Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

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.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

White Heat

By: Dominic Sandbrook
Narrated by: Dominic Sandbrook, Roger Davis
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Pay using card ending in
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.

Summary

Harold Wilson's famous reference to 'white heat' captured the optimistic spirit of a society in the midst of breathtaking change. From the gaudy pleasures of Swinging London to the tragic bloodshed in Northern Ireland, from the intrigues of Westminster to the drama of the World Cup, British life seemed to have taken on a dramatic new momentum.

The memories, images and colourful personalities of those heady times still resonate today: mop-tops and mini-skirts, strikes and demonstrations, Carnaby Street and Kings Road, Harold Wilson and Edward Heath, Mary Quant and Jean Shrimpton, Enoch Powell and Mary Whitehouse, Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger.

In this wonderfully rich and compelling historical narrative, Dominic Sandbrook looks behind the myths of the Swinging Sixties to unearth the contradictions of a society caught between optimism and decline.

©2015 Dominic Sandbrook (P)2024 Hachette Audio UK
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

State of Emergency cover art
Seasons in the Sun cover art
The Great British Dream Factory cover art
A Northern Wind cover art
The Reign: Life in Elizabeth's Britain, Part I cover art
Taken as Red cover art
Republic cover art
No Way Out cover art
Reagan cover art
When the Clock Broke cover art
Doctor Who: Pull to Open cover art
Rip It up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984 cover art
Turning Points cover art
Rivals in the Storm cover art
Rubicon cover art
The Weimar Years cover art

What listeners say about White Heat

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    11
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful social history let down by narration

I’ve read this book several times so was pleased to see it turned into an audiobook, especially as I’ve listened to Dominic Sandbrook’s excellent books on the 70s repeatedly.

However, I’m struggling to get past the narration. I find the style off putting and feel like I’m listening to a reading of Wind In The Willows for children.

I would have much preferred Sandbrook himself or the excellent David Thorpe.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

History made interesting

Superbly researched and interesting,made more enjoyable by great narration. Funny, touching and educational. Highly recommended.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book ruined by terrible narration

I really enjoy Dominic Sandbrook’s work. It is thorough, well researched, humerous and always offers fascinating insights into modern British history. This book is no different. However, while State of Emergency and Seasons in the Sun were brilliantly narrated by David Thorpe, both White Heat and Never Had it so Good have been narrated by someone who seems to struggle.
The accents are genuinely appalling and there is little warmth or engagement. It’s so disappointing. I actually couldn’t listen to the chapter on Ireland as the accents were insultingly bad.
This is a real shame but I would suggest that, if you enjoy Dominic’s work, buy the book not the audio version.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful