The War That Made America

A Short History of the French and Indian War

By: Fred Anderson

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Apart from The Last of the Mohicans, most Americans know little of the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War, and yet it remains one of the most fascinating periods in our history. In January 2006, PBS will air The War That Made America, a four-part documentary about this epic conflict. Fred Anderson, the award-winning and critically acclaimed historian, has written the official tie-in to this exciting television event.

In The War That Made America, Anderson deftly shows how the expansion of the British colonies into French territory in the 1750s and the ongoing Native American struggle for survival would erupt into seven years of bloodshed and unrest spreading from the backwoods of Pennsylvania to the high courts of Europe, eventually overturning the balance of power on two continents and laying the groundwork for the American Revolution. Beautifully illustrated, richly detailed, and utterly compelling, this is the story of how America as we know it today emerged from a series of fractured colonies and warring tribes into a nation ripe for independence, and nobody tells this story better than Fred Anderson.

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©2005 The War That Made America, LLC (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Like the best popular historians, Anderson combines exhaustive research and an accessible prose style in a volume that should help rescue the French and Indian War from historical obscurity." (Publishers Weekly)

A great listen

Although smoewhat short it is a very informative look 8nto the French and Indian War.

Good book not a great book

The book suffered a bit with revisionist history and some PC but not bad. It did a good job of reflecting the normal miscalculations on all sides that lead to most Wars. Alot of effort was made to make Washington look less Christian than his own writings did. But a good review of a war not much covered.

Prologue Promises More

This book was alright, but I really expected more on the Indian part based upon the prologue. Still, the title does say Short, so I should have expected what I got, I guess. Not a bad intro, and I did learn somethings, particularly about Washington.

Vital History Fully Recounted

Book title so true. Detail-Washinton first becomes world famous, and not in a grand way.

Good (Though Biased) History, A Bit Dry

This covers a period of history that is touched on in biographies of George Washington and others. However, it is hard to get a perspective on the French & Indian War. You will get that here. However, you will have to concentrate at times and get through a lot of names, places, and numbers. I read lots of histories, and I seek out ones that are more enjoyable.

Very detailed and in depth history.

I was not in he mood for this book. It was a little to much detail for me at this time. I watched the PBS special and was able to get a quicker grasp of the history. That does not mean one should not listen to this book. Have an open mind and dive into the history.

A thorough and absorbing history

This is a thorough and absorbing history of mid-18th century colonial America and the war that laid the foundations of our modern republic. Anderson is an outstanding historian and an expert in the field. This military and political history is a shorter version of the longer, more nuanced study in his "Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766." Nevertheless, this book is a worthy history in itself. Anderson's analysis is balanced and even-handed throughout, and hardly an apologia for any particular side in the war. His research speaks for itself, and the native Americans fare no better than the British and French in the accounts of their mistaken judgments, greed and duplicity. Listeners will have to draw their own conclusions about the allegedly "revisionist" nature of Anderson's treatment of white policy toward native Americans since 1620, but I suggest it is very far from a "blame white America" work. This is a most interesting study of a little-known period in our history and well worth the attention one pays to it.

Very Good Overview of The FIW!

I enjoy reading about the French Indian War, and this audiobook was a pleasure to listen to. It gives a great overview of the war, but is very Washington-centric. Simon Vance does a good job of narrating, and pulls it off so that you don't find it boring at all. Highly recommended!

Outstanding

Would you listen to The War That Made America again? Why?

First off, sound quality outstanding, the more books I listen to the more I realize this isn't always the case. The history itself is great. I love history and most of this was new information. Highly reccomend this book.

What did you like best about this story?

How it showed the French and Indian war led to the American revolution.

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

Narration was very compelling.

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

Not that type of subject.

Any additional comments?

A must listen for students of American history.

Rich in military detail

This is a book for those who already have a general understanding of this war and its context and want to explore its logistics more profoundly.