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The Little Wartime Library
Audible Audiobook
– Unabridged
London, 1944.
Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While the world remains at war, in East London, Clara has created the country's only underground library, built over the railway tracks in the disused Bethnal Green tube station. Down here, a whole community thrives: with hundreds of bunk beds, a café and a theatre offering shelter from the bombs that fall above.
Along with her glamorous best friend and assistant librarian, Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women's determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it seems it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.
Based on true events, The Little Wartime Library is an inspiring and heart-wrenching story of life on the home front, and of the strength of courage required to fight for what you believe in.
- Listening Length12 hours and 35 minutes
- Audible release date17 Feb. 2022
- LanguageEnglish
- ASINB09H7TH5KN
- VersionUnabridged
- Program TypeAudiobook
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Product details
Listening Length | 12 hours and 35 minutes |
---|---|
Author | Kate Thompson |
Narrator | Sarah Durham |
Whispersync for Voice | Ready |
Audible.co.uk Release Date | 17 February 2022 |
Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B09H7TH5KN |
Best Sellers Rank | 12,521 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 102 in World War II Historical Fiction 365 in Women's Fiction (Audible Books & Originals) 1,724 in War Story Fiction |
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and informative. They appreciate the realistic characters and vivid descriptions that depict the wartime experience. The story is based on true events and interweaves fiction with historical information. Readers describe the writing style as wonderful and easy to read. They find the emotional content gripping and heartwarming, with moments of sadness.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers love the book. They find it an engaging and special read for book lovers. The characters' love of reading is a tear-jerking combination, making the story heartwarming and inspirational.
"...A few times, it made me feel quite emotional, but it was a pleasure to read. Brilliant, brilliant book!" Read more
"Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this book...." Read more
"...Nevertheless this is a good read. Each chapter is headed by a quote from a librarian and what they say is reflected in the chapter...." Read more
"...It is very special book, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in that era." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and informative. It provides a glimpse into life in the East End during World War II and how the underground became a safe haven. Readers appreciate the value of studying history and learning from it. The story brings back vivid memories and encourages a love of reading and libraries.
"...It broaches the strength and tenacity of women bound by patriarchal systems, the resilience of the human spirit, and the determination of people to..." Read more
"...It was a really absorbing, gripping read that manages to be both heart warming and heart breaking...." Read more
"...She offers us many insights into what it must have been like for families sheltering in the tube station...." Read more
"...born in the late 1940's and early 50's; this story will bring back so many vivid memories...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's character development. They find the characters realistic and vividly portrayed. The war is well-portrayed without gory details.
"...I loved the characters, the historical learning, and the easy to read writing style...." Read more
"...There was some great supporting characters too and through them the reader learns more about the war and social attitudes towards women at the time,..." Read more
"Love the characters! Loved the history!" Read more
"...I was hooked throughout the story, both by the amazing characters, but also the setting, which was brought vividly to life by the authors..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's blend of fact and fiction. They find it interesting how the author weaves historical information into the story. The book has humor, romance, and realism, and is vividly described by the author.
"...But how I was wrong. Beyond the love story, it carries a whole raft of important themes and bigger pictures...." Read more
"...I was absolutely enthralled by the author’s fabulous descriptions which were so vivid that I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything..." Read more
"This is a wonderful novel, written by interweaving known facts with fiction...." Read more
"...also the setting, which was brought vividly to life by the authors descriptive narrative...." Read more
Customers find the writing style engaging and easy to read. They appreciate the author's vivid storytelling and how the story is captured perfectly in the descriptions. Overall, customers find the book a wonderful read.
"...I loved the characters, the historical learning, and the easy to read writing style...." Read more
"...In contrast I thought it was beautifully written about women taking up "mens" jobs during WWII and the squalor and danger of being a woman during..." Read more
"...and indeed today. The author has written a wonderful story and I cannot recommend it highly enough." Read more
"...This is captured perfectly in the descriptions of the books, the comfort they offer and the stories we tell each other in order the endure the most..." Read more
Customers find the book gripping and emotional. They describe the story as heartwarming and sad at times.
"...It was a really absorbing, gripping read that manages to be both heart warming and heart breaking...." Read more
"This heartwarming, emotional and inspirational novel, is set in London, during WW2, and is based on real events...." Read more
"I really enjoyed this heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking story about the underground library at Bethnal Green...." Read more
"...A few times, it made me feel quite emotional, but it was a pleasure to read. Brilliant, brilliant book!" Read more
Customers appreciate the book's wartime content. They find it captures the war years and people's attitudes well. The story about courage during the London blitz and love for gritty women who survived deprivation and bombs is also mentioned.
