Wilson

By: A. Scott Berg

Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb

Length: 32 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tradition of Truman, John Adams, and Team of Rivals, the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning biographer of Charles Lindbergh, Maxwell Perkins, and Samuel Goldwyn sheds new light on a president and his presidency in a way that redefines our understanding of a tide-turning historical moment.

A hundred years after his inauguration, Woodrow Wilson still stands as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, and one of the most enigmatic. And now, after more than a decade of research and writing, Pulitzer Prize-winning author A. Scott Berg has completed Wilson - the most personal and penetrating biography ever written about the 28th President.

In addition to the hundreds of thousands of documents in the Wilson Archives, Berg was the first biographer to gain access to two recently discovered caches of papers belonging to those close to Wilson. From this material, Berg was able to add countless details - even several unknown events - that fill in missing pieces of Wilson's character and cast new light on his entire life.

From the scholar-President who ushered the country through its first great world war to the man of intense passion and turbulence, from the idealist determined to make the world "safe for democracy" to the stroke-crippled leader whose incapacity and the subterfuges around it were among the century's greatest secrets, the result is an intimate portrait written with a particularly contemporary point of view - a book at once magisterial and deeply emotional about the whole of Wilson's life, accomplishments, and failings. This is not just Wilson the icon - but Wilson the man.

©2013 A. Scott Berg (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Well Written & Narrated But Too Much Hero Worship

I thought that this book was extremely well written. I also thought that Jeremy Bobb did an superb job with the narration. The biggest problem I had with the book is that Professor Berg has produced a volume that deifies President Wilson too much and is not critical enough of his shortcomings both as a person and as a world leader. Throughout the book Berg gives short shift to Wilson's weaknesses (his unwillingness to forgive people whom he felt betrayed him, his pure enmity for Henry Cabot Lodge with regard to the Versailles treaty and the racism that came from his Southern roots) while spending way too much time on the good that he accomplished (his Progressive Agenda and his willingness to try to avoid US involvement in World War I until Imperial Germany pushed him too far). In writing this book Berg indicated that he had access to previously unreleased materials (i.e. the letters of one of Wilson's daughters and the letters of Dr. Grayson who was Wilson's personal physician), but in completing the book I am left with the feeling that the addition of these materials did not add greatly to the biography or shed any new light on Wilson than what I already know. If you have never read a biography of Wilson before, this book would be a good place to start in trying to understand him- but I believe that if you really want to understand the man and the times he lived, this book is only a first step.

I learned a lot

I learned a lot about Wilson. Prior to this book my knowledge was weak and afterward have greater respect for accomplishments of our 28th President.

Great History

A interestingly detailed biography. WILSON has taken a hit in recent years for his racism and deservingly so. No excuse but he was a product of the south during reconstuction and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. For a educated and liberal thinking man he should have done more for cival rights. Democrats at that time could not offend their southern base. Out of all of the presidents he is the most frustrating for me. The positive side was his progressive legislation. Womens voting rights, shorter work week federal reserve etc. On the other hand for his high minded morality doesn't square with his view towards minorities. The book is an outstanding history of the politics and culture of the time. You had a man who fought for world peace on one hand and segragated blacks in the federal work force. If you like history read this book, Narration top notch. It was amazing at Versailles how Great Britian France Italy Japan and other countries made unreasonable draconian demands on the Germam people.They were so myopic they had no idea they set the table for dictators and World War 2. Wilsons legacy I believe was his League of nations and not territorial grabs and to build the central powers.
GJ

Thorough reading of the principled president

A bit of Wilson worship, but touching and in depth. I learned a lot about the man that could be our last honest politician.

Excellent and detailed.

This has to be the most thorough examination of President Wilson they ever was. It has a great piece and is very detailed. I learned quite a bit listening to this.

Heretofore, I have always diminished his role in history but see him with a new perspective now.

Thanks for writing it.

Great Story, Great Man

Breadth and depth. This presented a fair portrayal of an often scantly-covered historical personage

Good overview of Wilson

I always thought of Wilson as one of the better presidents but never understood how much of a lame duck he became. Normally biographies make me think higher of someone but this made me reconsider my stance on Wilson.

A decent treatment

The book shows Wilson highly moral, religious and principled man and public figure. He is committed to family, country and the world.

I was pleased that the book didn't avoid Wilson's racist views. He was both a product of his environment and hostage to inability to see blacks as equals. Despite pushing for equality among countries, he never saw it home. The book opened my eyes to racist antebellum behavior .

A good read any time

It was so good, I cried at the end.

If you could sum up Wilson in three words, what would they be?

A. Scott Berg's biography of President Wilson is so intimate and personal that I felt like a friend of the President's. And, I had never realized how closely President Obama's presidency parallels Wilson's, not in the particular issues, but in the animosity towards the men felt by Republicans.

The end of his life was peaceful, satisfied, yet sad, and at the close of the book I cried on the way to work. My wife happened to call, and thought perhaps I'd lost my job. I was that sad.

For me, that is the mark of a great book!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Wilson?

His quick transformation from academics to politics.

What about Jeremy Bobb’s performance did you like?

Excellent speaking voice, articulated Wilson's speeches in a way that made me think I was there.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it's too much information for that.

Any additional comments?

Great, just great. Right up there with Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals.

performance good, content meh

This was a Woodrow Wilson love fest, which is fine, but I felt objective analysis was lacking. It's as though the man knew everything abbey was flawless aside from frail health. I understand that a person has to have some affection for their subject, but come on.