1776

By: David McCullough

Narrated by: David McCullough

Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

In this stirring audiobook, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence, when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper.

Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats, who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost: Washington, who had never before led an army in battle.

The darkest hours of that tumultuous year were as dark as any Americans have known. Especially in our own tumultuous time, 1776 is powerful testimony to how much is owed to a rare few in that brave founding epoch, and what a miracle it was that things turned out as they did.

Written as a companion work to his celebrated biography of John Adams, David McCullough's 1776 is another landmark in the literature of American history.

©2005 David McCullough (P)2005 Simon and Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon and Schuster Audio Division, Simon and Schuster Inc.

Critic reviews

• 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Narration by the Author
• 2005 Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award, Nonfiction

"A first-rate historical account." (Booklist)
"A narrative tour de force, exhibiting all the hallmarks the author is known for: fascinating subject matter, expert research, and detailed, graceful prose....Simply put, this is history writing at its best from one of its top practitioners." (Publishers Weekly)
"A stirring and timely work, reminding us that it's soldiers rather than 'tavern patriots and windy politicians' who have always paid the price of American idealism and determined its successes. (The New York Times)

Great

Great book. Get the unabridged version; it's worth it.

a must listen

This the best telling of the Revolution I have ever heard or read. Perhaps it should be required reading in every American history course. The author has done for the Revolution what Bruce Catton did for the civil war. You must get this book it is not an option.

Excellent

An excellent, well read, well written, account of an important point in world history. Conveys a real sense of the times and holds the listeners attention throughout.

This is abridged version.

I didn't pay attention enough when I purchased this. This is just summary of the original book.
The original book is over 11 hours, but this is just 6 hours.
The second narrator is not reading his original, but summarizing the content.
I don't know how many people can be careless like me, but in the case, I leave my review here.

Great Book Bad Reader

1776 is an excellent book that is written well, however David McCollough's reading is poor and in a monotone voice. It is frankly unlistenable. Why can't authors just be satisfied with writing well and give the extra money to someone who has the talent to read outloud.

Great Choice for a First Read

Would you consider the audio edition of 1776 to be better than the print version?

The abridged audio version of this book was so entertaining it made me want to read the harcover, a gift which had lain untouched on my shelf for several months.

Who was your favorite character and why?

David McCullough brings George Washington to life more than any other characterization I've ever encountered, even in straight biographical pieces.

Have you listened to any of David McCullough’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first David McCullough-narrated book, and along with Malcolm Gladwell, he is proof that sometimes the author is the best choice to read the material, even with so many excellent professional narrators/performers available.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The gripping description of the near-total disaster of the Battle of Long Island, a moment early in the war when the Revolution could have been crushed had Washington not successfully evacuated the army by water to Manhattan in an orderly retreat that many believed to be impossible.

Any additional comments?

Although I'd been listening to audiobooks for years through tape and CD, this was the first truly portable audio book experience as I shifted venues from car to home to commute via my iPod. And when I was done -- the title was there in archive when I needed it, without the box and tapes and discs to gather dust and take up space. It was a truly liberating experience and I'll always remember this book fondly for that reason.

Entertaining

This book was pleasent and entertaining. It offered a great deal of insight into the time and personalities. After listening to this book, I was left wanting more. The story, as its title would indicate, focus almost exclusively on 1776 and leaves the listener eager for the rest of the story.

Great

This book kept my interest from the beginning to the end. A worth while read.

Incomplete

I used this to follow along with a book for a college class and there were MANY pages missing/skipped throughout the entire book.

Not credible history

I thought this book was a good read, interesting and a new perspective. What I didn't know was taht the author was criticised for fabricating historical evidence for some of his controversial matter. If you want an interesting audio book, its good, but if you're interested in pure history, maybe you
should look at another author. I had a web site listed where the author's facts are brought into question, but that's not allowed in a review, so look into it yourself. I believe a book that is historical non-fiction should not have elements of fiction in it, unless that is listed as its purpose.