We are currently making improvements to the Audible site. In an effort to enhance the accessibility experience for our customers, we have created a page to more easily navigate the new experience, available at the web address www.audible.com/access.
History > American

American

Your Likes make Audible better!

'Likes' are shared on Facebook and Audible.com. We use your 'likes' to improve Audible.com for all our listeners.

You can turn off Audible.com sharing from your Account Details page.

OK

Daniel

Daniel Cleveland, OH, United States Member Since 2003
HELPFUL VOTES
79
ratings
REVIEWS
63
12
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
58
0
  • "excellent narrative history"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    OK, I know there are something like 50,000 books on the American Civil War and hence it is rare to the point of infinitesimal to find anything new being published. That is especially true now, as the 150th anniversary of the war is upon us. However, I think "A World On Fire" does succeed in bringing something new, or novel, to the Civil War literature. It is a focus on the English perspective. The perspective of politicians, financiers and the general public in the UK, and the perspective of Britons who participated first-hand in the war itself, on the Union side, Confederate side and in a few cases on both sides (not to mention some of the English journalists).

    The book does try to be a stand-alone piece, so it is not necessary to be an expert on the Civil War to put this english perspective in context. The author does that. So for those of use quite familiar with the history, there is redundancy in the work. But it is necessary to put the english views, events, the diplomacy in context without much thinking on the part of the reader.

    The book is very well written and read as well. Highly recommended.

    More

    A World on Fire: Britain's Crucial Role in the American Civil War

    • UNABRIDGED (32 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By Amanda Foreman
    • Narrated By Robertson Dean
    Overall
    (48)
    Performance
    (38)
    Story
    (37)

    Even before the first rumblings of secession shook the halls of Congress, British involvement in the coming schism was inevitable. Britain was dependent on the South for cotton, and in turn the Confederacy relied almost exclusively on Britain for guns, bullets, and ships. The Union sought to block any diplomacy between the two and consistently teetered on the brink of war with Britain. For four years the complex web of relationships between the countries led to defeats and victories both minute and history-making.

    Daniel says: "excellent narrative history"
  1. A World on Fire: Britain'...
  2. .

A Peek at Melinda's Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
3198
 
UT 152 REVIEWS / 450 ratings Member Since 2009 1198 Followers / Following 7
 
Melinda's greatest hits:
  • Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

    "Marvelous, Magnificent, Millard"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I love to be blown away by a book!! I love that rare ocassion when you randomly pick up a book and hope it will at least hold your interest just until something else comes along, to listen half-heartedly, then--be drawn in thoroughly, completely--to the point where you forget everything around you and become so engrossed in the story that the house could be burning down around you and you wouldn't notice till your toes got hot!

    In the case of Destiny of the Republic, it isn't the history of 20th president James Garfield alone that catapults this book into the category of toe-toasting "amazing"...it is the meticulous research and straightforward writing of former National Geographic writer and editor, Candice Millard--a truly great historian/author (and we could probably add detective). A book about Garfield would never have been tops on my Wish List, but I'd read Millard's first book, River of Doubt, (about Theodore Roosevelt's trip on the Amazon) and found it fascinating. Based on that read, I figured I had a winner. Now I have to say, Destiny of the Republic is even better, and I have a new picture of Garfield and wonder what might have been.

    The book establishes the dignified character of Garfield, the high esteem the people had for him, his erudition, and his humanity. It goes into detail about the schizo plottings of the crazed assassin, Guiteau (and some fascinating history of the "insanity plea"). But, it focuses largely on the 79 day period while Garfield, Guiteau's led bullet lodged somewhere deep in his back, suffered at the hands of the woefully arrogant Dr. D. Willard Bliss, and the dedicated Alexander Graham Bell's fervent race against time to perfect his "induction balance machine" in hopes of locating the bullet and saving Garfield from Dr. Bliss, and therefore, Garfield's life. The details of the dreadful and ridiculously archaic treatments Garfield suffered through at the hands of the ignorant Bliss, and the account of the autopsy, are painful to read about and shed light on the great progress medicine has made. At his trial for the murder of Garfield, Guiteau nonchalantly admitted to shooting Garfield, but insisted that he did not kill Garfield, rather it was "malpractice killed Garfield."

