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  • Abyss

  • The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
  • By: Max Hastings
  • Narrated by: John Hopkins
  • Length: 19 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (273 ratings)
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Abyss

By: Max Hastings
Narrated by: John Hopkins
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Summary

A Times History Book of the Year 2022

From the #1 bestselling historian Max Hastings ‘the heart-stopping story of the missile crisis’ Daily Telegraph

The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis was the most perilous event in history, when mankind faced a looming nuclear collision between the United States and Soviet Union. During those weeks, the world gazed into the abyss of potential annihilation.

Max Hastings’s graphic new history tells the story from the viewpoints of national leaders, Russian officers, Cuban peasants, American pilots and British disarmers. Max Hastings deploys his accustomed blend of eye-witness interviews, archive documents and diaries, White House tape recordings, top-down analysis, first to paint word-portraits of the Cold War experiences of Fidel Castro’s Cuba, Nikita Khrushchev’s Russia and Kennedy’s America; then to describe the nail-biting Thirteen Days in which Armageddon beckoned.

Hastings began researching this book believing that he was exploring a past event from twentieth century history. He is as shocked as are millions of us around the world, to discover that the rape of Ukraine gives this narrative a hitherto unimaginable twenty-first century immediacy. We may be witnessing the onset of a new Cold War between nuclear-armed superpowers.

To contend with today’s threat, which Hastings fears will prove enduring, it is critical to understand how, sixty years ago, the world survived its last glimpse into the abyss. Only by fearing the worst, he argues, can our leaders hope to secure the survival of the planet.

©2022 Max Hastings (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

‘Grabs from the get-go… as if this were the very best fiction’ Daily Mail

‘A brilliant, beautifully constructed and thrilling re-assessment of the most perilous moment in history’ Daily Telegraph

‘Frightening but hopelessly addictive’ The Times

What listeners say about Abyss

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Detailed analysis well narrated

As someone who was told at school that we could all be incinerated during the events of 1962 this book is compelling listening for anyone who fears the same outcome 60 years later. The crowning of Emperor Xi in 2022 serves to remind us all how a tiny group of individuals could destroy the whole planet.

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Brilliant

This is quite excellent. As usual for Max Hasting in fairness. It really does delve into the events and has strong coverage of the Russian and Cuban side too, so not limited to a US viewpoint. Great at the start setting the scene and on surveys of US, Russian and Cuban societies. Perfectly read too,

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Excellent

A very well researched and written book and narrated very well too - highly recommended. Important parallels drawn between then and now

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Informative and interesting

Well written, good narration but best of all a good listen. The amount of detail is phenomenal yet it never loses the listener in information overload.

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An excellent account of the world on a knife edge

Well presented and balanced history of the Cuban missile crisis with reference to parallels with the world today. An essential read to understand how misunderstanding can lead to disaster

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Another great review. Hastings is one of the few to give honest opinion on UK contribution and failures across his books.

Solid review and a good update on the established narratives.
Just a shame Max doesn’t read all of them these days. Reader was excellent but something about Hastings readings.

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One of the most influential books ive heard

Excellent book - critical analysis of how decisions are made and how the chaos of the world can be managed.

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Another tour de force from Sir Max

In 1962, I was at boarding school in Kenya so I didn't know very much about the Crisis. Having read this book, I do now .. and it's frightening.

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Clear and concise

As always Hastings’ books are well read and well written!!! Giving as balanced a view as possible from ‘our’ side.

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Superb

The book maintains the high standard of the author. Absorbing, engaging persuasive and thought provoking.

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