Fascinating and highly recommended.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this - so much so that I bought the paperback for my father for Christmas. And he too really enjoyed it, having read it in just a few days! I feel the book has been well researched, and there’s lots of references that you can go out and check for yourself. It’s written in an interesting chatty way with references to previous sections and lots of personal input. I loved the final story about his father.

The book does come with a warning - as a former avid royalist, I’m now on the cusp of being anti monarchical rule as a result of this book!

Some of the characters have been known and talked about in my family - my mother met John Wayne (and actually slept in his tent, but he wasn’t there at the time!) and while he was a hero of hers, she also highlighted some of the negative aspects of his behaviour that she was aware of and kept her hero worship to him as an actor, rather than him as a person, My mother loathed Jimmy Savile and warned me, aged 16, to stay away from him. She also highlighted how awful Princess Margaret was when she came across her a few times. Having lived in Calcutta for awhile, my mother also had very little time for Mother Teresa; I now understand some of the things she said about her. So I’ve always had an understanding that behind every hero there often isn’t a great hero story.

This book shares the facts, and more importantly, put them into context and helps you understand why people don’t want to believe the truth. Fascinating. Thank you for such a great read/listen.

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3 people found this helpful

Fantastic

A brilliant well written and narrated book

I can highly recommend it

100 per cent

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2 people found this helpful

Author narrating own work

Loved the author narrating their own work . Great am amount of research done for this.

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It’s ok.

There are some great facts and stories told within .
The bias and posturing as more moral than other people is pretty sickening .
The author is a fan of false equivalence and fake news.

You Get the feeling that he is the worst kind of racist - all straight white men are evil liars (like him) and non white people (like me) are weak morons who have all been overpowered and are helpless.

His misogyny is well documented within the book . Women who have given birth to life , and who have given over their health to make sure new humans exist are nothing ‘anonymous ‘.
To him, ONLY famous women count . Strange take .

All inventions are created by multiple people and eventually stolen. Unless you aren’t white. Then you did it all. Errr ok. Remember the author is white - so why should we trust him- (we don’t)

The good parts about this book are the interesting historical tidbits. His ridiculous and sickening world view ?- not so much .

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45 people found this helpful

Narrator

This is a superb book, engaging, compelling and well researched. However I wish authors would leave the narration to the professionals. By not doing so the stilted narrative becomes a distraction and diminishes the prose somewhat. Do not let this small gripe put you off, you will learn some fascinating facts and be entertained. A great book.

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The title

Struggled to get through the book listening to the country I was born and bred in being slated up and down
No one is safe from this author very one sided views on the subjects written about tried to listen with an open mind and I’m not in denial or disbelief of some of the subjects however thought it was quite unnecessary for the most part
Definitely regret the time and money invested on this one

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3 people found this helpful

really interesting listen

This was both entertaining and informative, the chapter on science heroes was particularly shocking and something I'd highly recommend everyone should listen to

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1 person found this helpful

I wish this type of history was taught in schools

As a teacher I sorely wish the balanced approach of English (both in this book, and in his first, Fake History) was adopted in our schools. He sees both the positive and negative in all of the "heroes" of the title. Unfortunately, schools in the UK seem to teach history (and other subjects) in ways that create the monomyths an kleos explained in numerous fabulous examples in this book. Having just finished Fake Heroes I intend to go back and relisten to Fake History. More, please.

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11 people found this helpful

Outstanding Research- Should Be Compulsory A Level

This is a truly remarkable work that could provide great material for 10 TV documentaries. Some subjects are really shocking, especially Mother Theresa. It delves into so much history and I found the Chapter on Henry V completely in tune with my beliefs about the English obsequious obsession with the Royal Family and the English Empire and chappies like Wentworth in Australia. I was surprised that Edward Colston didn't get a mention as an AAA bastard who tried to philanthropize his way out of his dirty deeds like the Sackler family .

My one minor criticism is of the audiobook which is that it's very slowly read in places e.g. quoting old amounts of money as being equivalent to XYZ US Dollars in today's money and quoting dates in full like its being read off the page . I am sure the book could be edited down for Audible and potentially read by a top actor . Otto is very well spoken and, as author, clearly knows the subject matter intimately but I think it could be done better. I have heard far worse so its a minor criticism in what I think is an astonishing piece of work that will definitely appeal to Guardian and most FT readers but possibly not to those of a GB News persuasion

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Fascinating Alternative Look at History

An entertaining critical view of historical characters we thought we knew.

I see a lot of accusations of a political bias, but I saw it more as a warts and all biography of a number of fascinating, if flawed individuals.

Will definitely seek out Fake History on the strength of this.

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