Founding Gardeners

The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation

De: Andrea Wulf

Narrado por: Antonia Bath

A groundbreaking look at the Founding Fathers and their obsession with gardening, agriculture, and botany by the author of Magnificent Rebels and New York Times bestseller The Invention of Nature. • “Illuminating and engrossing.” —The New York Times Book Review

For the Founding Fathers, gardening, agriculture, and botany were elemental passions: a conjoined interest as deeply ingrained in their characters as the battle for liberty and a belief in the greatness of their new nation.

Founding Gardeners is an exploration of that obsession, telling the story of the revolutionary generation from the unique perspective of their lives as gardeners, plant hobbyists, and farmers. Acclaimed historian Andrea Wulf describes how George Washington wrote letters to his estate manager even as British warships gathered off Staten Island; how a tour of English gardens renewed Thomas Jefferson’s and John Adams’s faith in their fledgling nation; and why James Madison is the forgotten father of environmentalism. Through these and other stories, Wulf reveals a fresh, nuanced portrait of the men who created our nation.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Illuminating and engrossing. . . . The reader relives the first decades of the Republic not only through her eloquent and revelatory prose but through the words of the statesmen themselves."—The New York Times Book Review

"Anecdotes . . . shimmer through Andrea Wulf’s fine story of how gardening and farming shaped the thinking of Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and James Madison. . . . Luxurious and sharp-witted." —San Francisco Chronicle

"[A] lively and deeply researched history. . . . Wulf ingeniously connects . . . highbrow political philosophy to the founders’ personal passion for horticulture." —The Washington Post Book World

"A timely and passionate book, with resonances beyond today’s legion of new gardeners. . . . Wulf traces the birth of the modern environmental movement back beyond Thoreau and Muir to the founding fathers’ passion for nature and plants." —The Guardian

"Andrea Wulf shows in her eloquently written and very beguiling Founding Gardeners that the garden, the natural world and the shape of a new nation were, for the men who launched the United States, parts of a whole. . . . She is a writer of considerable grace and breadth of vision, and Founding Gardeners is an excellent portrait of the early years of the federal republic. It will delight the general reader." —The Plain Dealer

"A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking book. Wulf combines a sure knowledge of garden history and 18th-centry politics with a keen eye for domestic detail and evocative description. By focusing the grand narrative of early America on four individuals, she writes the best kind of popular history." —The Irish Times

"It is certain that Wulf has wonderfully illuminated an often overlooked and very important aspect of the founders’ lives, providing new reasons to be inspired by them. . . . Delightful, enlightened reading."
—NashvilleScene.com

"Wonderfully engaging. . . . Breaks new ground." —The Times Literary Supplement (London)

"Fresh and bountiful. . . . Wulf’s delectable anecdotal approach . . . reveals each founder’s personality and perpective, while her dynamic analysis results in a paradigm-altering vision of how ‘the balance of nature’ underlies our founding principles." —Booklist (starred review)

"Wulf offers a delightful new perspective on the men we usually associate more with politics than with plants." —Publishers Weekly

A great history of freedom and farming

This book was really enjoyable. It provided a very thorough history of the founding fathers and their relationship to gardening and farming. It was really eye-opening to see how the farming backgrounds of the founders affected their philosophy of politics and government. The super great read, with a great history of farming and agricultural practices of early America. I highly recommend it.

Very interesting and original!

Loved this book. Very original subject. A lot of information presented in a very enjoyable style. Makes a great read.

Sublimely informative...

This Audible book really gives you a sense of the founding of this country. Although it is documented with scholarly precision and jam-packed with historical detail, it is a truly compelling listen. Thus far, 'Founding Gardeners' is my favorite audio book. A jewel.

Enjoyable audiobook about gardens

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

HIstory of the gardens of Jefferson, Washington, Madison and Adams and their gardening inspirations

What was one of the most memorable moments of Founding Gardeners?

Adams and Jefferson traveling to gardens in England.

Any additional comments?

I listened to the audiobook prior to a visit to Monticello and Mt Vernon. It increased my appreciation of the gardens.

For those who love history & gardening

I love this book. The correlation of history & gardening especially by the founding fathers was a rich perspective on the roots of America. Washington, Jefferson, Adam’s, and more. They were all gardener.
The tonal quality of the actors voice was pleasant.

"Outstanding Listen"

I read Andrea Wulf's first book, "The Brother Gardeners" and was amazed at how a non-fiction book on the history of botany could read like a novel. I am also an avid listener to books and when I saw it available on Audible, I immediately downloaded "The Founding Gardeners". This second book even excels the first one! It's a great history book about the founding fathers of the United States, and the way agriculture and gardening shaped the the country. There are lessons learned in this book not taught in classroom history. Ms. Wulf is a gifted writer and Antonia Bath is the perfect choice to narrate. I have also ordered it in hardback to add to my library of botanical books.

You don't have to be a plant nut to enjoy this book. I would recommend it to anyone, especially anyone interested in American history. And, I shall enjoy re-listening to it too. A real plus to me.

The underpinning of America's first 4 Presidents

There's not a single book that accomplishes what Andrea did; bring to life the Agrarian life that shaped our first 4 presidents. It's clear that she has read John Adams, His Excellency, Jefferson's only book, the websites and original documents of these Presidents. She weaves in monumental historical events with a perspective of, what else what on the mind of these men? The answer, soil, compost, economic independence through new crops and farming methods. Thank you!

Excellent!

I had no idea. This adds a whole other dimension to our historical past.
As a gardener, it adds meaning and purpose.

Informative & Entertaining

What made the experience of listening to Founding Gardeners the most enjoyable?

The history facts and hearing how important gardening was to the founding fathers.

Any additional comments?

If you like gardening & history, you should enjoy this book.

Fascinating

It's a whole new view of the founding (USA) fathers. If you love history and even more so love gardens you will enjoy this listen. The founding fathers were gardeners and farmers first at heart. Why and how they planted their gardens and plantations says a lot about why we are the country we became. “AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY”