The Making of Modern Britain cover art

The Making of Modern Britain

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Making of Modern Britain

By: Andrew Marr
Narrated by: Andrew Marr
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £9.99

Buy Now for £9.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

 In The Making of Modern Britain, Andrew Marr paints a fascinating portrait of life in Britain during the first half of the twentieth century as the country recovered from the grand wreckage of the British Empire.

Between the death of Queen Victoria and the end of the Second World War, the nation was shaken by war and peace. The two wars were the worst we had ever known and the episodes of peace among the most turbulent and surprising. As the political forum moved from Edwardian smoking rooms to an increasingly democratic Westminster, the people of Britain experimented with extreme ideas as they struggled to answer the question 'How should we live?' Socialism? Fascism? Feminism? Meanwhile, the Suffragette movement was taking shape as the popularity of the music hall soared. It was also a time that witnessed the birth of the media as we know it today and the beginnings of the welfare state.

Beyond trenches, flappers and Spitfires, this is a story of strange cults and economic madness, of revolutionaries and heroic inventors, sexual experiments and raucous stage heroines. From organic food to drugs, nightclubs and celebrities to package holidays, crooked bankers to sleazy politicians, the echoes of today's Britain can be heard throughout.

©2009 Andrew Marr (P)2009 Macmillan Digital Audio 19th Century 20th Century Europe Great Britain Military Modern War Royalty Imperialism Interwar Period England Winston Churchill British Empire Socialism United Kingdom Middle ages Capitalism Latin American Soviet Union Africa

Listeners also enjoyed...

 A History of Modern Britain cover art
Elizabethans cover art
A History of the World cover art
On the Road cover art
The Birth of Classical Europe cover art
Killers of the King cover art
To America cover art
The History of the Ancient World cover art
Seasons in the Sun cover art
State of Emergency cover art
The River War cover art
A History of the World in 100 Objects cover art
Prague Winter cover art
Prevail cover art
Auntie's War: The BBC During the Second World War cover art
15 Minutes to Happiness cover art

Critic reviews

"With insight and flair, Andrew Marr offers an accessible overview of momentous times. Frequently revealing and surprising, his presentation makes this a pleasure to listen to." ( Choice)
All stars
Most relevant  
A great book that rewrites a version of the success of Labour winning under Blair - as a thriller. Really enjoyed it - well read with great characterisation.

1990s

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
yet another easy to listen to book. I t has prompted to read the unedited book, which is obviously longer than this book

Andrew Marr the people's historian

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved this book. Beautifully read by Andrew Marr which adds to its enjoyment. I have read other books by the author and this one is as good as those. Thank you Andrew for reading it and thus adding to the overall experience.

Brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Love this book. I learned more from the audio book than I think I did from both school history lessons and from reading printed copy, could be repetition, but I think more likely that I loved the way Andrew Marr brings the book to life. More details in places whilst would have brought depth, however, it's a good starting point to spark further reading around specific areas. A good book worth, definitely gets my recommendation.

Magnificent recollection of our recent past

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

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

I would recommend this as it covers so many facts but also gives much more insight behind the historical acts to explain why and how. I appreciate some of this might be the author's opinion but isn't that what all historical writers do?

What does Andrew Marr bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I very much prefer it when the author reads their own book. The intentions of the book comes across much clearer.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

As the pace of the book was so quick, I found myself going back to re-cover old ground. Throughout the book there was much detail but I found myself surprised at the abrupt opinion at the end. Very much enjoyed it and will revisit it again.

So much information in 1 book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The Making of Modern Britain is one of the few titles I?ve listened to that I think genuinely benefits from the author narrating. Andrew Marr really does assert his own personality and passion for this period of history. The content itself is illuminating and gives a perspective on the times and personalities that shaped the period that often defies accepted beliefs. There is a good mix of military and social history which sheds light on the life of the average man on the street. Marr highlights both the failings and strengths of the characters and policies that influenced the events of the period. More importantly he clearly and cleverly relates them back to our contemporary society and the foundations laid for our world. Some of these things, such as the troubles in the Middle East, are unsettling and frustrating, whilst others are to be admired and applauded. It moves at a lively pace and is a very enjoyable and informative listen, certainly one of the best non fiction titles I?ve listened to this year.

History Retold

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A Highly recommended for anybody interested in British History and I like Andrew Marr's style.

The Making of Modern Britain

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Any additional comments?

Absolute perfection! Andrew Marr makes Britain's recent history both Accessible and interesting. His insights are just right. I loved the TV series but the book goes into much more detail. Do also check out his other book which looks at Britain from 1900 up until The Second World war.

How History Should Be

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Well paced over view of an important period in our history. Original outlook which retains reader concentration throughout. More please.

Totally appealing perspective.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent performance and story of recent history of Britain.. Look forward to story of Brexit Britain.

History as entertainment

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews