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Precipice
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
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Precipice
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe.
In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley – aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless – is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state.
As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents – and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history.
Seamlessly weaving fact and fiction in a way that no writer does better, Precipice is the thrilling new novel from Robert Harris.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dom
- 14-09-24
Another world
The little known tale of Henry Asquiths incredible affair with socialite Venetia Stanley evokes a world of privilege and entitlement which takes the breath away. The arrogant entitled world of the ruling classes eclipses what we think are the excesses of today’s elites to the extent of them being beyond any scrutiny and gen above the law.
Asquith comes across as a petulant, selfish baby. Venetia is marginally more likeable but by a thin margin. The whole shower of aristocrats are despicable people blundering along in their bubble.
I liked the character of the detective, a decent man, he provided a foil to the revolting masters ruling the country. I would have liked to have had some post novel intelligence of him; was he killed in the war? What happened to his brother? There was also a tantalising hint of attraction between him and the German speaking Swiss maid which would have been an interesting vignette. I am aware Deemer was a fictional character.
I thought the book was well researched, well written and very engaging. I kept volunteering to take the dog out so I could listen to it in peace. Samuel West was a perfect choice narrator in every way, he stormed it.
A good story well told.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Blu Winter
- 29-09-24
Wonderful narration
A fabulous book read so well by Samuel West.
It’s chilling how the cavalier the politicians were while young lives were being sacrificed during WW1.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandy
- 23-09-24
Utterly Brilliant
Superb narration / all the characters were magnificent and I really didn’t want it to end. Please please more narration by Samuel West … magnificent,
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Cathyp
- 17-09-24
Fascinating book
Really enjoyed this book on unknown part of English history and how a love affair altered the course of WW1 government
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 09-09-24
Enjoy Sam West’s Winston Churchill
Harris takes the extraordinary correspondence between PM & aristocrat and runs with it - even having to admit that a few of the coincidences this throws up are a little far-fetched . Enjoyment greatly enhanced by Sam West’s reading - perfectly pitched.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Carol
- 04-09-24
Enthralling
Encapsulating fact and fiction in the most sensitive way drawing me into a world of darkness difficult decisions and yet with humorous moments. A wonderful book
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A
- 14-09-24
Fascinating and utterly believable
Disliked nothing. Nothing with politicians and politics ever changes or improves.
The country is run by entitled school boys who think it's all a game and who will never grow up
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- 140
- 29-09-24
Fantastic but painful
You can understand how he was besotted. He became needy and you can never squeeze a butterfly.
I really enjoyed this though some parts would be painful to any man who had loved an independent woman.
First class .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sian
- 16-09-24
All of it is fantastic
I am not a fan of biographies of posh people. However the characters in this book seem to live. I have the greatest respect for Venetia for not using the letters for her own benefit and would highly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- JOHN
- 21-09-24
Excellent
This is a superbly told story from a master storyteller - wonderfully written and brilliantly narrated.
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