    A slower first half, but you'll be rewarded with a mesmerizing tale, some fascinating medical history and facts, all wonderfully narrated by Paul Michael. *If Candice Millard wrote the history books for school--the students would never miss a day. Fantastic read I highly recommend to history buffs and non-history buffs alike.




  • Life at the Marmont: The Inside Story of Hollywood's Legendary Hotel of the Stars - Chateau Marmont

    "Old Old Hollywood"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    My interest in this book was purely nostalgic, having driven by the Hollywood landmark for years growing up in California. Bordered on one side by a freeway, and stretched from curb to curb on the property it sits on, it still is like a secluded giant rather than a welcoming, accessible hotel, that exudes a kind of seedy glamour and mystery. I was looking for a real look inside. Instead of a real insider's look at the hotel, this reads more like a peek at the registry of guests with a little of the upkeep history and the personnel that kept the place running. There were lots of famous guests, but the majority of those written about are the old Hollywood--prior even to John Wayne or Marilyn Monroe, with mere mentions of some of the early rock star guests, a nod about Belushi's fateful stay, and nothing more than a roster of modern day personalities that have graced the Marmont. The entire text could have been used as information under photos in a good coffee table book and been acceptable --as an entire book...it was a painless waste of time.

  • Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

    "Practical Politician and 'Flawed Giant'"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Our fascination with Jefferson, the "sphinx" President, is obvious in the seemingly never-ending volumes of Jefferson biographies published. D. Malone's ambitious PP winning Jefferson and His Times, (all 6 volumes) - never mentions Sally Hemings; Gordon-Reed's single volume The Hemingses of Monticello is all about Jefferon's child with Hemings - his wife's half white, slave, and half-sister; W. H. Adam writes exstensibly on Jefferson's years in Paris; R. B. Bernstein biography covers the whole man, including some of Jefferson's "ambiguous legacies". Meacham has now written what I think is one of the more readable biographies on Jefferson available, or at least the pragmatic side of this multifaceted man, with a good narrative style and an easy to listen to reading by Edward Herrmann. (*"more readable"...in so far as I have NOT read Malone's volumes, but have read the other books mentioned).

    T. S. Eliot wrote, "Between conception and creation, there falls the shadow," Meacham focuses on Jefferson in that shadow -- his quest for power and discipline, and the struggle to use that power to unify a divided country and create a course for that new nation. This focus doesn't restrict Meacham, and he has adeptly editted massive amounts of information about this enigmatic man into a book that still has some new revelations, but the author does take advantage of this focus to pussy-foot around some of the more contradictory elements associated with Jefferson. There is either little written about Jefferson's philosophies and his personal conflicts, or Meacham takes the half-full approach, allowing that it takes great power to do that which is better for the whole than for oneself.

    Jefferson seems to get more enigmatic with each biography published, but each adds a dimension. The Art of Power presents Jefferson in the light of our modern day; a "flawed giant" balancing politics, science and art. A very impressive and timely listen that should appeal even to those of you that have conquered Malone's 6 volumes.

  • Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero

    "What Might Have Been?"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    What you'll get is well-researched information on what formed this pragmatic man, the life-style that hard-wired his thinking process, the extent of the physical, and tremendous emotional tribulations, that shaped his values, the experiences of friends and people he allowed to get a little close--written by an author that openly professes to admire his subject matter. That's what you'll get here...no political slants, no new secrets that hint at what might have been, no sensational tales from a blindsided wife. Kennedy remains as elusive as ever, (as does Mona Lisa's smile) but the insights to this family, and the potentially devastating historical moments were good, sometimes chilling, reading. Upon finishing, I was not consumed with the folly of asking myself 'what might have been'; instead I ask 'what could be.'

Jeff

Jeff Pickering, Ontario, Canada 05-18-12 Member Since 2007

50yrs old / audible member for 5 yrs library. 75% nonfiction, 15% classics and 10% fiction. History/Science/biography/Eng.18th cent fiction

HELPFUL VOTES
74
ratings
REVIEWS
267
78
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
14
13
  • "DROP JAW AMAZING!!"

