as we were childhood friends. Thank you
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 26-01-21
A life well lived, honestly told
Vanessa Branson’s engaging writing style cones to life even more in her own voice in this absolutely enchanting account of 100 years of her family’s journey.
This book is a total joy and I couldn’t recommend it more — I was addicted to it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-08-20
Just so very unapologetically human...
Wonderful life story - enjoyed every step in the journey. Told with openness, warmth and great humour. Beautiful touching tribute to a father to be written about with such unwavering affection. Sure even more incredible adventures await. Thanks Vanessa for sharing your story.
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- Pam
- 27-05-21
Wonderful book
Loved the life and tenacity she has, ups and downs and deals with it all so stoically, didn’t want it to end !
Loved the audio as she speaks so beautifully.
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- Nathan Jenkins
- 30-08-22
Touching account of a lifetime
Vanessa Branson shares some of her darkest and happiest moments. An interesting account of a life well lived and the power of friendship, love, empowerment and determination
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