Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
William McKinley  By  cover art

William McKinley

By: Kevin Phillips, Arthur M. Schlesinger
Narrated by: Richard Rohan
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $14.99

Buy for $14.99

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A best-selling historian and political commentator reconsiders McKinley’s overshadowed legacy....

By any serious measurement, best selling historian Kevin Phillips argues, William McKinley was a major American president. It was during his administration that the United States made its diplomatic and military debut as a world power. McKinley was one of eight presidents who, either in the White House or on the battlefield, stood as principals in successful wars, and he was among the six or seven to take office in what became recognized as a major realignment of the U.S. party system.

Phillips argues that McKinley’s lackluster ratings have been sustained not by unjust biographers but by years of criticism about his personality, indirect methodologies, middle-class demeanor, and tactical inability to inspire the American public. In this powerful and persuasive biography, Phillips musters convincing evidence that McKinley’s desire to heal, renew prosperity, and reunite the country qualify him for promotion into the ranks of the best chief executives.

©2003 Brenda Z. Guiberson (P)2003 Macmillan Audio

What listeners say about William McKinley

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    27
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    9
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    22
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    27
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    20
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    13

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

If you want a five-hour lecture about why McKinley is historically under-ranked as a president, this book is for you. If you are looking for a linear discussion of McKinley’s accomplishments, or just a coherent narrative, look elsewhere. The author assumes you’ve read other McKinley biographies and are well-versed in his life and presidency. It is only a value-add to the extent you want to revisit what you already know about McKinley with a more favorable lens. The author is argumentative and biased, and spends too much space speculating about what McKinley might have accomplished with two full terms. If you are looking to learn about the 25th president, don’t start here.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Thought-provoking

William McKinley (1843-1901) was president from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. He was the twenty-five president of the United States. McKinley was a strong governor of Ohio and a decisive president whose stern looks hid a thoughtful and gentle man. William McKinley was a Civil war veteran and a Lincoln Republican.

Phillip details how McKinley presided over the emergence of the United States as a world power in the Spanish-American war. McKinley’s election in 1890 ushered in approximately forty years of Republican political dominance.

Phillip points out that McKinley was one of eight presidents, who either in the White House or on the battlefield, led the nation in successful Wars; and he was among the six or seven to take office in what become recognized as a major realignment of the United States’ party system. McKinley was among the sixteen United States presidents elected to two terms, and avoided the tarnish of major scandal.

The author points out that McKinley was a “hinge president,” whose first term ushered in the 20th century, and who ‘presided over the fruition of the Northern or Yankee version of U.S. expansionism, a commercial manifest destiny tied to increasing American exports.’
In 1901 McKinley was assassinated by a deranged anarchist’. McKinley’s vice president Theodore Roosevelt took over the presidency and carried on McKinley’s moderate platform. Roosevelt’s charisma overshadowed McKinley over historical time.

This book is more of a political analysis of William McKinley rather than a biography as Phillips tell what other historians have written about McKinley and argues with many of them. The book is narrated by Richard Rohan.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Ends Certain Misperceptions about McKinley

Where does William McKinley rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book is a few years old and can drag on occasions. It cites a lot of facts and requires some knowledge of Reconstruction Era/Gilded Age American history to fully appreciate. But it covers and era that is not well-studied, but has strong parallels to the present.

What was one of the most memorable moments of William McKinley?

Understanding how McKinley was not an arch-conservative and laid the groundwork for the modern progressive movement.

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

No.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Incomplete

A Lot of details here but not a single word on how or why he was Assassinated. Where is he berried? How did people react/respond? Not much on military strategy other than communication from the White House.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Dull Dull Dull

I was on chapter 2 and I was ready to fall asleep. I was listening more about the background of Ohio and falling asleep

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Confusing presentation

Dialog was all over the place, time and characters. Very difficult to follow. Of all the presidential books on Audible, this was worst. Hayes was next. The rest were great.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lots of details in a not so long book

This isn’t your typical 20+ hour biography, but it sure fits in a lot of details! Truthfully this book probably needed to be 4x as long so the author could fully review everything. However, even with not being super long this book fits in alot of details and background information a history nerd like myself loves.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Masterful Exploration of a Neglected Legacy

In the realm of historical audiobooks, "William McKinley" is a remarkable work that brilliantly reevaluates the often-overshadowed legacy of a significant American president. Authored by the acclaimed historian and political commentator Kevin Phillips, with a compelling narration by Richard Rohan, this audiobook sheds light on McKinley's pivotal role in shaping the United States. It challenges the historical narratives that have relegated him to the shadows.

The audiobook's strength is meticulously examining McKinley's presidency, particularly highlighting the diplomatic and military milestones that marked the United States' emergence as a global power. Phillips skillfully weaves together historical events, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of McKinley's impactful contributions. The narrative is engaging and insightful, making complex political maneuvers accessible to listeners of all backgrounds.

Richard Rohan's narration deserves commendation for its clarity and eloquence. Rohan's well-spoken delivery enhances the audiobook experience, allowing the audience to absorb the content effortlessly. His articulate narration brings life to the historical accounts, making it a pleasure to follow McKinley's journey through the intricacies of his presidency.

One of the audiobook's significant accomplishments is challenging the persistent underrating of McKinley. Phillips convincingly argues that historical critiques have unfairly focused on personality, indirect methodologies, middle-class demeanor, and tactical shortcomings. Instead, the author emphasizes McKinley's profound desire to heal, promote prosperity, and reunite the nation, positioning him as one of the best chief executives.

Macmillan Audio's production quality is top-notch, and the company is unwaveringly committed to delivering high-quality audiobook experiences. The unabridged format ensures listeners receive a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of McKinley's life and presidency.

"William McKinley" is a masterful audiobook that revisits history and challenges preconceived notions, urging listeners to reconsider the legacy of a president who played a crucial role in shaping the nation. Kevin Phillips and Richard Rohan have crafted a compelling narrative that captivates and educates, making this audiobook a must-listen for history enthusiasts and casual listeners.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Propaganda, not history

McKinley is one of only four presidents assassinated. Not a mention of it in this plodding hagiography. Heavy on arcane discussions of tariffs and the gold standard. The man is invisible, Second I’ve read in the American Presidents series. Both were bad. So much for Arthur Schlesinger’s imprimatur.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

facts and figures

brilliantly researched, this book reads more like an abstract for a doctoral dissertation. this book is not written in the vein of meacham or Goodwin and that it is not a fascinating narrative nonfiction account of the man and key things that happened in his administration. for example it merely mentions the fact that the annexation of Hawaii but does not explore the moral issues surrounding that annexation and our treatment of the Hawaiian Queen or does it give any in-depth information about McKinley's lack of response to the 1898 race riots in Wilmington North Carolina

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!