The Gift of a Radio: My Childhood and other Train Wrecks Free Audiobook Download by Justin Webb

Most children are given a gift on their birthday from their parents. For Justin Webb, however, this was not the case as he grew up in poverty. One Christmas morning, his parents had what seemed to be a decent amount of money left over and decided to give him a gift that would last for years to come. They bought him an old AM radio with hopes he would listen to music instead of a television or going outside.

In [Justin Webb's] memoir, the author details what he calls a series of train wrecks that take place in his childhood. These events include witnessing a noblewoman shoot her husband in the face and being forced to eat a horse's eyeball at an aristocrat's party. Justin Webb also writes about his father becoming disabled as a result of military service and how he helps move on from that traumatic event by doing lots of radio work.

Justin Webb was born in London, but grew up in the country with his parents. He doesn't remember a time when he didn't have a radio, and the world he sees is defined by it. When the author's father died and mother unceremoniously dumped him on friends who couldn't take care of him, he was lost. But he found refuge in classical music, and his love for life.

What was it like to be a child in the 1970s? Some people might say grim, but according to author Justin Webb, it was wonderful. His memoir is a touching account of a formative childhood filled with eccentric adults and ill-fated trains.

One day in London, at the age of ten, Justin Webb decided to give up his toy soldier and make a radio. He was apprenticed to a master machinist who taught him the basics of engineering and soldering, but he still needed funds for materials. It wasn't until he found an old clockwork motor that he was able to build a working radio. After some time, the young inventor finally makes his first broadcast on BBC Radio 1's Today show.

The gift of a radio is one of the most wonderful gifts that people can be given, for it allows them to share their love for what they do with friends and family around the world. But for Justin Webb, his love of broadcasting started with an old National Geographic set. With this special set, he could hear radio broadcasts from all over the world without ever leaving his bedroom.