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Never Had It So Good

By: Dominic Sandbrook
Narrated by: Dominic Sandbrook, Roger Davis
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Summary

'A rich treasure-chest of a book' ANTHONY HOWARD, Sunday Telegraph

'A spectacular history of the sixties' NICK COHEN, Observer

'Sandbrook's book is a pleasure to read ... he is a master of the human touch' RICHARD DAVENPORT-HINES, TLS

'Rivetingly readable' GODFREY SMITH, Sunday Times

From the bloodshed of the Suez Crisis to the giddy heyday of Beatlemania, from the first night of Look Back in Anger to the sensational revelations of the Profumo scandal, British life during the late 1950s and early 1960s seemed more colourful, exciting and controversial than ever. Using a vast array of sources, Dominic Sandbrook tells the story of a society caught between cultural nostalgia and economic optimism. He brings to life the post-war experience for a new generation of readers, in a critically acclaimed debut that will change for ever how we think about the sixties.
©2015 Dominic Sandbrook (P)2024 Hachette Audio UK
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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Critic reviews

'Unforgettable vignettes and revelations in this prodigious and ground-breaking study of British life' (SUNDAY TIMES)

'A clever and engaging study of Britain as it prepared to swing into the sixties. Never Had It So Good is very good indeed' (Amanda Foreman)

What listeners say about Never Had It So Good

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Narrator a disgrace

Looked forward to this as have read all the books. Very very disappointed with Roger Davis. He should read children's fairy tales not a well researched historical work such as this!!!!! I am returning the book to audible as only needed to get to chapter 2!! A disgrace.....David Thorpe and Sandbrook himself did a wonderful job....not this idiot.

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3 people found this helpful

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Nasal performance

I love Sandbrook’s other works, State of Emergency, Seasons in the Sun and Who Dares wins and was looking forward to this but sadly the narrator in this one is awful.

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Disappointing narrator

I was looking forward to this book but the narrator is so grim that I can't bear to listen to any more. I can't see how to return it

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Another great book ruined by awful narrator

Sandbrook's explorations of British life post-Suez are rightly lauded for their ambitious scope and compulsive readabity, their collosal length a virtue rather than hindrance. 'life', as is experienced by the inhabitants of these isles is the key here. By combining astute political analysis with pointed social commentary and pop cultural insight, he provides an entirely original and immersive account of what it was actually like to live during these times. Previous titles were narrated by the peerless David Thorpe, whose bright but authoritative tones captured the brisk style of the author, complete with sly asides. Sandbrook's own narration (pre-podcasting) was a slight step down in terms of energy. However, the performance of Roger Davis is only just this side of unbearable. Erratic leaps in volume and emphasis prevent any kind of immersion in the text. One is always jolted out of the story by his nervy delivery. Come on Audible, don't you have any quality control when it comes to narrators? Do you even audition them? To follow David Thorpe with this guy is like following The Beatles with Atomic Kitten.

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