    9 of 9 helpful votes

    This is the most popular book of the multi book johnson bio. Unfortunately many of the other books have yet to come to audible which is kind of unbelievable to me !! I cant rate this book highly enough. Its content is so incendiary and insightful, and the outstanding quality of the writing will spoil you. You will surly want to check out Caro's other masterpiece after this called THE POWER BROKER . These 2 books are truly must reads .
    There is one thing that is very wrong with this book and it bothers me greatly. it's that your paying 3 credits in the end for 1 book. This dividing books into volumes is a sneaky and unfortunately encroaching method of drawing out more of your credits than you may be fully aware of. This book isn't THAT long to fairly divide it up into ``volumes`` nor are many of the other books this has been increasingly done to.
    So lets call a spade a spade, Its a three credit book o.k.` I see Mcculloughs latest unabridged offerings are offered as 3 credit books with no shell game. those of us that spend freakishly long hours on this site have noticed this recent move to increase the credits for books in the above manners and more. email them and tell them this 3 credit crap is to much!! Thats at least $30 for 1 book! When it comes to that, its worth getting them from the library for free. I love this site, I have over 900 titles, The reason I keep spending all this money is because it has been good value. Theres no longer any point in continuing when so many of the titles double or triple in price.If their testing the waters to see what they can get away with,,the result will be the permanent loss of their most ardent subscribers.

    More

    Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Robert A. Caro
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (233)
    Performance
    (113)
    Story
    (114)

    Master of the Senate carries Lyndon Johnson's story through one of its most remarkable periods: his 12 years, from 1949 to 1960, in the United States Senate. Once the most august and revered body in politics, by the time Johnson arrived the Senate had become a parody of itself and an obstacle that for decades had blocked desperately needed liberal legislation. Caro shows how Johnson's brilliance, charm, and ruthlessness enabled him to become the youngest and most powerful Majority Leader in history.

    Jeff says: "DROP JAW AMAZING!!"

What's Trending in American:

  • 4.8 (155 ratings)
    Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 2
    Play Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 2

    Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 2

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 42 mins)
    • By Robert A. Caro
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
    Overall
    (155)
    Performance
    (72)
    Story
    (75)

    Master of the Senate carries Lyndon Johnson's story through one of its most remarkable periods: his 12 years, from 1949 to 1960, in the United States Senate. Once the most august and revered body in politics, by the time Johnson arrived the Senate had become a parody of itself and an obstacle that for decades had blocked desperately needed liberal legislation. Caro shows how Johnson's brilliance, charm, and ruthlessness enabled him to become the youngest and most powerful Majority Leader in history.

    Chris says: "An excellent clear history"
  • 5.0 (29 ratings)
    Twelve Years a Slave
    Play Twelve Years a Slave

    Twelve Years a Slave

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Solomon Northup
    • Narrated By Louis Gossett, Jr.
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (29)
    Performance
    (29)
    Story
    (29)

    In this riveting landmark autobiography, which reads like a novel, Academy Award and Emmy winner Louis Gossett, Jr., masterfully transports us to 1840s New York; Washington, D.C.; and Louisiana to experience the kidnapping and 12 years of bondage of Solomon Northup, a free man of color. Twelve Years a Slave, published in 1853, was an immediate bombshell in the national debate over slavery leading up to the Civil War.

    Frank says: "Producer Note: Louis Gossett and Dr. Sue Eakin"
  • 4.8 (19 ratings)
    The Nixon-Kennedy Debates: The Complete and Authentic Recordings of the Historic Debates
    Play The Nixon-Kennedy Debates: The Complete and Authentic Recordings of the Historic Debates

    The Nixon-Kennedy Debates: The Complete and Authentic Recordings of the Historic Debates

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Sander Vanocur
    • Narrated By Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Sander Vanocur
    Overall
    (19)
    Performance
    (9)
    Story
    (10)

    This compilation contains the complete audio recordings of all four of the landmark debates complemented by narration by Sander Vanocur (one of the original panel of journalists during the first debate), enabling listeners to hear, word for word, history in the making and to draw his or her own conclusions about who won this face-off between two of America's most noted Presidents.

