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

I was with McCullough all the way

What made the experience of listening to The Greater Journey the most enjoyable?

I loved all the detail. Cannot imagine all the research into letters, journals, newspapers and
other source materials on so many people. I could almost see the author smiling as he
found some other delectable story in an obscure source.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Greater Journey?

The description of the Siege of Paris was one of the many highlights. The great
efforts of the American ambassador who worked tirelessly to save the lives of
many and the preparedness of many other Americans who aided with their
American ingenuity.

I also appreciated McCullough's switching back and forth from Paris to the
United States to link their histories together.

What does Edward Herrmann bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Herrmann's impeccable French pronunciations made the whole layout of Paris, it's
buildings, architecture come alive.

I especially enjoyed being free to see online all the art, sculpture and neighborhoods
as they were being described. Herrmann's reading, McCullough's writing and the
browsers really brought it to life.

One of my favorite books, from my favorite author

Well done as always by Mr. McCullough, I listened to this quite a while ago and recall it being enthralling. Highly recommended!

Excellent

As always, McCullough did great research and Edward Herrmann did a great job of reading.

A few of my favorite things.

This book combines art, science, history and Paris into a wonderfully different view of life. It entertained and expanded my knowledge of American history and artists.

What a time what a city

Of course great writing, never a book by the author but what is terrific reading.

Master Writer meets Master Narrator

David McCullough's wonderful prose needs someone who can appreciate every syllable, and Edward Herrmann was the best narrator ever for that. This book could have been twice as long and remain wonderful and interesting. A great book about such varying topics, and Herrmann's extraordinary narration brings each word and insight to life in spectacular fashion. Love that he narrated more than a couple of McCullough's works. Perfection.

As always, perfect

So glad I listened to this right before my first trip to Paris! Educational and delightful!

Interesting, while not authors best book

Authors other books are superior. This story lacks cohesiveness and seems to be a collection with thin connections--nonetheless worth a read for each part, even if a bit disjointed

This is more of a collection of stories than the story in itself

It seems to be bits of information that were just too good to pass up and then further research to go along with the really great fits

St Gaudens description.

Well written and researched. Tended to overload on the St Gaudens and all the small details of the sculptor’s life.