"...this book, it's full of hope, love, and gritty women who survived deprivation and bombs but never gave up.." Read more
"...the spirit of the women during those years.. For me the book captured the war years and people’s attitudes perfectly...." Read more
"...in the East End during the Second World War but The Little Wartime Library is the best yet...." Read more
"A story about courage during the London blitz..." Read more
Reviews with images
![Absolutely fantastic, loved this book!](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/transparent-pixel._V192234675_.gif)
Absolutely fantastic, loved this book!
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 October 2024This was our book club read and, in all honesty, I judged the cover and thought I wouldn’t like it. But how I was wrong. Beyond the love story, it carries a whole raft of important themes and bigger pictures. Not least as it is based on true events during the Second World War.
It broaches the strength and tenacity of women bound by patriarchal systems, the resilience of the human spirit, and the determination of people to carry on under such difficult conditions. Finally, there is the brilliance and importance of books, the library, and storytelling.
I loved the characters, the historical learning, and the easy to read writing style. A few times, it made me feel quite emotional, but it was a pleasure to read. Brilliant, brilliant book!
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2022Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this book. It was a really absorbing, gripping read that manages to be both heart warming and heart breaking.
Firstly, as regular members of my blog will know, I absolutely love books set in the Second World War especially if learn about something new. I had never heard of the underground library or the wonderful underground community that existed in Bethnal Green during the war. I was absolutely enthralled by the author’s fabulous descriptions which were so vivid that I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters.
There are some truly fantastic characters in this book some of whom I absolutely loved and others who I loved to hate. I really loved the two main characters Ruby and Clara, especially as they had such a passion for reading. It was really heartwarming to see them engaging so many different people in reading and encouraging them to read whatever they wanted. There was some great supporting characters too and through them the reader learns more about the war and social attitudes towards women at the time, some of which made my blood boil.
Overall, as you can probably tell, I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone! I read this book in two days as I just couldn’t put it down as I has to find out what was happening next. I thought it was very clever how the author managed to include so many different parts of the war into the book without it seeming forced or too much and I loved learning more about the Channel Islands, silent bombs and the East End during the blitz. I was very sad when the community and the library had to close at the end of the war as everything started going back to normal. I found I really missed it and am keeping this book in my keep forever shelf so I can return to it soon.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hodder for my copy of this book. I highly recommend this book!
5.0 out of 5 starsOh my goodness I absolutely loved this book. It was a really absorbing, gripping read that manages to be both heart warming and heart breaking.Absolutely fantastic, loved this book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2022
Firstly, as regular members of my blog will know, I absolutely love books set in the Second World War especially if learn about something new. I had never heard of the underground library or the wonderful underground community that existed in Bethnal Green during the war. I was absolutely enthralled by the author’s fabulous descriptions which were so vivid that I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters.
There are some truly fantastic characters in this book some of whom I absolutely loved and others who I loved to hate. I really loved the two main characters Ruby and Clara, especially as they had such a passion for reading. It was really heartwarming to see them engaging so many different people in reading and encouraging them to read whatever they wanted. There was some great supporting characters too and through them the reader learns more about the war and social attitudes towards women at the time, some of which made my blood boil.
Overall, as you can probably tell, I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone! I read this book in two days as I just couldn’t put it down as I has to find out what was happening next. I thought it was very clever how the author managed to include so many different parts of the war into the book without it seeming forced or too much and I loved learning more about the Channel Islands, silent bombs and the East End during the blitz. I was very sad when the community and the library had to close at the end of the war as everything started going back to normal. I found I really missed it and am keeping this book in my keep forever shelf so I can return to it soon.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hodder for my copy of this book. I highly recommend this book!
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2022There really was a library a bit like this one though Kate Thompson has made it bigger and more like a normal, overground library. She offers us many insights into what it must have been like for families sheltering in the tube station. At times her characters are a little too rational and a little too philosophical to be 100% convincing. Nevertheless this is a good read. Each chapter is headed by a quote from a librarian and what they say is reflected in the chapter. This makes the story even more interesting.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2024This is a wonderful novel, written by interweaving known facts with fiction.
