Fall of Civilizations

Stories of Greatness and Decline

By: Paul Cooper

Narrated by: Paul Cooper

"A treasure trove of myths and terror… Atmospheric as hell… Immersive."-The Times

Based on the podcast with over one hundred million downloads, Fall of Civilizations brilliantly explores how a range of ancient societies rose to power and sophistication, and how they tipped over into collapse.

Across the centuries, we journey from the great empires of Mesopotamia to those of Khmer and Vijayanagara in Asia and Songhai in West Africa; from Byzantium to the Maya, Inca and Aztecs of Central America; from Roman Britain to Rapa Nui. With meticulous research, breathtaking insight and dazzling, empathic storytelling, historian and novelist Paul Cooper evokes the majesty and jeopardy of these ancient civilizations, and asks what it might have felt like for a person alive at the time to witness the end of their world.

©2024 Paul Cooper (P)2024 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

As good as the podcast!

I have been listening to this authors podcast for years. He does such great work and I loved listening to this. Whenever I am stuck at what to listen to I go back to this audiobook.

History is comforting

Liked the variety of civilizations covered; was hoping to hear about the culture of the Great Zimbabwe but it was relatively short-lived so I understand why it didn't make the cut.

New fave book to tell people about

It's all in the title. Loved the book, great entertaining and informative listen. The podcast is great too!

Highly recommended

This is a great book about the rise and fall of several civilizations. Because of my background, I particularly liked the chapters on civilizations in the Americans (Aztec, Mayan, Inca, and Easter Island). Illustrated by interesting facts and quotes from chroniclers and poems/songs, it gives a fact-based and balanced view. I like when authors narrate their own books, and while Mr Cooper's voice is not particularly stimulating, it does a good job. I really loved the end, when the author speculates on how the fall of our civilization would look like. I did not know this author has a podcast, and I am not motivated to listen to it.

The way history was told.

Love this book. Got angry a couple of times for what was done to the new world indigenous.

Great audiobook

If you’ve been following his podcast series you’ll find this to be very interesting! Shortened version of each stories from his series. It’s a great audiobook and really helps you gain perspective on modern life, to see that the issues we face today are not that different from ancient times. Highly recommend for history lovers!

Extensive and Organized

This was a very enjoyable and informative audiobook. I was mainly interested in the early Middle-Eastern civilizations when I started the audiobook, but I was equally captivated by the stories of the American, South-East Asian, and Pacific Island civilizations' declines.

Unique Historical content told masterfully

One of the best books you’ll ever find . Read by the author who’s voice is incredible

As good as the podcasts

Great book. A collection of cases of a “collapse of civilization.” More than just the old podcasts stitched together.

Bittersweet cycles of humanity

I discovered a fascination with ancient history as a means of coping with and understanding the present, and the podcast version of this book was the first or second narrative to introduce me to these topics. While the audiobook is less audio rich than the podcast (which features music and voice actors amid the primary narration), Paul’s solo narration remains engaging, evocative, melancholic at times, and always worthy of listening to again and again.