    Andy says: "Great Piece of American History"
  • 4.3 (3748 ratings)
    1776
    Play 1776

    1776

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By David McCullough
    • Narrated By David McCullough
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3748)
    Performance
    (1017)
    Story
    (1026)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: If you ever thought history was boring, David McCullough’s performance of his fascinating book will change your mind. In this stirring audiobook, McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence, when the whole American cause was riding on their success.

    Shawn says: "Great Book"
  •  
  • 4.4 (2963 ratings)
    Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever
    Play Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever

    Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 49 mins)
    • By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
    • Narrated By Bill O'Reilly
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2963)
    Performance
    (2639)
    Story
    (2648)

    The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices are not appeased....

    William says: "Decent Book - Bad Narration"
  • 4.3 (1707 ratings)
    Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
    Play Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    • ABRIDGED (9 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Doris Kearns Goodwin
    • Narrated By Doris Kearns Goodwin, Richard Thomas
    Overall
    (1707)
    Performance
    (341)
    Story
    (345)

    We view the long, horrifying struggle from the vantage of the White House as Lincoln copes with incompetent generals, hostile congressmen, and his raucous cabinet. He overcomes these obstacles by winning the respect of his former competitors, and in the case of Seward, finds a loyal and crucial friend to see him through. This brilliant multiple biography is centered on Lincoln's mastery of men and how it shaped the most significant presidency in the nation's history.

    Anders says: "wait for the unabridged version"
  • 4.3 (1483 ratings)
    Columbine
    Play Columbine

    Columbine

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 9 mins)
    • By Dave Cullen
    • Narrated By Don Leslie
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1483)
    Performance
    (539)
    Story
    (543)

    Over the course of this gripping narrative, Dave Cullen approaches his subjects with unrivaled care and insight. What emerges are shattering portraits of the killers, the victims, and the community that suffered one of the greatest - and most socially and historically important - shooting tragedies of the 20th century.

    Book reader says: "Truth and heartache"
  • 4.3 (1422 ratings)
    John Adams
    Play John Adams

    John Adams

    • UNABRIDGED (30 hrs and 1 min)
    • By David McCullough
    • Narrated By Nelson Runger
    Overall
    (1422)
    Performance
    (415)
    Story
    (411)

    McCullough's John Adams has the sweep and vitality of a great novel. This is history on a grand scale, an audiobook about politics, war, and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship, and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas. Above all, it is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.

    Davis says: "An outstanding biography"
  •  
  • 4.5 (1416 ratings)
    Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
    Play Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

    Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Candice Millard
    • Narrated By Paul Michael
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1416)
    Performance
    (1220)
    Story
    (1213)

    James A. Garfield may have been the most extraordinary man ever elected president. Born into abject poverty, he rose to become a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, and a renowned and admired reformist congressman. Nominated for president against his will, he engaged in a fierce battle with the corrupt political establishment. But four months after his inauguration, a deranged office seeker tracked Garfield down and shot him in the back. But the shot didn’t kill Garfield. The drama of what hap­pened subsequently is a powerful story of a nation in tur­moil.

    Melinda says: "Marvelous, Magnificent, Millard"
  • 4.4 (1263 ratings)
    Washington: A Life
    Play Washington: A Life

    Washington: A Life

    • UNABRIDGED (41 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Ron Chernow
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1263)
    Performance
    (778)
    Story
    (776)

    In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. This crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.

    ButterLegume says: "A sad day when my book was done!"
  • 4.4 (1231 ratings)
    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
    Play Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
    • Narrated By Bill O'Reilly
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1231)
    Performance
    (1089)
    Story
    (1091)

    More than a million listeners have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the can't-stop-listening work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

    Jerry says: "Good book..."
  • 4.4 (1040 ratings)
    John Adams
    Play John Adams

    John Adams

    • ABRIDGED (9 hrs and 53 mins)
    • By David McCullough
    • Narrated By Edward Herrmann
    Overall
    (1040)
    Performance
    (140)
    Story
    (139)

    With the sweep and vitality of a great novel, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough presents the enthralling story of John Adams. This is history on a grand scale - an audiobook about politics, war, and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas. Read by History Channel host Edward Herrmann!

