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William Pitt the Younger
- Narrated by: William Hague
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
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William Pitt the Younger
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Summary
The Sunday Times bestselling biography of one of the towering figures in British history who became Prime Minister at the age of twenty-four, written by the youngest-ever leader of the Tory Party.
The younger William Pitt – known as the ‘schoolboy’ – began his days as Prime Minister in 1783 deeply underestimated and completely beleaguered. Yet he annihilated his opponents in the General Election the following year and dominated the governing of Britain for twenty-two years, nearly nineteen of them as Prime Minister. No British politician since then has exercised such supremacy for so long.
Pitt presided over dramatic changes in the country’s finances and trade, brought about the union with Ireland, but was ultimately consumed by the years of debilitating war with France. Domestic crises included unrest in Ireland, deep division in the royal family, the madness of the King and a full-scale naval mutiny. He enjoyed huge success, yet died at the nadir of his fortunes, struggling to maintain a government beset by a thin majority at home and military disaster abroad; he worked, worried and drank himself to death. Finally his story is told with the drama, wit and authority it deserves.
Critic reviews
What listeners say about William Pitt the Younger
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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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris
- 16-09-20
great very informative
William Hague reads very well as good as many professional actors without the hammy dramatics that they often descend into. well told history of the great man.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Catwoman
- 06-04-08
William Pitt
Engagingly read by William Hague who clearly admires his subject. William Hague puts Pitt's life and achievements in historical context but never talks down to the listener. Hague is probably biased - he sees William Pitt as the founder of the modern conservative party - and at times he could be harder on Pitt's pragmatism and willingness to switch sides. The narrative never drags and the only issue with the abridgement is that at times major events seem to come from nowhere. I had to rewind a couple of times to pick up the pace change.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- 05-03-11
A treat for fans of politics
As someone who has just got into politics, I've found it difficult to find books on Audio written by politicians. Thatcher's works have yet to be put on audio & Tony Blair has yet to write anything about his time in the klieg lights. And so there is this & what a book it is too.
Written just after Hague had given up the unenviable job of being leader of a Tory opposition, it is simply written (with lots of explanatory material) & appears to have been thoroughly researched. Though I haven't read the unabridged version, this audio download seems to cover all areas of Pitt's life in adequate detail.
And, as a bonus, this is one of those rare examples where the author reads his own book AND does a good job of it. Hague clearly has a passion for the subject & his voice is lively and intriguing, which keeps the narrative compelling.
There is little to say in criticism, other than it is a pity that it is not a longer version. Burning 5 CD's though seems enough to give the subject sufficient length, without getting boring.
So, if you're a political aficionado (like me) & you want something entertaining for long car-trips to work, then this seems to be the best on the market. The only thing comparable I can think of is 'Churchill' by Roy Jenkins, but in terms of modern day works by politicians, the market appears surprisingly sparse.
I hope I am wrong, and I welcome comments to enlighten me & others on the subject...
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Paul
- 13-01-11
william pitt
although at time he mentions too many relatively minor character on the whole this i s very interesting and well narrated book
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