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Batavia
- Narrated by: Richard Aspel
- Length: 17 hrs
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Publisher's summary
The story begins in 1629, when the pride of the Dutch East India Company, the Batavia, is on its maiden voyage en route from Amsterdam to the Dutch East Indies, laden down with the greatest treasure to leave Holland. The magnificent ship is already boiling over with a mutinous plot that is just about to break into the open when, just off the coast of Western Australia, it strikes an unseen reef in the middle of the night. While Commandeur Francisco Pelsaert decides to take the longboat across 2,000 miles of open sea for help, his second-in-command Jeronimus Cornelisz takes over, quickly deciding that 250 people on a small island is unwieldy for the small number of supplies they have.
Quietly, he puts forward a plan to 40 odd mutineers how they could save themselves, kill most of the rest, and spare only a half-dozen or so women, including his personal fancy, Lucretia Jansz - one of the noted beauties of Holland - to service their sexual needs. A reign of terror begins, countered only by a previously anonymous soldier, Wiebbe Hayes, who begins to gather to him those are prepared to do what it takes to survive....
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Story
Most Australians have heard of the Boer War of 1899 to 1902 and of Harry 'Breaker' Morant, a figure who rivals Ned Kelly as an archetypal Australian folk hero. Born in England and emigrating to Queensland in 1883 in his early 20s, Morant was a charming but reckless man who established a reputation as a rider, polo player and writer. He submitted ballads to The Bulletin that were published under the name 'The Breaker' and counted Banjo Paterson as a friend.
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Horrors of war
- By David R. on 04-15-21
By: Peter FitzSimons
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Erebus
- One Ship, Two Epic Voyages, and the Greatest Naval Mystery of All Time
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Michael Palin brings the fascinating story of the Erebus and its occupants to life, from its construction as a bomb vessel in 1826 through the flagship years of James Clark Ross’s Antarctic expedition and finally to Sir John Franklin’s quest for the holy grail of navigation - a route through the Northwest Passage, where the ship disappeared into the depths of the sea for more than 150 years. It was rediscovered under the arctic waters in 2014.
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Fascinating survey of the intrepid polar explorers
- By Nick Blaha on 08-24-24
By: Michael Palin
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Eureka
- The Unfinished Revolution
- By: Peter FitzSimons
- Narrated by: Robert Meldrum
- Length: 22 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1854, Victorian miners fought a deadly battle under the flag of the Southern Cross at the Eureka Stockade. Though brief and doomed to fail, the battle is legend in both our history and in the Australian mind. Henry Lawson wrote poems about it, its symbolic flag is still raised, and even the nineteenth-century visitor Mark Twain called it: "a strike for liberty". Was this rebellion a fledgling nation’s first attempt to assert its independence under colonial rule? Or was it merely rabble-rousing by unruly miners determined not to pay their taxes?
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A gentle telling
- By Mr on 01-24-13
By: Peter FitzSimons
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The Incredible Life of Hubert Wilkins
- Australia's Greatest Explorer
- By: Peter FitzSimons
- Narrated by: Robert Meldrum
- Length: 21 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Sir Hubert Wilkins is one of the most remarkable Australians who ever lived. The son of pioneer pastoralists in South Australia, Hubert studied engineering before moving on to photography, then sailing for England and a job producing films with the Gaumont Film Co. Brave and bold, he became a polar expeditioner, a brilliant war photographer, a spy in the Soviet Union, a pioneering aviator-navigator, a death-defying submariner - all while being an explorer and chronicler of the planet and its life forms that would do Vasco da Gama and Sir David Attenborough proud.
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Incredible individual whom I hadn’t heard of.
- By David on 02-10-24
By: Peter FitzSimons
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Madhouse at the End of the Earth
- The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night
- By: Julian Sancton
- Narrated by: Vikas Adam
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the good ship Belgica with dreams of glory. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But de Gerlache’s plans to be first to the magnetic South Pole would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters.
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Excellent story
- By Ginger 3701 on 05-23-21
By: Julian Sancton
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The Bounty
- The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty
- By: Caroline Alexander
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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More than two centuries after Master’s Mate Fletcher Christian led a mutiny against Lieutenant William Bligh on a small, armed transport vessel called Bounty, the true story of this enthralling adventure has become obscured by the legend. Combining vivid characterization and deft storytelling, Caroline Alexander shatters the centuries-old myths surrounding this story.
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The real story
- By Quilter on 07-11-23
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The Last Viking
- The Life of Roald Amundsen
- By: Stephen R. Bown
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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The Last Viking unravels the life of the man who stands head and shoulders above all those who raced to map the last corners of the world. In 1900, the four great geographical mysteries - the Northwest Passage, the Northeast Passage, the South Pole, and the North Pole - remained blank spots on the globe. Within twenty years Roald Amundsen would claim all four prizes.
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Outstanding.
