The Greater Journey

Americans in Paris

By: David McCullough

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

The Greater Journey is the enthralling, inspiring - and until now, untold - story of the adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, architects, and others of high aspiration who set off for Paris in the years between 1830 and 1900, ambitious to excel in their work.

After risking the hazardous journey across the Atlantic, these Americans embarked on a greater journey in the City of Light. Most had never left home, never experienced a different culture. None had any guarantee of success. That they achieved so much for themselves and their country profoundly altered American history.

As David McCullough writes, “Not all pioneers went west.”

Nearly all of the Americans profiled here - including Elizabeth Blackwell, James Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriet Beecher Stowe - whatever their troubles learning French, their spells of homesickness, and their suffering in the raw cold winters by the Seine, spent many of the happiest days and nights of their lives in Paris. McCullough tells this sweeping, fascinating story with power and intimacy, bringing us into the lives of remarkable men and women who, in Saint-Gaudens’s phrase, longed “to soar into the blue”. The Greater Journey is itself a masterpiece.

©2011 David McCullough (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

American heroes I didn't know

This book wonderfully presented the story of many American doctors and artists I now admire.

one slow moving book

It took me a very long time to get into this book. its probably my least favorite by David McCullough. his usual stuff is great.

Fascinating review of how America learned art and medicine from the French

Loved the history and the details of how many of America's great doctors, artists and sculptors learned their craft and science from our French neighbors. Revolutionary indeed. And a quantum leap in understanding how we leap-frogged ahead based on what we learned there and exported to America. Thank you France!

A Little Tedious

I wanted to like it, but found myself wishing it was shorter. Couldn't wait to be done so I could move on to something new.

The Greater Journey Delights

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, written with the attention to detail that McCullough always brings to his work.

I finished the book with a greater appreciation of the influence Paris had on so many Americans in the 1800's, especially American artists.

I especially loved learning about the works of American artist, Sargent, Cassatt, and St. Gaudens.

The narration was wonderfully done as well.

Why cross cultural contact is so important

David McCullough takes us on a fascinating journey on the incredible impact that increased mobility had on North America and Europe. As someone who has had the privilege of cross cultural contact, I appreciated how ideas and "memes" bounced back and forth between Paris and the U.S. I think about all of the wonderful expressions of a unified humanity that the various exhibitions, festivals, contests have had on our culture, to our benefit.

Quite the education!

I loved this book. I learned so much about art, sculpture, architecture, and even about early French automobiles.

Ed Herrmann is a delight to listen to. I now want to visit NYC to see the Sherman, to Rouen to see the cathedral that do inspired the first wave of expats in Paris, and to a museum to see paintings by Casatt, Whistler, Sargent, and Homer.

Splendid!

McCullough at his best and a dazzling performance by Edward Herman - a wonderful and educational listen.

amazing stories and narration

This is a fascinating perspective of 19th Century Paris. And a great art history as well.

Fascinating Look at Paris & Americans in mid 1900s

I agree with Rick and jesse's reviews. I didn't know what to expect but I took a bit of chance because: a) author has been so reliable; and b) outline of book.
The story is not a linear unfolding of a person's life as in 'John Adams'. It is a somewhat linear story (although the timeline is not always straight*) of some noteworthy Americans (some readily known and some more obscure) and how their journey's to Paris impacted first, their lives and ultimately their impact on art, medicine, innovation and on a growing America.
At that time, the knowledge and experience of the arts and medicine in Paris was vastly more than in the US. The people profiled in these pages mostly traveled there, in difficult circumstances, to gain knowledge and expertise. But it isn't only about how Paris affected some Americans. Many of these people also made their own impact on Paris and the arts. The particularly heartwarming story of Elihu Washburne illustrates how an American affected so many lives compassionately in a time of war.
I was very glad I chose this book and looked forward to listening to it every day. The stories of the struggling and ultimately acclaimed American artists will prod me to investigate them more and see some of their artworks.
*Often, Mr McCullough will unfold the actions of a main character when he/she is an adult at the time of traveling to or being in Paris. Then, later, he will tell the back-story of that person. It was easy to get used to.