    Thomas says: "fantastic"
  • Detroit: An American Autopsy
    Play Detroit: An American Autopsy

    Detroit: An American Autopsy

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Charles LeDuff
    • Narrated By Eric Martin
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    In the heart of America, a metropolis is quietly destroying itself. Detroit, once the richest city in the nation, is now its poorest. Once the vanguard of America’s machine age - mass production, automobiles, and blue-collar jobs - Detroit is now America’s capital for unemployment, illiteracy, foreclosure, and dropouts.

    With the steel-eyed reportage that has become his trademark and the righteous indignation that only a native son can possess, journalist Charlie LeDuff sets out to uncover what has brought low this once-vibrant city, his city.

  • The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America
    Play The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America

    The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 4 mins)
    • By George Packer
    • Narrated By Robert Fass
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    In The Unwinding, George Packer, author of The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq, tells the story of the United States over the past three decades in an utterly original way, with his characteristically sharp eye for detail and gift for weaving together complex narratives. The Unwinding portrays a superpower in danger of coming apart at the seams, its elites no longer elite, its institutions no longer working, its ordinary people left to improvise their own schemes for success and salvation.

  • Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
    Play Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
    • Narrated By Bill O'Reilly
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1231)
    Performance
    (1089)
    Story
    (1091)

    More than a million listeners have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the can't-stop-listening work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

    Jerry says: "Good book..."
  • Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever
    Play Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever

    Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 49 mins)
    • By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
    • Narrated By Bill O'Reilly
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2963)
    Performance
    (2639)
    Story
    (2648)

    The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices are not appeased....

    William says: "Decent Book - Bad Narration"
  •  
  • Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
    Play Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    • UNABRIDGED (41 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Doris Kearns Goodwin
    • Narrated By Suzanne Toren
    Overall
    (688)
    Performance
    (539)
    Story
    (566)

    On May 18, 1860, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, and Abraham Lincoln waited in their hometowns for the results from the Republican National Convention in Chicago. When Lincoln emerged as the victor, his rivals were dismayed and angry. Throughout the turbulent 1850s, each had energetically sought the presidency as the conflict over slavery was leading inexorably to secession and civil war.

    Jeremiah Duncan says: "Beautiful, Heartbreaking, and Informative"
  • Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power
    Play Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

    Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By Jon Meacham
    • Narrated By Edward Herrmann, Jon Meacham
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (442)
    Performance
    (369)
    Story
    (365)

    In this magnificent biography, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion and Franklin and Winston brings vividly to life an extraordinary man and his remarkable times. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power gives us Jefferson the politician and president, a great and complex human being forever engaged in the wars of his era. Philosophers think; politicians maneuver. Jefferson’s genius was that he was both and could do both, often simultaneously. Such is the art of power.

    Darwin8u says: "A Man and Biography Relevant to Our Day"
  • Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution
    Play Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution

    Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 58 mins)
    • By Nathaniel Philbrick
    • Narrated By Chris Sorensen
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (7)
    Performance
    (6)
    Story
    (5)

    Boston in 1775 is an island city occupied by British troops after a series of incendiary incidents by patriots who range from sober citizens to thuggish vigilantes. After the Boston Tea Party, British and American soldiers and Massachusetts residents have warily maneuvered around each other until April 19, when violence finally erupts at Lexington and Concord.

    David says: "Excellent Narrative of The Period"
  • 1776
    Play 1776

    1776

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By David McCullough
    • Narrated By David McCullough
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3748)
    Performance
    (1017)
    Story
    (1026)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: If you ever thought history was boring, David McCullough’s performance of his fascinating book will change your mind. In this stirring audiobook, McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence, when the whole American cause was riding on their success.