For people who lived through World War 2, or for those, like myself, who were born in the late 1940's and early 50's; this story will bring back so many vivid memories.
It is very special book, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in that era.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2025Lovely story, I believe a true story, who would have believed that in an unfinished underground station there was a library, a theatre and thousands of people sleeping there, some even living their lives down there
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 January 2025Love the characters! Loved the history!
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 November 2022This heartwarming, emotional and inspirational novel, is set in London, during WW2, and is based on real events. In 1944, librarian Clara Button, has created the country’s only underground library, in East London. The library is built over the tracks of a disused tube station, at Bethnal Green, alongside the library there is a nursery, cafe, and a theatre. The secret community below ground thrives as the war continues above ground. The locals gather there for shelter, solace and to escape from the falling bombs. Clara maintains the library as the ‘beating heart of life underground’, along with her best friend and assistant, the glamorous Ruby Munroe. The women’s determination to stay strong against adversity is tested as the war drags on, along with the community they serve. Soon keeping loved ones alive becomes ever more important. This was a gripping story, made even more so as it’s based on real events. As the blurb states, it ‘remembers one of the greatest resistance stories of the war’. I was hooked throughout the story, both by the amazing characters, but also the setting, which was brought vividly to life by the authors descriptive narrative. I felt completely immersed in the storyline and engaged with the characters of East London. The added historical details made me feel transported to 1944, and the author has obviously done a lot of research, which comes across in the writing. A five star read!
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 June 2022Purchased this book on kindle my husband read it first and couldn’t put it down I was wanting to know why, when I read it I found it was so enthralling that I couldn’t put it down, wonderful story
Top reviews from other countries
- Tea Enthusiast :O)Reviewed in the United States on 6 November 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars How people in WWII used books as a means to escape. How libraries and books served their country
I loved this book! KUDOS to Kate Thompson!!! It is a historical fiction,book and library lover's dream. It was a book that I could escape into which by the way is some what the story is about... how women, men and children during WWII used books as a means to escape for a bit through books. How libraries and books served their country and the people. the author provides titles of books that were being read, many I have read myself ( including Forever Amber) an others that I wish to find and read for my self. Personally I love the fiction (adult and children's) written in the 1930-40's it is some of the best! While the book is fiction, it is based on true story, she has done the research and knows her stuff. She has researched in to the real lives of the women she writes about (and briefly provides info at the end of this book ) She also explores women's lives during that period and place in London and the hardships and struggles they endured and overcome and showing their strength in her non fiction book "The Stepney Doorstep Society: The remarkable true story of the women who ruled the East End through war and peace". I have on order and the "Singer Girls" cannot wait to read. I believe the author has another book coming out in February? that I cannot wait to read! Again KUDOS to Kate.
- HilaryReviewed in Canada on 28 March 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Service.
I received exceptional service for getting this product. I wanted this book because I've heard it is a good story. Thank you Amazon!
- JJBReviewed in Australia on 13 September 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Bloody engrossing
Fantastic read - recommended for others to dive right in.
- Sharon R. YangReviewed in the United States on 12 February 2025
4.0 out of 5 stars Eye-Opening, Exciting, Warm
I had no idea that there was a virtual village living in the Bethnal Green subway tunnels to escape the Blitz - let alone there was a library in it helping people to survive through the joy and excitement of reading. Kate Thompson's book paints a believable picture of wartime London, this unique place to live, the problems of women in the time period - all with a wonderful story about family, friendship, and love helping people stay human. It's a good read.
- Mrs. J. RichmondReviewed in Australia on 12 February 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars An enthralling book about an unusual topic.
I always marvel at the seemingly endless books still written about events in both the World Wars. There are so many untold stories coming to light.
This one about the underground library in Bethnal Green tube station is really fascinating. Of course a lot of it is functional, but the author has woven facts into the story to make a compelling read.
The characters are certainly engaging, especially the cockneys, and the Tube rats. So many interesting stories.
The fictional librarian Clara Button and her offsider Ruby Munroe are a great foil for each other. They are women who were typical of the increasingly independent women forged by the circumstances of war. Social attitudes towards women in those times really do make you realise why feminism took hold. World War 2 really did open up opportunities for women which they were understandably reluctant to give up. The acceptance of a woman's lot in life is very well covered in this book.
Don't be put off by the title. This is a very good read.
Hats off to the author for uncovering this amazing story and bringing it to light.