William the Conqueror


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.4 stars; 170 reviews)

William the Conqueror by Jacob Abbott offers a vivid exploration of one of history's most significant figures. This biography delves into the life and legacy of William, tracing his journey from Duke of Normandy to King of England, and examining the pivotal events that shaped his reign.

Abbott presents William not just as a conqueror, but as a complex character whose ambitions and decisions had lasting impacts on the course of history. Written in accessible language, this work aims to educate readers about the essential traits and actions that contributed to William's enduring fame.

With a focus on clarity and engagement, Abbott's narrative invites listeners to reflect on the themes of power, leadership, and the consequences of ambition. This biography serves as both an introduction to William's life and a broader commentary on the nature of historical legacy.

Chapters

Select a chapter to play

Preface, Normandy 25:07 Read by Kristine Bekere
Birth of William 21:06 Read by Sibella Denton
The Accession 30:00 Read by Lars Rolander (1942-2016)
William's Reign in Normandy 30:52 Read by Lars Rolander (1942-2016)
The Marriage 32:54 Read by Rhonda Federman
The Lady Emma 31:13 Read by Rhonda Federman
King Harold 28:33 Read by Lizzie Driver
Preparations for the Invasion 30:49 Read by Steve Foreman
Crossing the Channel 29:05 Read by Steve Foreman
The Battle of Hastings 36:25 Read by Lizzie Driver
Prince Robert's Rebellion 34:10 Read by Lars Rolander (1942-2016)
The Conclusion 37:00 Read by Lars Rolander (1942-2016)

Reviews

Pretty good book, decent reading


(3.5 stars)

Pretty good book and decent reading (definitely better than many). Biggest issue is that some of the readers mispronounce more complicated words often but if your English is strong enough you can figure what they mean. Example from last chapter: the word for tomb normally pronounced sar-coff-uh-gus sounded more like sacker-fog-us.


(3 stars)

Book is fine, but the sing-song reading by one female reader is extremely distracting and completely destroys listeners concentration on the text.


(4 stars)

Excellent story. Reading very good. I would recommend librivox.


(2.5 stars)

Good book. However, the chapters read by the female reader was pretty much impossible to listen to, which made the quality suffer quite a bit.


(4 stars)

Lizzy driver can ruin any good book she's all over librivox with her annoying upward inflection. 5 stars for other readers and content tho


(5 stars)

This was a very detailed story. Although there was one female reader who made several mistakes and repeated herself often

Very good book but would have prefered just one narrator.


(4 stars)

Not a fantacized account of events


(5 stars)

This account of William makes him sound like a person and not a god? So impressed.