Bruce

I remember Roger Williams from my high school and college days as the founder of Rhode Island, but I didn't know much more about him than that. I have four children, all of them adults. I asked each one of them, on separate occasions, if they had studied about Roger Williams in school. Not one of my children had even heard of Roger Williams. That is sad. It is doubly sad because it is such a fascinating story, told extremely well here by one of my favorite authors. He actually was going to write about the home front during World War I, but became intrigued about Roger Williams and the influence on him from Edward Koch, who he worked closely with, and Francis Bacon.

I did not know how strongly he stood for freedom, many times at personal peril. Through this audiobook, I learned to appreciate his independent thought, his courage, his determination, and his advocacy of the cause of freedom, even for those who did not believe as he believed. In fact, especially for those, including the Indians, with whom he had a strong relationship throughout his life. He was much respected by them, even during times of war.

I had thought before that he just gone down to Rhode Island when he was banished from Massachusetts and founded it. End of story. This book completely dispels that notion, detailing the constant struggle to maintain a bastion of freedom and not be swallowed up by the aggressiveness and religious intolerance of the Massachusetts Bay Colonies. This book fills a very definite hole in my understanding of pre-colonial America, despite my having read a number of books on this era. It also gives a very good account of what was happening in England before and during the early colonization of Massachusetts and the surrounding area, during the reigns of James I and Charles I. Highly recommended.

I don't think I would listen to it again because a book has to be exceptional to want to come back to. It was a good story and a good listen, but this is not a sufficient reason to want a repeat.

Other Nelson DeMille books. Probably Michael Connelly books compare similarly.

Scott Brick narrates the story of John Corey in the first person, so it would have to be him. However, I also liked Emma Whitestone.

Was just enjoyable to listen to and entertaining. But not an extreme reaction

I thought Scott Brick did a superb job with the narration. It has made my drives to and from work very entertaining over the last 3 weeks. This was my first Audible.com book I have listened to clear to the end, and it has made me want to listen to more books.