    Shawn says: "Great Book"
  •  
  • Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
    Play Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

    Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Lawrence Wright
    • Narrated By Morton Sellers
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (439)
    Performance
    (386)
    Story
    (373)

    A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the The Looming Tower, the now-classic study of al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attack. Based on more than 200 personal interviews with both current and former Scientologists - both famous and less well known - and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology.

    Chris Reich says: "Scared the Hell Out of Me"
  • The Devil in the White City
    Play The Devil in the White City

    The Devil in the White City

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 48 mins)
    • By Erik Larson
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3399)
    Performance
    (1191)
    Story
    (1199)

    In a thrilling narrative showcasing his gifts as storyteller and researcher, Erik Larson recounts the spellbinding tale of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Also available abridged.

    D says: "A Rich Read!"
  • Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
    Play Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

    Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

    • UNABRIDGED (24 hrs and 45 mins)
    • By Walter Isaacson
    • Narrated By Nelson Runger
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (189)
    Performance
    (155)
    Story
    (149)

    Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings. In best-selling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours. The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself.

    Jeremy says: "Great read. Some areas disjointed, but solid bio."
  • John Adams
    Play John Adams

    John Adams

    • UNABRIDGED (30 hrs and 1 min)
    • By David McCullough
    • Narrated By Nelson Runger
    Overall
    (1422)
    Performance
    (415)
    Story
    (411)

    McCullough's John Adams has the sweep and vitality of a great novel. This is history on a grand scale, an audiobook about politics, war, and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship, and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas. Above all, it is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.

    Davis says: "An outstanding biography"
  • Korean-American Experience in the United States: Initial Thoughts
    Play Korean-American Experience in the United States: Initial Thoughts

    Korean-American Experience in the United States: Initial Thoughts

    • UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 16 mins)
    • By Christian Kim
    • Narrated By Young Choi
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    How is it that Korean-Americans came to play such an important role in the American society, particularly in the area of religion? This is a very good book to understand what makes the Korean-Americans "tick". Particularly insightful are the ways in which Christian Kim, the author, captures general patterns for the Korean-Americans and their successes. This is by far the best introductory book on Korean-Americans in the market and will be very useful for use in classroom settings.

  • The Future of the American Negro
    Play The Future of the American Negro

    The Future of the American Negro

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 15 mins)
    • By Booker T. Washington
    • Narrated By Andrew L. Barnes
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    The Future of the American Negro was written to put more definite and permanent form the ideas regarding the condition of the negro. Booker T. Washington, a prominent African American leader, educator and author, articulates the importance of Industrial education. He emphasized the importance of the development of the Negro in hand and heart training, which would provide the solid foundation necessary to attain the highest form of citizenship.

  • The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America
    Play The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America

    The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 4 mins)
    • By George Packer
    • Narrated By Robert Fass
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    In The Unwinding, George Packer, author of The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq, tells the story of the United States over the past three decades in an utterly original way, with his characteristically sharp eye for detail and gift for weaving together complex narratives. The Unwinding portrays a superpower in danger of coming apart at the seams, its elites no longer elite, its institutions no longer working, its ordinary people left to improvise their own schemes for success and salvation.

  • Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America
    Play Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America

    Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Adam Winkler
    • Narrated By John McLain
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    A provocative history that reveals how guns - not abortion, race, or religion - are at the heart of America's cultural divide. Gunfight promises to be a seminal work in its examination of America's four-centuries-long political battle over gun control and the right to bear arms. Adam Winkler uses the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, which invalidated a law banning handguns in the nation's capital, as a springboard for a groundbreaking historical narrative.

  •  
  • Detroit: An American Autopsy
    Play Detroit: An American Autopsy

    Detroit: An American Autopsy

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Charles LeDuff
    • Narrated By Eric Martin
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    In the heart of America, a metropolis is quietly destroying itself. Detroit, once the richest city in the nation, is now its poorest. Once the vanguard of America’s machine age - mass production, automobiles, and blue-collar jobs - Detroit is now America’s capital for unemployment, illiteracy, foreclosure, and dropouts.

