The King's Speech

By: Mark Logue, Peter Conradi

Narrated by: Jamie Glover

Winner of the Best Picture Oscar 2011 Award

One man saved the British Royal Family in the first decades of the 20th century – amazingly, he was an almost unknown, and certainly unqualified, speech therapist called Lionel Logue, whom one newspaper in the 1930s famously dubbed ‘The Quack who saved a King’.

Logue wasn’t a British aristocrat or even an Englishman – he was a commoner and an Australian to boot. Nevertheless it was the outgoing, amiable Logue who single-handedly turned the famously nervous, tongue-tied, Duke of York into the man who was capable of becoming King. The King’s Speech is the previously untold story of the extraordinary relationship between Logue and the haunted young man who became King George VI, drawn from Logue’s unpublished personal diaries. They throw extraordinary light on the intimacy of the two men – and the vital role the King’s wife, the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, played in bringing them together to save her husband’s reputation and his career as King.

©2010 Quercus Publishing PLC (P)2010 Quercus Publishing PLC

Critic reviews

“The King's Speech is the compelling story of how speech therapist Lionel Logue helped the man who didn't want to be king cope with his stutter and make inspirational speeches to a nation at war, is utterly compelling, drawn from history and, more importantly, from Logue's own archives and diaries. Jamie Glover's reading, using a remarkable and unforced range of accents, is perfectly pitched.” ( Kati Nicholl, Daily Express)

Better than the movie and it was good.

So much more detail and background than the movie. I'd read it again if there weren't so many other great books out there!

Brilliant story, brilliantly narrated

What a brilliant story! In contrast to the movie, which featured only a very short (and compressed) version of the story of Lionel Logue and the King, this book was a wonderful trip through the childhood and upbringing of both men, through to the end of their lives.

Lionel Logue's life was expertly resurrected by his grandson, Mark Logue, through a very thorough collection of newspaper clippings, diaries, and letters saved by Logue and his family. Jamie Glover as narrator did a similarly fantastic job, and his voice was perfectly suited to this wonderful story of an amazing pair of men.

Far more thorough and heart-touching than the movie, this book kept me engaged and enthralled - probably the most of the entire non-fiction genre for me. I will certainly be listening to this one again. Five stars for both story and performance.

Enjoyable and informative

This was my first audible audiobook, and was most enjoyable. The story itself, while quite factual, never became dry or boring, and the narration was of a high standard. The narrator added to the story, and did not 'get in the way' of it. Highly recommended for anyone interested in 20th Century history.

Slow at the beginning, engaging at the end!

The book is great! A very informative tale of the British King and his story... Compared to the movie, I definitely prefer the book as it has more details and catches way more information. Besides the movie begins late on the book, and ends earlier...

A must read (or hear)!

Excellent work on a diary

Where does The King's Speech rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have a vast amount of audiobooks and this one ranks easily among the top ones. Not the top one, but undoubtedly among the top.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The King's Speech?

The last speech. I can't really imagine the stress of a king stammering that there will war again. Unfortunately people laugh at that and there was no reason to laugh.

Have you listened to any of Jamie Glover’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Never had.

Who was the most memorable character of The King's Speech and why?

Logue.

Any additional comments?

I love audiobooks, especially if they are well read. It is an excellent way of reading while strolling. driving and I never go to tha gym without one audiobook.

An Excellent Compassionate Tale

This is an excellent story brought to life by exactly the right type of narrator. The movie is very good but like all movies it shortens the actual tale, this book gives you all the "back story" of Lionel Logue and the origins of the King's speech problems.The presenter has a variety of vocal tones that subtly suggest each important character it is a fascinating insight into a particular family in a time of crisis. It is a pleasure to listen to this audiobook. A great listen for anyone that enjoys history, intrigue and politics of a particular era.

Same title, but not the same story as the film

Any additional comments?

Don't be misled by the title and image of the audiobook. It isn't the same as the film.
The audiobook covers a longer time frame, and reveals Leonard Logue as a different character to that portrayed by Geoffrey Rush in the film. Rather than being an Aussie larrikin, the book describes Logue as a caring and respectful person who needed the king???s attention as much as the king needed him.
I don???t think that I would have enjoyed the film as much had I heard this version of the story first. Recommended listening. I really enjoyed it