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

Beautiful and Interesting

The works of many American artists were influenced heavily by the French. I loved learning about different individuals and groups who went to Paris to study visual arts and medicine, bringing back to America techniques and ideas that brought America along to more modern thinking. Lots of rich history found here, including detailed and moving individual lives and experiences.

Wonderful!

The backstories this novel presents are amazing! Narrator's flawless French added much to my enjoyment!

A fascinating listen!

McCullough's exceedingly well researched book covers a space in time - Paris in the 19th century and very specifically, the activity of Americans in Paris - which is mostly obscured by fin de siecle events. Edward Herrmann's read of it makes it even that much better - I wish he did reading of more audiobooks that I've gotten. Given the many vignettes interwoven throughout the book, it is easy to listen to the book for short periods of time, and come back to it to re-engage.

Paris here I come.

Loved it. Always looked forward to hearing what was coming next. I am now getting ready to visit Paris.

What you never knew

I always find myself immersed in David McCullough's storytelling. And I always find I learn so much about the history of people I did not know well. This book is filled with those people and their stories. I would definitely recommend it.

McCullough never disappoints!

Ed Herrmann did a wonderful narration and Delighted with his French and his expressive style. Glad I have in my library now, I’ll listen again

Uninteresting

I have read McCullough's book on the life of John Adams and found it excellent so I was looking forward to this one. Maybe it was just me but I could not get into this book. It was well researched and well written but not very interesting. I normally enjoy listening to history but this book was very disjointed with no continuing story line. I forced myself to finish it but can't say I enjoyed it.

History Buff or not -- Very Interesting Book

Very well written and interesting history of Americans in Paris from 1800's-early 1900's -- artists, doctors, authors, politicans. Well done narration as well.

Who knew?

Would you consider the audio edition of The Greater Journey to be better than the print version?

Yes, to hear the story of our great history in this great city was captivating. I found myself googling the references to the various artworks as the story was read.

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

All the parts about Agustus St Gauden. He was a fascinating and talented artist that I never knew! His underdog story of drive and determination was very interesting.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Gauden gets his first commission.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Siren call of Paris

Any additional comments?

Wonderfully read by the author and Edward Hermann -- their voices blend nicely and the switches are not distracting in the least

An important period of American History overlooked

Would you consider the audio edition of The Greater Journey to be better than the print version?

On this book, I found them to be complimentary. I was unfamiliar with many of the central figures and acts in this time and found those details easier to grasp with the printed version. Once I had established that base of knowledge I was enraptured by the audio edition.

What did you like best about this story?

How new all of the information was to me. It was really the dawn of pure Americanism.