    With the steel-eyed reportage that has become his trademark and the righteous indignation that only a native son can possess, journalist Charlie LeDuff sets out to uncover what has brought low this once-vibrant city, his city.

  • A Companion to American Immigration
    Play A Companion to American Immigration

    A Companion to American Immigration

    • UNABRIDGED (29 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Reed Ueda
    • Narrated By Melissa Edris
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    A Companion to American Immigration is an authoritative collection of original essays by leading scholars on the major topics and themes underlying American immigration history. Focuses on the two most important periods in American Immigration history: the Industrial Revolution (1820-1930) and the Globalizing Era (Cold War to the present).

  • On the Trail of the Assassins: One Man's Quest to Solve the Murder of President Kennedy
    Play On the Trail of the Assassins: One Man's Quest to Solve the Murder of President Kennedy

    On the Trail of the Assassins: One Man's Quest to Solve the Murder of President Kennedy

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Jim Garrison
    • Narrated By Mark Kincaid
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Almost 50 years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his murder continues to haunt the American psyche and stands as a turning point in our nation’s history. The Warren Commission rushed out its report in 1964, but questions continue to linger: Was there a conspiracy? Was there a coup at the highest levels of government? On March 1, 1967, New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison shocked the world by arresting local businessman Clay Shaw for conspiracy to murder the president.

  • The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story
    Play The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story

    The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 4 mins)
    • By Dean King
    • Narrated By Dan Woren
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    Filled with bitter quarrels, reckless affairs, treacherous betrayals, relentless mercenaries, and courageous detectives, The Feud is the riveting story of two frontier families struggling for survival within the narrow confines of an unforgiving land. It is a formative American tale, and in it, we see the reflection of our own family bonds and the lengths to which we might go in order to defend our honor, our loyalties, and our livelihood.

  •  
  • Law in American History : Volume 1: From the Colonial Years Through the Civil War
    Play Law in American History : Volume 1: From the Colonial Years Through the Civil War

    Law in American History : Volume 1: From the Colonial Years Through the Civil War

    • UNABRIDGED (26 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By G. Edward White
    • Narrated By Graeme Spicer
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    In the first of the three volumes of his projected comprehensive narrative history of the role of law in America from the colonial years through the twentieth century, G. Edward White takes up the central themes of American legal history from the earliest European settlements through the Civil War.

  • By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans
    Play By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans

    By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Greg Robinson
    • Narrated By R.C. Bray
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    On February 19, 1942, following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and Japanese Army successes in the Pacific, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed a fateful order. In the name of security, Executive Order 9066 allowed for the summary removal of Japanese aliens and American citizens of Japanese descent from their West Coast homes and their incarceration under guard in camps. Amid the numerous histories and memoirs devoted to this shameful event, FDR's contributions have been seen as negligible.

  • A Companion to Thomas Jefferson
    Play A Companion to Thomas Jefferson

    A Companion to Thomas Jefferson

    • UNABRIDGED (30 hrs and 56 mins)
    • By Francis D. Cogliano
    • Narrated By Maxwell Glick
    Overall
    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
    Story
    (0)

    A Companion to Thomas Jefferson presents a state-of-the-art assessment and overview of the life and legacy of Thomas Jefferson through a collection of essays grounded in the latest scholarship. Features essays by the leading scholars in the field, including Pulitzer Prize winners Annette Gordon-Reed and Jack Rakove.

  • Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction 
    Play Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction 

    Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction 

    • UNABRIDGED (26 hrs and 24 mins)
    • By Allen C. Guelzo
    • Narrated By Brian Holsopple
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    In Fateful Lightning, two-time Lincoln Prize-winning historian Allen C. Guelzo offers a marvelous portrait of the Civil War and its era, covering not only the major figures and epic battles, but also politics, religion, gender, race, diplomacy, and technology. He examines the strategy, the tactics, and the logistics of the Civil War and brings the most recent historical thinking to bear on emancipation, the presidency and the war powers, the blockade and international law, and the role of intellectuals, North and South.

    Timothy says: "History of the Civil War but not Reconstruction"
More American Categories