The Glory and the Dream

A Narrative History of America, 1932 - 1972

By: William Manchester

Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach

Length: 57 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

This great time capsule of a book captures the abundant popular history of the United States from 1932 to 1972. It encompasses politics, military history, economics, the lively arts, science, fashion, fads, social change, sexual mores, communications, graffiti...everything and anything indigenous that can be captured in print.

The Glory and the Dream chronicles the progress of life in the United States, from the time William Manchester and his generation reached the beginning of awareness in the desperate summer of '32 to President Nixon's Second Inaugural Address and the opening scenes of Watergate. Masterfully compressing four crowded decades of our history, Manchester relives the epic, significant, or just memorable events that befell the generation of Americans whose lives pivoted between the America before and the America after the Second World War.

©1974 William Manchester (P)1994 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Explains many commonplace references

If you are like me, many of the common English language references carried some meaning but not a full understanding to me. As I listened to this audiobook I gained the historical significance of many words or phrases that I had read or heard in conversation. McCarthyism. I like Ike. The Vietnam war. Pearl Harbor. If you want to know what was happening in our world, the United States of America. Both politically and in society, you will enjoy this book. It is long and takes perseverance to complete, but do not rush and, most of all, enjoy learning about our history.

Highly recommend

Thorough, engrossing, excellent. Can't recommend highly enough. Made my endless drives so much more entertaining. 60 hours well spent. Thanks.

a tour de force

This book is an outstanding panorama of U.S. history that stretches from the New Deal to Nixon. I found it difficult to pull myself away. It is a timepiece, reflecting the values of an earlier era. Manchester's take on Berkeley's Free Speech movement was weak, but there was so much that strong. In the first segments there were minor technical glitches, but they were insignificant. Highly recommended.

Jeff Riggenbach, the reader, was perfect for the book.

So much to learn from

The hindsight and present sight are both present in large amounts. So many small stories blend together to show the many "fragments of reality" that comprise the American experience. A beautiful book.

Pronunciations like you've never heard before!

I wish I had made a list of the many inexplicable mis-pronunciations in this book.

Mr. Riggenbach does a fine job narrating, but adds his own imaginative twist on the English language. You might think you have missed something in your education when you hear a word spoken as you've never heard it before.

You may think: No, it can't possible be said like that-- can it? You are not wrong. Mr. Riggenbach reads certain words as if he is encountering them for the first time, and doing a yeoman's job of coming up with something that sounds plausible. But in the cases I have checked, his versions do not appear even in the dictionary's secondary preferences, let alone the primary pronunciations.

I suggest that you view these departures as a game, like bird-watching, and look forward to the next odd bird that wings your way.

Dupicated

Some if the reading is duplicated. I heard the exact same thing in different charters.

Quite the Tour D Force!

I loved the book; born in the 80's, I gained great insight into my parents' and grandparents' lives, their struggles and joys. I feel like I understand them much better, especially my reserved grandparents.

it took me months to finish the book, in the meantime I finished many other books (including Moby Dick). For me, it was a great book to go while on a long jog or in the garden. It doesn't require 100% of your attention, making it a great activity book. I highly recommend.

Boomers will absolutely love this!

If you were born after WWII or even in the decade before that, this book will bring back a flood if memories from your childhood and young adulthood. But equally important, it could very well reveal what your parents and grandparents experienced in the years leading up to WWII, including the Great Depression, and why they were the kind of parents they were. Particularly if you’re into American History, Politics, and Culture, the hundreds of names mentioned in the book will have significance, perhaps more than when they were in the headlines. Brilliantly researched and narrated, one will have to forgive the narrator for a few mispronounciations here and there for names of people and places which were well known to those of us who lived through these “interesting times.”

The accuracy of the text… It is towed just like it happened

I recommended this book to my children and two friends. I enjoyed it because I lived it and Manchester told the story pretty much the way it happened. I was born in 1932 experience WW II, Korea, Vietnam, the 1940s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s.

compelling

If you could sum up The Glory and the Dream in three words, what would they be?

This book is unturnoffable.
It is a gripping reminder of a period of our history that is very relevant to today

What other book might you compare The Glory and the Dream to and why?

Any Barbara Tuchman, which from me is high praise from me

What about Jeff Riggenbach’s performance did you like?

It was ok, not the best reader, but serviceable

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

fascinating

Any additional comments?

Really good