- By Leon Miller on 12-01-15
By: Stephen R. Bown
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Island of the Blue Foxes
- Disaster and Triumph on the World's Greatest Scientific Expedition
- By: Stephen R. Bown
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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The story of the world's largest, longest, and best-financed scientific expedition of all time, triumphantly successful, gruesomely tragic, and never before fully told. The immense 18th-century scientific journey, variously known as the Second Kamchatka Expedition or the Great Northern Expedition, from St. Petersburg across Siberia to the coast of North America, involved over 3,000 people and cost Peter the Great over one-sixth of his empire's annual revenue.
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Vivid History of Russia's First Contact In Alaska
- By Neil Ring on 09-01-18
By: Stephen R. Bown
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Empire of Ice and Stone
- The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk
- By: Buddy Levy
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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In the summer of 1913, the wooden-hulled brigantine Karluk departed Canada for the Arctic Ocean. At the helm was Captain Bob Bartlett, considered the world’s greatest living ice navigator. The expedition’s visionary leader was a flamboyant impresario named Vilhjalmur Stefansson hungry for fame. Just six weeks after the Karluk departed, giant ice floes closed in around her. As the ship became icebound, Stefansson disembarked with five companions and struck out on what he claimed was a 10-day caribou hunting trip. Most on board would never see him again.
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Great adventure story
- By Elaine McCollough on 01-06-23
By: Buddy Levy
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Ocean Life in the Old Sailing Ship Days
- From Forecastle to Quarter-Deck
- By: John D. Whidden
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Orphaned at five, nothing held Whidden back from embarking on sea life seven years later. Serving as an apprentice, he quickly proved his worth and earned himself a mate's position by his early 20s. Graduating to third, second, and first office, he ended his career in command of, and having part-ownership of, his own vessel. Ocean Life in the Old Sailing Ship Days records a series of real events from his childhood impressions of rough and ready seamen to his thrilling and brutal experiences of war.
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Good salty story
- By Donald L. on 07-17-18
By: John D. Whidden
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Tobruk
- By: Peter FitzSimons
- Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
- Length: 23 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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In the early days of April 1941, the 14,000 Australian forces garrisoned in the Libyan town of Tobruk were told to expect reinforcements and supplies within eight weeks. Eight months later these heroic, gallant, determined "Rats of Tobruk" were rescued by the British Navy having held the fort against the might of Rommel's never-before-defeated Afrika Corps.
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Fair dinkum
- By J B Tipton on 11-22-08
By: Peter FitzSimons
What listeners say about Batavia
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- GroveDoc
- 04-08-15
Most Incredible Book I Have Ever Experienced!
Where does Batavia rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
In the top 5
What was one of the most memorable moments of Batavia?
Survival!
Have you listened to any of Richard Aspel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
Any additional comments?
The story is absolutely incredible; and the fact that it was true is far beyond any plot I could have imagined. There are many lessons to be taken from this story from individuals, to leadership, corporations, greed, nation building, evil and the indomitable human spirit. I will recommend this to all of my friends.
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- Crys H
- 09-14-22
THIS ONE IS A MUST LISTEN
Incredibly tragic story, brilliantly told.
Excellent narration.
This one is a MUST LISTEN / Read.
Bravo. Well done.
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- mmoore0325
- 06-17-23
Disturbing, fascinating story
The excellent narrator only heightens the drama of this fascinating and deeply disturbing chapter in maritime history. Even though the disaster happened in 1629, the humanity of all involved, good and bad, resonates today.
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- james willobee
- 07-11-23
Needs to be a Netflix series
Wow, what a tale. Great story, researched. Excellent voice talent, I cannot believe I never heard of that story before.
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- Metumbo
- 06-15-18
Great listen
Super recommend. If this kind of tale is your thing then pull the trigger. You won't regret it.
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- Martin Moss
- 09-04-21
Good listen
I have listened to a lot of 17th century mishaps on the open seas. Including the tales of the whaler in the pacific and the bounty. They all talk of what humans can do for survival or to each other. Both darkness and light of humanity. I would include this one to your bucket list.
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- SLB
- 04-30-21
great research and great writing made this a very
the thorough research allowed great character development and understanding of the fallen human nature. encourages one to maintain the rule of law and to stop evil at the earliest onset
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- MREB
- 10-15-22
So good I had to binge listen
Unbelievably amazing story, well researched, well told. Congratulations to Peter Fitzsimons for bringing it to life. Binge listened to it!
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- Walter
- 10-01-13
A must Audible book ! Absolutely nail bitting
I heard Peter Fitzsimons on an interview about this book. I purchased it and heard it over a single weekend ! Even if you are not interested in this time in history you will absolutely love this book. I could not recommend this any more even if I tried. Peter has combined real events and his flare to bring together events that you would think were all fantasy or a Hollywood movie. Purchased this book and you will not regret it.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Travis Moody
- 07-21-21
Brutal Stuff
I Loved this story,to think that this actually happened….brutality,despair,hunger,hopelessness,greed,and retribution.I will definitely revisit this story again.
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