V.2 of this two volume audio CD set covers Gibbon's presentation of the period starting from the final demise of the Western empire through the flourish, then the demise of the Eastern empire in 1453 AD. 6 audio CDs. Highly abridged. It would take 50 audio CD's otherwise. The abridgement is well selected. A subset of mostly-complete stories. Gibbons seems to want to evade the issue of why the Empire failed. Most modern day scholars say it was the politicians allowing the wealthy business to purchase too much influence on public policy, alienating the average work-a-day citizens. Mostly swept under the rug by Gibbons. Still, on the whole, entertaining and informative. Recommended.