Excellent narrative, mind-bendingly bad narrator.

What did you like most about When Britain Saved the West?

The narrative.

What other book might you compare When Britain Saved the West to, and why?

Every book about the Second World War ever written.

How could the performance have been better?

The reader of this audiobook, Shaun Grindell, is one of the worst and most irritating readers I have encountered in almost a hundred Audible titles. He reads like an American affecting a British accent in some second-rate sci-fi show, and it is like nails being raked torturously down a chalkboard.
His accent is as English as my ears can detect, but his pronunciation and spoken grammar are entirely American. To listen to him butcher English place names like Berkshire (the first syllable of which he pronounces to rhyme with "twerk", as opposed to "Bark", which is how it should be pronounced) or Bromwich (which he separates into two detached syllables as "Brom-witch", instead of the "Bromich" which a normal British person would do) is nearly as painful as his mangling of dates and numbers. Instead of reading a date as (for example) "the twenty third of September", he says "September twenty three". There is not a person born on this island who pronounces dates in such a way, unless it be whilst tied to a chair and with a gun to their head held by an American linguist with designs on etymological reverse-colonialism.
I accept I may be easier to irritate over such things than many people, but for me it is a horrendous distraction to an otherwise very fine and detailed book.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"The film they refused to hire Shaun Grindell to narrate."

Any additional comments?

Please do not ever hire Shaun Grindell to narrate a book ever again. He makes my ears bleed.

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3 people found this helpful

Gr8 book poorly read

Just the reader’s pronounsiation very with names and dates ie 13 sept
When itis said 13th September

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A well researched and well told British story blighted by unwarranted American pronunciation

The story of Britain's Darkest Hour in 1940 has been told and re-told. It is literally the story that a good man tells his son.

Yet here, the story unearths new insight and perspective. For example, data gets re-crunched to show the RAF were bigger at the end of the Battle of Britain than at the start. It was not a close run thing it was a clear victory. But the author doesn't scoff at these original well worn perspectives but merely adds new light to them.

He is as strong on the Westminster politics as he is on the military history. Given that Chamberlain's downfall and Churchill's rise was fundamental to the story this is critical.

I would normally have liked more social history in the telling and perspective as Anthony Beevor excells at. But it speaks volumes for this text that the lack of voices outside politicians and generals doesn't detract too much.

The text is fine. The choice of narrator also works being a refined Englishman whose voice is well suited.

However, the direction which leads to some jarring American pronunciation profoundly undermines the listening experience. It is not "May the third to May the thirty first" as it is in spoken English. It is "May three to May thirty one."

Nobody in Britain says this. Ever.

We also have the American "lootenants", "ant eye aircraft" for anti-aircraft and we have the laughable "Seven ess six dee" instead of seven shillings and six pence. I found myself getting steadily wound up by this language gerrymandering.

I get that there is an American audience for history on Audible but I'm sure they will wear an Englishman speaking English on such a British story.

It's a great book. Buy the printed version and save your blood pressure.

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grate book

a good book well wrote and narated enjoyable read good one to curl up and go back in time

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Let down by narration

I really to text of this book. It’s key idea is to look at the times of the war where the UK played a prominent or solo part. The detail running up to Dunkirk was especially good.
Unfortunately the narrator sounded like he’d never heard some of the words before until he said them out loud. I mean what narrator doesn’t know how the British say lieutenant? Also their attempt at a gravitas made them sound stoned.

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Excellent revisionist history

This book focusses on Britain from the outbreak of war to the entry of the USA to the war. It veers from the political mechanics of Churchill becoming leader to the story of the Battle of Britain and in doing so the style changes from thoughtful analysis to ripping story, which is a nice change of speed for the reader.

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Very enlightening.

An excellent narrative on a misunderstood period of history. I recommend this if you have an interest in this period.

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Topic was well hightlighted.

That Britain, as a country, stood alone against the Nazis for so long has often been glossed over. There was help from various Free Forces and the Empire, but the lack and tardiness of assistance from the USA is put into clear context and significence. The economic cost of the subsequent help from that ally still resounds today and is not appreciated by present generations.
With regard to the performance, there were some irritating mispronunciations of place names and strange method of detailing military divisions - such as '1' June and '2' Army instead of 'First of June' and 'Second Army'. More colour was needed in the quotations from the main protagonists.
Overall. a well made, worthwhile narrative and context were given.

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3 people found this helpful

Great story, well written

A great story but the narrator was clearly not British as shown by serious mispronunciation of place names and words and Americanised dates and numbers.
This jarred a lot but the description of events and personalities was very good, it explained what happened clearly and was most enjoyable

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6 people found this helpful

Good Story Poor Narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No the narration spoilt it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of When Britain Saved the West?

The technical details of the German and British air forces.

What didn’t you like about Shaun Grindell’s performance?

He sounds English but the American style narration spoilt it for me. Some examples that jarred were One June instead of 1st June on all dates, his pronunciation of place names so Castle Bromwich becomes Castle Brom Witch. The total inability to pronounce pre-decimal currency so 7s 6d becomes seven s and 6 d. Whoever produced this audible book did a very sloppy job and I can only assume that it wasn't produced for the UK market.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not at all.

Any additional comments?

If this book was produced for the UK market then whoever was responsible couldn't have listened to the finished article. A good story but awful narration.

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2 people found this helpful